Summertime in London

Before going to London in July, it was very difficult to find available hotels at rates that were at all reasonable. I ended up staying at the Marriott Maida Vale, which is on the west side of town. It's in a slightly out of the way area that seems to be largely residential. However, one advantage of the location was a convenient bus stop that provided easy access to Oxford Street and the West End. All day bus passes are sold at newsstands for £3.50.

Overall, the hotel was adequate and met my needs, but it is definitely in need of some upgrades. The room was well worn. The face of the alarm clock and the panel on the TV were both missing. The carpet and comforter had stains. I think the room was (mostly) clean, but I had to wonder.

The room service menu was limited. Overall, the food that I ordered was okay, but the salmon was very oily.

The hotel offered easy high-speed Internet access, but only through a cable. There was no WiFi at the hotel at all.

The concierges were friendly, offering me information on where to get a new power cord for my laptop and advice on getting same day theater tickets for Sunday at the Park with George. Instead of trying to charge me a premium for getting the tickets through the hotel, he suggested I buy at face value through the box office.

I wouldn't stay at this hotel again until it has a substantial renovation.

On my first trip to London, I stayed at the Radisson SAS Portman Square. I had taken the night flight from the U.S. and arrived at the hotel around 10am. However, my room type was not available at that time, so I took a single room (at the same price as the larger room - which was an ok deal for me at the time). Let me tell you - it was a single since it had only a twin bed, but it had most of the other amenities I needed.

When I entered the elevator, I discovered that different floors appeared to have differently styles of design. My room was evidently Scandinavian in style, which went along with the minimalist nature of a single room. For example, there were no extra pillows in the room.

I could not locate a clock in the room, so I called downstairs to request one. However, they did not make them available (wake up calls are the only alarm at this hotel). In fact, the front desk personnel suggested I just call whenever I wanted to know the time. I thought that would be weird and inconvenient. I did eventually discover the clock on the TV and commit to buying a travel clock for myself.

The room came equipped with a hair dryer that looks more like a small vacuum cleaner. It did the job, but didn't heat up quickly or get very hot. However, the handle got almost too hot to hold.

The best benefit was the free WiFi. I'm all about free Internet and feeling connected when I'm traveling.

In terms of the location, Portman Square is in walking distance to the Marble Arch and shopping on Oxford Street. I even walked to Buckingham Palace, although most people might find that too far.

I would consider staying at this hotel again, but I might try my luck with a new place next time I'm in London.

Wagamama is a chain of Chinese inspired restaurants. There is one very convenient to the British Museum, so I stopped there for lunch. The restaurant is very open and modern in design. The seating is cafeteria-style tables and benches, which can mean sitting right next to people in a different party.

Paper placemats serve their usual function and as a place for the waiter to write down the numbers from the menu as you place your order. They use this to calculate the check at the end.

You can check out the menu at their website. The most popular choices for entrees are noodle bowls. You can choose from different meat, seafood, or vegetarian selections. I ate the spicy chicken, which was disappointingly bland. I added lots of chili oil to try to revive it, but that meant adding lots of fat as well. Even though it lacked spice and flavor, the food was quite fresh and the chicken was tender. So, if you have lower need for full flavor, you might be quite satisfied with a meal here.

After seeing a play in London, I walked to Kerala for dinner. I showed up there about 8pm on a Saturday evening. I was dining alone and was able to be seated right away. The restaurant has a more casual downstairs, with a bar, and an upstairs with slightly more formal dining.

The menu had a range of traditional Indian cuisine. For an appetizer, I ordered the mini-dosa that was quite good. It was portioned for 1 person, which I appreciated. For my entree, I ordered the lamb biryani. It was pleasantly spicy.

The dessert was one of the highlights. I had the pistachio kulfi. I had kulfi before in the U.S. at a modern Asian fusion restaurant, but I hadn't seen it at other Indian restaurants. It's a dense ice-cream that is almost the consistency of a candy bar.

The owner of the restaurant was very nice. He talked to me periodically throughout my dinner. He is from Kerala, but has been in the UK for many years. I also found the other patrons to be nice. The somewhat casual atmosphere must lend itself to socializing with others.

I would definitely eat at Kerala again.

The Mousetrap is the longest running show. It has been in various London theaters for more than 50 years. It's based on an Agatha Christie murder mystery. It is a play, set in 1950s England.

I can't tell you too much about the play since it is a mystery. The actors say at the end of the play that we're now all partners in crime, and that they are relying on us to continue to keep the secret of who the murderer is.

The play is definitely worth seeing, but it's not spectacular. The acting is more than adequate, with the cast operating as a uniform team, and no one actor standing out.

I saw a Saturday performance at 5pm and there were many empty seats, suggesting you could get a good price on tickets.

As an American seeing a play in London for the first time, I was surprised at some of the theater customs. At intermission, one can buy ice-cream and eat it in the theater. And, you can take drinks back to your seat. Another interesting point, is that playbills are not free of charge. For the Mousetrap program, it was £3.

Sunday in the Park with George is a beautiful and creative Stephen Sondheim musical. It is an interpretation of the life of George Serat as expressed through his paintings, especially "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte."

The musical is separated into two somewhat disjointed acts. The first act is a traditional musical, with the best of the songs. It is set in the 1800s and highlights the challenges of working as an artist and struggling to hold on to a romantic relationship.

Through projection, the paintings come alive on the back and side walls of the stage. Characters in the painting step out into real life on the stage.

The second act has about 5 to 10 minutes of continuity from the first act and then it flips suddenly about 100 years forward to the life of George Serat's great grandson. He is also struggling with art and pushing the boundaries beyond what is expected into new techniques. However, the 1980s feel of this act seemed out of place next to the romanticized late 1800s glory of Paris.

I would have been more than content to leave after the first act. It seems almost like the approximately 75 minutes of the first act wasn't enough to charge full ticket price, so they composed additional material to fill up the requisite 2+ hours.

However, it is a lovely production with some innovative expressions of art, both acts modern in their own time. I would recommend going to see the musical. Note that seats in the first few rows have somewhat compromised views of the stage.

The British Museum is worth visiting for the architecture alone. It combines classical architecture, with stonework and columns covered by a modern glass dome. It's truly a beautiful space that feels open and airy. In this central area, there are a couple of counters where you can purchase light snacks and beverages. I found it enjoyable to sit at the tables, relax, and take in the design of the building.

It is an extremely large museum, with somewhat disjointed sections. So, pick up a map or ask an attendant if you want to find a particular section.

One of the most notable exhibits is the Rosetta Stone. It is encased in Plexiglas and viewable from both sides.

Best of all, it is free to enter the museum. I felt free to wander through at a leisurely pace. So, if you don't catch it all in one trip, it's easy to go back!