My Trip to London

This was my third trip to London, so we did not go to the biggies (i.e. Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace). Instead, we went to Kensington Palace, the Royal Mews, The V & A, The Original London Walks, Covent Garden, London Transport Museum, and the Museum of London. My absolute favorite was our Original London Walk. Great atmosphere and we got to go down some really fabulous streets. If you see a cemetery where the land is higher than the sidewalk... those are all bodies that rose. EEEK!!! Our guide Shaughan was superb!!Second favorite was the V & A. So much to see and not enough words for all of it. The gift shop is just killer. My favorite area was the Cast Room. Literally plaster casts of everything from effigies, celtic crosses to Michaelangelo's David. Good and tasty museum cafe. Lastly, loved the Victoria Embankment Gardens. A nice little park off of The Embankment. Beautiful flowers and a nice little place for a sit down. Great cafe in the park, with a fabulously inexpensive English Breakfast. AND you can eat your breakfast looking out at the Thames. Wow!

Quick Tips:

One tip... if you are going to Porter's Restaurant, go online to print their coupon. Next, buy a multi-day pass for the underground. Much cheaper. Wear comfy shoes. Lastly, eat a big English breakfast so that you only have to eat dinner. Great way to save money.

Best Way To Get Around:

I mainly use the Tube to get around. It's clean and it's easy to use. Some of the old stations do not have escalators to get down, but still a great way to get around. I admit that the bus lines intimidate me. Need to just do it. Also, you made need a taxi if you are going to be out late since the tube runs from 5:30am to about 12:30am Learned that the hard way.

Great hotel in a great location.

Check-in was very easy. When we first got to the hotel they did not have the room we requested, so we had an upgrade for the night. Then they moved our luggage the next day for us to our new room. The bummer was that our first room had a view of the Thames River.

The rooms were decorated in an Art Deco look, but was not uncomfortable. The bathrooms were huge! The bathtub and shower in the bathroom were very clean. The bath kit all came from Penhaligon's. The room was equipped with a Lavaza cappuccino/espresso machine, a desk, cable TV, and an extra table and chairs. The beds were very comfortable. We had breakfast and tea at the hotel restaurants. Both were very good. Considering the cost of afternoon tea at other locations this was very affordable, and we had a great view of St. Martin-in-the-Field Church.

Great central location!! Right next to Charing Cross Station (tube and railroad), which has a bunch of "quick" shops and fast food places; and the Embankment tube station(Circle line), was a block away. Trafalgar Square, National Gallery, and St. Martin-in-the-Field's are all across the street. Boots is right next to the hotel.

Close to everything, and about a 15-minute walk to Big Ben.

I absolutely loved afternoon tea at the Dorchester Hotel. First, we started with tea, I chose Earl Grey, scones, clotted cream, and jam. The scones there were light, fluffy, and scrumptious!!! I love clotted cream! Then came the sandwiches... egg, chicken with cheese, and mango, and two others I cannot remember, sorry!!! Lastly, a platter of French pastries came by. Each was more mouth watering than the next. Chocolate, creams, ohhhh, heaven!!!

The Promenade was beautiful. The sofas and chairs were soft and comfy. I felt like I was having this in my living room.

Service was fantastic, I Highly recommend it.

p.s. You won't need dinner after tea.

Mom and I went for their Sunday Roast special, L15 for two courses. They were very tasty. We both had the roast beef and Yorkshire pudding (I tried to have my mom get the chicken so we could try two different dishes, but eh). They were very good. The beef was tender, as was the Yorkshire pudding. Mom got the potatoes, too, which were extra. It also had the standard veggie with it. Dessert was the steamed sponge syrup with custard, which was out of this world, sooo good. I could have had a meal just of that. My mom had the dark chocolate chip pudding. It was good, but not as good as mine. It was in a great location, too, very close to Covent Garden and the Strand. Lucky enough for us, it was a short walk from our hotel off the Strand. Enjoy!

Where to start??? This was our last dinner in London. Since the restaurant was close to our hotel, we would try it out.

The meal was not memorable, and almost seemed to be cooked in the microwave.

The worst part was the bill. First, even though we split an appetizer they charged us for two. So, about $15 for two pieces of scampi. The main meals were good, your normal pasta faire. Then we also had dessert too. They charged us a 12.5% service charge, and a sit down fee. What we thought would be a nice little meal ended up costing about $100 for nothing special.

Wow!!! You'd probably need 2 days to see it all.

What I would see again: The Cast Room, the items from King Henry VIII era, and everything else!!! There literally is so much to see. The Cast Room has plaster casts of everything, from Celtic crosses to Michelangelo's "David." Such a great way to see items from all over the world in one place. The old dresses, the art nouveau tiles, the grand chandlier, the portraits...on and on. I don't think there is anything that the V & A missed. We ended up spending about most of the day there because there was so much that we loved. Even the wrought iron is beautiful. I love anything about British history so seeing reproduction rooms and garments were a treat. Also, lots of kids stations. This way they're not left out either. Except for special exhibits, it's free. Great stuff!! Plus, it has the best museum gift shop in London. I bought most of my trinkets from the shop. Postcards, kitchen towels, coins, you name it they have it.

Also, there is a really good museum cafe. We popped in there for some scones, clotted cream and tea for me (Mom needed a Diet Coke). Scones were very yummy. The Cafe had an extensive menu. If we would have known we would have had lunch there instead.

I was actually surprised at how much I enjoyed this museum. I was in Covent Garden and thought, "why not??" As you enter you see how mass transport started, with horses and a bus carriage. Then there are buses all the way to the modern fair. Then you see how The Tube was actually dug out, the old cars, ticket booths, etc. There is a lot of hands-on stuff for kids, and neat train cars, and more for them to go on. Lastly, loved the gift shop. A lot of Tube stuff, but also Thomas the Tank Engine items too.

This was my first London Walk, and it will not be my last. Our walk was "Ghosts of the Old City." It was very easy to find our guide by the Tube exit because he looked ghoulish. We did get there early, but the good thing is that I got some great pictures of St. Paul's Cathedral at dusk. Another great thing about the London Walks is that you see streets, mews, and back roads that you would not see otherwise, a real feeling of London. We had about 20 to 25 people in our group. There were not too many people, so we were able to hear everything. We got to see many churches, back streets, pubs, and cemeteries on the tour. There were great street names: Aldersgate, Cloth Fair, Charterhouse, and Threadneedle. We learned about people haunting St. Paul's, Newgate, pubs, and cemeteries. It was amazing to learn that they had to put guards by the cemeteries because family members would give them a Christian burial and then dig them back up and sell the deceased to the hospitals!!! It ended with an option to warm up at the pub, but it was already a very long day. Great ghost stories and a wonderful way to see London. The guide, Shaughan, truly makes this walk worthwhile. Take the Tube to St. Paul's and go right outside exit 2. It's 6 pounds for the walk and it starts at 7:30pm.

Literally one of my favorite shops in London. The bath bombs, or "ballistics", are "da bomb" (sorry, could not help myself). I actually used one after a long day of walking, and it helped immensely. They have just about every scent you could possibly want. The honey bee scent is divine!! The soaps are just as good. My favorites are "Honey I washed the kids", "I should Coco", "Miranda" (kiwi smelling), and "Rock Star" (vanilla type scent). They are great as gifts to bring home to the United States. Yeah, I know you can buy it here in some big cities, but it's London :-).

Boots is liked a Walgreens on steroids. They have their own brand of make-up and beauty goods that are out of this world. I just ran out of their cucumber line. Great eye gel. Also, their orange blossom/calendula shower gel is just yummy. The cost is pocket friendly too. Plus, when you scrub up in the morning you'll remember London. A good place to pick up my favorite Diet Coke, and not pay an arm and a leg. Another great thing about Boots is their take-and-go food. They have some really tasty sandwiches and wraps, not to mention that they have Walker's crisps too. I had the egg sandwich which was pretty good. Wasn't used to having watercress on it, but while in London do as a Londoner would do. If you want to pick something up for a quick lunch, or to take your lunch to a park, or a quick hotel room dinner for the travel weary... Boots is a good pick.

On our first day back in London, my mom and I found this little park while walking around and checking out the area by our hotel (The Thistle Charing Cross). We were walking down Villers Street and saw this park to the left. We looked at each other and said, "Why not?" The flowers were in bloom and it was just lovely. Peach tulips, crocus... purples, yellows, pinks, whites—breathtaking. I always think of London in the spring, and this is the kind of picturesque garden I think of. It's a little walk through the garden. It stretches from Villers Street to Waterloo bridge along The Embankment. There are great monuments, flower beds, craggy trees, and little vistas, along with plenty of benches so you can sit down and enjoy the view of the River Thames in front of you. Of course, look past the cars and buses on the major street between the garden and river. The best part is that the Thames is right there... oops, sorry, that's the second-best part. The best part is that there is a little cafe, I believe, it's The Embankment Gardens Cafe, where you can get a huge English breakfast cheap. A huge plate with English bacon, eggs, toast, beans, and fries was placed in front of me, and it was enough to keep me full until dinner, and tasty, too. They also have food for lunch. I'm not sure if they are open for dinner. Take a seat outside and the waiter/waitress will bring your food to you. Our view while eating our first breakfast in London included the garden on one side and the Thames on the other... *sigh*. It's definitely not as expansive as Regent, Hyde, or St. James, but just as charming.

While walking down Whitehall, my mom and I realized, "Ooooo, they're going to change the Horse Guards. Let's go!" I'm glad we did. They let you in the gates and all the tourists gather round to check out the proceedings. We were there in April, so it may be a bit more crowded in summer. You may not be able to get in if you come late. We kind of shuffled our way to a good spot. Out come the guards with their boots up their thighs and then out come the horses. It's very neat to hear the commands of the officer and to see the men being inspected by their superiors. We are able to hear the officer say, "Your boots are not shined enough." That's how close we were. I know it's all flash, but I really enjoyed it, and it's free! Plus, it's not nearly as long as the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Another plus is just being up so close. You can't beat that. Lastly, the uniforms are so over-the-top. I'd love to see the men running in these thigh high boots. They're not quite stripper boots, but I did get that image.

Alright, one of the best things about this museum is that it's free! Great value, eh? All kidding aside, it's a great museum to see the development of London and everything in between. You literally will see everything, from prehistoric items to the Lord Mayor's coach. All are very interesting. Going on the weekend is a good idea, because the area is like a ghost town. I personally enjoyed the Tudor and Stuart era. I love this era, so to see how they lived then was very interesting. Also, you see how The Great Fire started and enveloped so much of the city. There's a little room that is darkened, and you'll see how it slowly started and then went rampant. It's a good exhibit for kids. Another great area of the museum is the Victorian section. There are little rooms, or vignets, that present everything from a barber to a pharmacy. You will feel like you are part of that era. Also, you can take pictures in this area, so click away. Lastly, the Roman room is fantastic. I truly enjoyed that one. You feel like you really are in Roman times. There are Roman walls (including one outside) and tiles that are just spectacular. But to look at marble statues from the Temple of Mithras is just awesome! You look at it and think "some Roman looked at this and admired its beauty, just like me." One of the last things to see is the Lord Mayor's Coach. It was built in 1757 and as glided with gold as it can be! This is just as spectacular as the Royal Coach used for crowning the monarchs, another great picture for the scrapbook. We took the Tube from the Barbican stop. The museum is right down the road from it.

I had heard mixed reviews on Kensington Palace, but the Anglophile royal fan in me said, "Why not?" and I was not disappointed. I absolutely loved it. First off, the setting is wonderful. We walked from the High Street Kensington tube station to Kensington Gardens. There were nice shops along the way. We grabbed a water and stopped for a spell in Kensington Gardens, looking at the beautiful Kensington Gardens. The views are spectacular. Even the trees have character. Next, you get to walk through the Palace Gardens, which are breathtaking, with the pond, fountains and sculpted garden beds. We were there in spring, and all the flowers were in bloom. There were wonderful colors. It was a nice place to catch your breath. The first thing you see when you enter and pay is the court dress from around the mid-18th century to the present. It's amazing how elaborate they were, especially in the Victorian era. They don't just have them on a form, but on lifelike models. This way you see an actual scene from court. Diana's dresses are in a different area, but you do get to see many of the dresses that were in all the gossip rags. They are all beautiful, of course, but there aren't much else of Diana things at the palace. You do not get to see her apartments. If you are going just for that, you will be disappointed. Next, the state rooms open to the public are wonderful. The most modern ones are those of the late Princess Margaret. It is interesting that they are more stripped down and kind of have a bare-essentials feeling. As you go up a level, you get to see the rooms commissioned by Christopher Wren. There is beautiful gilding in every room, along with fantastic artwork. Everything, from rugs and vases to furniture, is still there. But the thing is, you truly get the feeling that you are part of that era. The fact that you can walk through a room that Queen Victoria herself walked in--wow!!! It was at Kensington Palace that Victoria was awakened to be told she was now queen. For someone like me, it is steeped in history and grandeur. Also, the audio headphones are a great tour guide. Kensington Palace was well worth a visit by this Anglophile's account.

We arrived on a Wednesday and decided to cure our jet lag by going to Westminster Abbey. We were delighted to see that it was open at night on a Wednesday. So, we decided to put that last on our list for the day and go that night. We were tired but intrigued.Boy, what a great idea. The atmosphere is even better at night. Also, not nearly as many people at the church. The pictures we took at night are awesome. Normally, you have to pay for a guided Verger (their tour guide of the church)Tour. But since it was not busy that night, we had a Verger all to ourselves. He told us about all of those that are buried there (i.e. Queen Elizabeth I, Mary, Queen of Scots, Geoffrey Chaucer, Edward the Confessor, too many to put here). You stand there and think, "I am looking at the crypt of Queen Elizabeth I", or "That's is the exact chair that Queen Elizabeth II sat when she was coronated." Fantastic! The verger also gave a history summary. The neat thing about being with the verger was that he pointed out things we wouldn't have noticed, like the holes in the church walls where they put up lights and such in order to film the crowning of the Queen and the marriage of Sarah and Andrew of York. Simply great!Amazing to be at a site where there have been buildings since 1066. A girl from Illinois got to stand were Queens and Kings from the past stood.Then there is the architecture. How on earth that church is still standing I'll never know, but then I'm not an architect. The Gothic architecture is almost overwhelming. There is something to look at in every nook and cranny. Thank goodness it survived WWII.Very much worth the £10 to see the Abbey. It is easy to get to, and from, the Westminster Tube stop. You can always go out the one exit that is right under Big Ben.