London in the rain (2000)

Bullet Holes in the Windows? Don't Stay Here!

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Orangery Photo - The Orangery at Kensington Gardens, London, England

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Carole and I flew Icelandair from Halifax to London because we got a much better deal than Air Canada but I don't think we'll fly them again. We felt squashed in like on a charter flight with less leg room and seat room. We had a 2 hour layover in the airport in Reykjavik and watched the sun rise while we waited. We landed in London around noon on September 14, completely shattered. We decided to take the airport bus which, at that time, took a route through central London. Now it only goes to Victoria Station. We were staying at a converted Victorian mansion in Bayswater, the Inverness Court hotel which we booked through the Holiday House brochure. NOT recommended! It's called the Shaftsb...Read More

Carole and I flew Icelandair from Halifax to London because we got a much better deal than Air Canada but I don't think we'll fly them again. We felt squashed in like on a charter flight with less leg room and seat room. We had a 2 hour layover in the airport in Reykjavik and watched the sun rise while we waited.

We landed in London around noon on September 14, completely shattered. We decided to take the airport bus which, at that time, took a route through central London. Now it only goes to Victoria Station. We were staying at a converted Victorian mansion in Bayswater, the Inverness Court hotel which we booked through the Holiday House brochure. NOT recommended! It's called the Shaftsbury Hyde Park now and isn't in the brochures anymore. Still not recommended!! Check out Trip Advisor and it's full of horrible reviews so it hasn't changed much. The lobby and stairwells were very elegant, the elevators small and slow. There were stairs once you got to your floor. Hmmm. The room was small as we expected, but our first impression was not great. The carpet was filthy, wallpaper yellowed, curtains hung limply. The outside glass doors to the balcony (well, just wide enough so you could stand if you wanted to brave the pigeon do-do) didn't shut and there was a hole in the glass about an inch round with cracks in the glass. We joked about our bullet hole! The inside sliding glass doors came off the runner once and would have every time if we weren't careful. The beds were narrow and really hard though at least the sheets were clean.

The hotel was busy though, full of German tourists I think. Breakfast was included and was continental in the dining room in the basement. It was also convenient, across from Hyde park and around the corner from the Queensway underground station, a block from the Bayswater station but there's loads of hotels in that area. Pick something else! That made for a bit of a downer to start our trip off but you can't let that bother you. We had prepaid the room and from what I heard also, London was full, with nary a hotel room available as a friend of mine found out that week as well.

No sleep since yesterday but we rested a bit and decided to go out and over to the park for a walk through Kensington Gardens. We passed the children's playground where there is a trunk of an old oak tree with elves and fairies carved and painted into it. It was done in 1911 and is called the "Elfin Wood".

We walked down toward Kensington Palace and saw this building with high windows. It appeared to have a restaurant in it and we decided to go in for high tea as it was high tea time. We weren't dressed for it but others there were in jeans as well so we went in. This, by the way is the Orangerie which was built in 1704 as a greenhouse. We decided to splurge on the Grand Tea which includes a glass of champagne to celebrate the beginning of our trip. Included were a little finger sandwich, raisin scone with fruit syrup and clotted cream and a piece of Belgian chocolate cake! How could one resist! I managed most of it though couldn't eat all the icing on the cake as it was way too rich on top of the clotted cream. And not having eaten since the plane, that champagne sure went to our heads! Time to walk some more!

We went to Kensington Palace for a look through the gates and later walked around the lower end of the park where there were some nearby gardens as far as the Albert Memorial and Albert Hall. Dusk is imminent so we made our way back up to the Bayswater Road end of the park via the same route we took down. We had a look at some souvenir shops opposite the underground stop, but didn't' buy tonight. Noticed that the postcards were fairly cheap here though, 10 for a pound. Back to the hotel, nothing on telly and as usual that first day, overtired so it was hard to drop off to sleep. Read Less

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The Orangery at Kensington Gardens

Restaurant | "Orangery (The)"

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The Orangery is an annex to Kensington Palace and has been turned into an elegant tea room. With soaring ceilings, lovely 18th century plaster work, and tall windows letting in lots of light, this tea room is a gem in the middle of Kensington Gardens. It's a nice way to end a visit to Kensington Palace or a good stop while you're wandering through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens itself. They serve massive fruit scones and clotted cream, and also light lunches. They are more expensive than the average tea room or cafe but the experience is well worth it. The desserts and cakes are to die for! They also do a high tea, with or without champagne, after 3 p.m.

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on April 8, 2008

The Orangery at Kensington Gardens
26 Eastcastle Street
London, England
(020) 7467-7455

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Somerset House and Greenwich

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Temple Tube station Photo - London, England

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My friend Nikki called this morning so we could set a time and place to meet tonight near Liverpool Street station. We went down to breakfast around 9:30. Continental, just rolls, croissants, tiny glasses for the juice. I called another friend to set up a coffee date at 4 in a café on Queensway behind the hotel.We caught the tube to the Courtauld Gallery in Somerset House (see separate review). It's raining but not cold, however it makes it very muggy in the underground. We got off at Temple and walked along the embankment which would have been very pretty if it hadn't been raining. We were in the Courtauld about an hour and a half, maybe 2. It was a lovely gallery in a love...Read More

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Somerset House

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Attraction | "Arts in a NeoClassical Somerset House"

Somerset House fountain court Photo - Somerset House, London, England

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A little bit about Somerset House, it was built in the early 19th century to house the Royal Academy of Art which is now in Burlington House off Picadilly. Now there are several collections in there but the Courtauld Gallery is most well known. It's not a large overwhelming gallery like the National Gallery. There are three floors though only one room on the ground. The proper entrance is off the Strand but we were not there. To get to it, we had to come in from the Embankment entrance and walk across a large courtyard with a large fountain display in the center. They set up an ice skating ring there in winter.There are free tours of Some...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on March 5, 2009

Somerset House
Somerset House
London, England WC2R 1LA
+1 020 7845 4676

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Fan Museum

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Attraction | "Small but Exquisite Museum in Greenwich"

Tea room in the Orangery Photo - Fan Museum, London, England

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The Fan Museum was one of those museums that, once I'd heard about it, I *had* to go. You see, in addition to the big, popular museums and galleries, I love small and quirky museums that focus on one thing or unusual things. I saw the Dog Collar museum in Leeds Castle some years ago and I was hooked! I haven't seen nearly as many as I would like, but I keep an eye out and when I heard that Greenwich had a museum dedicated to decorative fans, I was *so* there! Granted, a museum dedicated to the art of fan making and fans probably has more appeal to women then most men so guys, if it really doesn't interest you, wait for the women in a nearby pub! It's a sm...Read More

The Fan Museum was one of those museums that, once I'd heard about it, I *had* to go. You see, in addition to the big, popular museums and galleries, I love small and quirky museums that focus on one thing or unusual things. I saw the Dog Collar museum in Leeds Castle some years ago and I was hooked! I haven't seen nearly as many as I would like, but I keep an eye out and when I heard that Greenwich had a museum dedicated to decorative fans, I was *so* there! Granted, a museum dedicated to the art of fan making and fans probably has more appeal to women then most men so guys, if it really doesn't interest you, wait for the women in a nearby pub! It's a small museum and won't take all day to check everything out.

My friend and I had planned a trip to Greenwich to see the Observatory, which we did, and then walked down the hill into the town for lunch at a local pub. We searched out the Fan museum after, which is located not that far from the Royal Observatory park and Greenwich Theatre. It's housed in an early 18th century building which is meticulously restored and worth seeing just on its own. There's also an Orangery, used as a tea room and a lovely little garden in the back. There is, of course, a shop with lovely books and fans and jewellery.

We were given those recording gizmos for self-guided tours through the rooms. You can see how fans are made and see exquisite examples of fans from all over the world. There are also lovely antiques and paintings to view as well. Fans have been in use for 3000 years though folding fans are actually more recent in the history of the fan, relatively speaking. Sadly, fans are not that popular these days though they are still used in the warmer countries such as Spain. The most elaborate ones dated from the 18th and 19th centuries. It was fascinating to see them in various stages of assembly, from the sticks and "ribs" to the vellum painted decorative covering.

The museum has a permanent collection to focus on the basics and then has temporary exhibits that change three times a year to focus on specific areas and eras and themes. If you are going to be in Greenwich, it's well worth visiting. Try to go on the days they do afternoon tea in the Orangery (Tuesday and Sundays after 3 p.m.). There is a fee of £4. There is a lift and a disabled toilet. Best way to get there is the DLR to the Cutty Sark stop or you can take a train to the Greenwich station, both are a short walk from Croom's hill. See the website for a map. Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 10, 2008

Fan Museum
12 Crooms Hill
London, England SE10 8ER
+44 20 8305 1441

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Kalamaras Greek Taverna

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Restaurant | "Hidden Greek Gem in Bayswater"

Advertising Kalamaras Photo - Kalamaras Greek Taverna, London, England

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This little narrow restaurant is below street level and isn't that easy to find. The easiest way to describe how to get there is to start from the Bayswater underground station. Come out of there and cross Queensway. There's a little side street just there. Go in there and just on your left is the mews though it only looks like a back alley or parking lot for the buildings around it. There was a sign on the street so we knew it was there and it turned out to be a small, narrow restaurant below street level that's been there since 1966. Last time I was in London, I saw a man dressed in Greek traditional costume with a sign out on Queensway pointing the way in to the restaurant. Excellent. T...Read More

This little narrow restaurant is below street level and isn't that easy to find. The easiest way to describe how to get there is to start from the Bayswater underground station. Come out of there and cross Queensway. There's a little side street just there. Go in there and just on your left is the mews though it only looks like a back alley or parking lot for the buildings around it. There was a sign on the street so we knew it was there and it turned out to be a small, narrow restaurant below street level that's been there since 1966. Last time I was in London, I saw a man dressed in Greek traditional costume with a sign out on Queensway pointing the way in to the restaurant. Excellent.

The restaurant, in 2000, was decorated with cream walls, soft cushioned benches along the walls and dark low backed cane chairs. There was traditional Greek music playing but not too loudly and you regularly heard the low rumble of the underground trains which wasn't too loud, just sort of like it might have been thundery weather. The table cloths are pink with burgundy over-linens.

We approached it and the owner came out when he saw us looking at the menu and was very congenial. We asked about the fixed price menu (mezze) and he made it sound so good that we went in. It was about 16 pounds (2000 prices) per person and they state a minimum of two people because you share everything. You get a sampling of cold and hot starters then the entree (our choice of about 3 or 4 meats). Desert and coffee/tea is included.

They kept bringing food and bringing more food, on little plates and when we decided we weren't too fussy on the calamari, they brought something else instead. When we realized the dessert had honey in it, baklava, we told them that one of us was allergic to honey, they brought out a lovely light custardy type thing in a phyllo pastry instead! We chose the roast leg of lamb for our entree and it was so tender it pulled apart! I would highly recommend this but the dining experience here is not to be rushed.

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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on August 19, 2008

Kalamaras Greek Taverna
66 Inverness Mews
London W2 3JQ
+44 (20) 7727 9122

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Sunday in Hyde Park

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Buckingham Palace Photo - London, England

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We set the alarm for 8 but still got a slow start in the end. Weather is overcast and cool but so far doesn’t look like rain. Carole wanted to seek out some gardens but we decided to have a wander in Hyde Park first. Before we could get through the gates, however, we discovered that all along the Bayswater road fence of the park, artists and crafts people were displaying and selling their stuff. We spent nearly an hour walking along and looking at the pictures, prints, stained glass, enamels and some other odds and ends. No jewelry which was surprising. It was like a free art gallery! One thing I really liked were some watercolours for children's rooms with their names on it. Some were bi...Read More

We set the alarm for 8 but still got a slow start in the end. Weather is overcast and cool but so far doesn’t look like rain. Carole wanted to seek out some gardens but we decided to have a wander in Hyde Park first. Before we could get through the gates, however, we discovered that all along the Bayswater road fence of the park, artists and crafts people were displaying and selling their stuff. We spent nearly an hour walking along and looking at the pictures, prints, stained glass, enamels and some other odds and ends. No jewelry which was surprising. It was like a free art gallery!

One thing I really liked were some watercolours for children's rooms with their names on it. Some were birth announcements. Some had animals or just images surrounding the name. Really sweet. Another kids' print had an old fashioned picture, maybe of little animals dressed up with a little bit of prose hand written above and below the picture. A few other water colour/sketches with London scenes were quite nice and I wish now I had bought a print that this one gal had, cartoons of sheep with bodies that were big white blocks with tiny black blobs for head, ears and legs! I did buy a frame with three enameled small tiles inside with ships on them.

Finally inside the park, we saw an Italian Gardens with fountains and statues at the head of the Serpentine, a long narrow man made lake that neatly divides Hyde park into two halves. This was created for Queen Caroline, wife of George II in 1727-31. Most of these parks really are that old or older, some back to Tudor times. We meandered along the path following the Serpentine. We stopped to watch some little girls looking at the Peter Pan statue which is made of bronze and covered in little figures of fairies and small animals under Peter himself. A little farther we stopped for tea at the park café. It wasn't too cold to sit outside at a table by the lake. The bottom of the lake is near "Rotten Row", that's a road that was built in 1690 to connect St. James Palace and Kensington Palaces. In French, "Route de Roi" or King's Road which is extended into King's Road, Chelsea. Later on it was the place to see and be seen, driving carriages and riding horses and indeed we did see horses and riders in the park today.

The sun finally came out briefly in time for us to see the rose garden and we had a nice look around at the plants there. We left the park then and headed across the road to Green Park, with Buckingham Palace our ultimate destination after a stop at the Canada Monument for a photo. It's in two parts, in a wedge shape, which points in the direction of Ottawa I think, with maple leaves carved into it and water streaming down the flat surface. Sun's gone again.

Over to the Palace. We missed the Canadian regiment that is taking turns guarding the Palace this month, they just changed and will be back Tuesday but we won't be here. Carole had a look round while I waited by the Victoria statue, having been here a couple of times before. We grabbed a sausage from a vendor in Green Park on our way back to the underground, worshipped at the Great Money God of the Wall on Picadilly and took the tube back to the hotel. We had a rest and a cuppa and decided to try a restaurant that a friend of mine told me about that was nearby.

We left early, hoping to be back for 7:30 to watch corrie but we didn’t make it. The restaurant is called Kalamara's on Inverness Mews. I've got a review of it in this journal. We arrived at 5:30 and didn't get out until after 8, a lovely leisurely dinner. We had a browse in the souvenir shops on the way back to the hotel. Up at 7 tomorrow to get the train from Euston. Read Less

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More Fun in Rainy London

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Former flower market Photo - London, England

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It's now nearly 3 weeks later and we're heading back to London from Glasgow. We are in the "quiet" car, no cellphones so that made for a peaceful ride. Eventually the train was pretty full. The scenery was pleasant some of the time especially through the Lake district but mostly uninspiring. We had a chuckle at one point when a rather large burly gent came through the car announcing he was on the way to the pub and returned later brandishing a tall can of Tetley's bitter (beer) and exclaiming about the high price of it! I commented about "Railway Robbery" which he heard and laughed about and made a comment "I wouldn't mind so much but I hate tea!" (Tetley's is also a brand of tea)!We arri...Read More

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Wandering the Southbank and Visting the Tower

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We had a slow start this morning and slept in a bit. We had breakfast about 9:30. The breakfast comes with and in the room as well, a tray of tea and juice and a mix of rolls and sweet rolls served in our room every day. We got on the way about 10 and determined the location of the airbus stop and the times. The weather looks promising, *finally* so we took the tube to Waterloo station to see about the London Eye. Yes, there are actually blue patches and hundreds and hundreds of people in line for tickets and for the ride. We passed. We decide to walk along the south bank of the Thames, the "Millenium Mile" to Southwark. It's not all that pretty along the river really, rather industrial, w...Read More

We had a slow start this morning and slept in a bit. We had breakfast about 9:30. The breakfast comes with and in the room as well, a tray of tea and juice and a mix of rolls and sweet rolls served in our room every day. We got on the way about 10 and determined the location of the airbus stop and the times.

The weather looks promising, *finally* so we took the tube to Waterloo station to see about the London Eye. Yes, there are actually blue patches and hundreds and hundreds of people in line for tickets and for the ride. We passed. We decide to walk along the south bank of the Thames, the "Millenium Mile" to Southwark. It's not all that pretty along the river really, rather industrial, with lots of tour boats and barges. There doesn't seem to be any pleasure craft on the river which is odd really. There's a lot of money in London, a lot of upscale condos but no private sailboats! Perhaps the Thames current is too strong for a leisurly sail.

We came across an open air second hand book sale and browsed the tables. We found Gabriel's Wharf which is a little square of shops but being Sunday, most of them are closed. A little farther in a rather sorry looking little garden, a man, who saw our cameras, told us about the free public viewing deck on the Oxo tower which was just there. We went up there for an 8th floor view over the City of London and the river and that was great. I love to go up high places for a view. Neither of us are into modern art so we skipped the new Tate Modern on the Southbank, built into a massive old power plant.

We reached the new Globe theatre but Carole who isn't really into Shakespeare wasn't interested and I didn't want to leave her waiting for an hour or more while I went though it so we just browsed in the shop at the visitor center and had lunch in the café there. We decided instead to go to the Tower of London as we were pretty close. We walked a bit farther, where there is a replica of the Golden Hinde, Sir Walter Raleigh's ship that he sailed around the world in and let me tell you, seeing that small boat doesn't instill you with the confidence that you'd ever manage to return home on a voyage like that with next to no navigational aids. (Before the discovery of longitude, remember!) Behind that was Southwark Cathedral, mostly under scaffolding. The south bank was historically a very unsavory part of London but at least the waterfront is all spiffed up now with shops, galleries, the Tate Modern and a new millenium footbridge linking the Tate with St. Paul's.

We took the tube from London Bridge to the Tower. Traffic outside of the relative peaceful hour or two walk along the waterfront seemed very intrusive. There was a longish queue for tickets to the Tower and it was probably the most expensive attraction we've paid for but the line moved fairly quickly. We didn't bother joining the several hundred deep crowd waiting to be guided around the grounds by a Beefeater, or Yeoman Warder, though if he and his followers were nearby we would stop and listen to his exaggerated tales of blood and guts! We did notice that he was stopping people from videotaping his stories so we wondered if it was because there was a video for sale in the shops. I forgot to look. (See the review in this journal for more detail on the Tower). We spent a couple of hours there and could have spent a couple more quite easily if our energy wasn't flagging. I'd recommend going there first thing in the day, not after a 2 hour walk!

A quick browse in the crowded gift shop, a few photos of Tower Bridge and we're back to the underground for a very slow and painful trip back on the Circle line. Lots of delays so it was almost a 20 minute wait and by then the train was packed. The train went so slow between the first few stops, including a few unscheduled stops in the tunnels that it felt more like it was being pedalled! Made it back finally and trudged down the road.

I am absolutely staggered that my feet only hurt a little today. I should feel like I'm going to be crippled for life about now! I was yesterday with not nearly as much walking and standing. We had dinner in the hotel restaurant and it was quite good actually. It's vastly different from when I stayed here before and a vast improvement in ambiance and food.

Home tomorrow. Not looking forward to the trip but very much looking forward to sleeping in my own bed. This was a long trip. London, then a week in Manchester doing side trips, a day in Stoke shopping, Glasgow and Edinburgh and a tour in Scotland and back to London again. We've been gone a month and it was about a week too long. We did enjoy everything though, immensely! We did independent stuff and organized tour stuff. We had a great time meeting up with friends. The weather could have been better but at least held good for the bus tour. Read Less

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Tower of London

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Attraction | "Tower of London, Lots to See "

The Traitor's Gate, Tower of London Photo - Tower of London, London, England

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One of the star attractions in London is also one of the most expensive. At 17 pounds per adult (16 online) and 47 for a family entrance fee (2 adults, 3 kids) it's steep. The queues for tickets can be quite long and can stretch back to the tube station. We did find that the queue moved fairly smoothly and quickly. I do think that buying tickets online or from the kiosks a day or two ahead of time might be good if you're going in "prime time" (summer, school holidays). It's not difficult to get there. The Tower Hill tube station is very close, the DLR station just around the corner from that and many busses stop along Tower Hill. Tour busses will stop nearby as well. If you arrive by train...Read More

One of the star attractions in London is also one of the most expensive. At 17 pounds per adult (16 online) and 47 for a family entrance fee (2 adults, 3 kids) it's steep. The queues for tickets can be quite long and can stretch back to the tube station. We did find that the queue moved fairly smoothly and quickly. I do think that buying tickets online or from the kiosks a day or two ahead of time might be good if you're going in "prime time" (summer, school holidays).

It's not difficult to get there. The Tower Hill tube station is very close, the DLR station just around the corner from that and many busses stop along Tower Hill. Tour busses will stop nearby as well. If you arrive by train, go to the London Bridge station and then you can walk over historic Tower Bridge!

There are organized tours with the Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters) as tour guides and these are usually pretty crowded. We didn't bother and just followed our noses. First stop was the old medieval palace where there were a few reconstructed rooms from the 13th century, Edward I era. The throne room was most impressive and in the King's Hall which might have been used for dining, there were also a man and woman dressed in period costume. We went into a few of the towers and along parts of the walls and went to see Traitor's Gate and through the queues to see the crown jewels, set in a new exhibition. There are videos on the walls of the jewels and the coronation of the current monarchy while you wait in the lines which move steadily, and then in the jewel room, there are now moving conveyor belts along either side of the cases that you stand on. You can get back on again if you want to go through again or just have a look from a few yards away on the main floor. It keeps the crowds moving rather than them standing there and looking even though they were supposed to keep moving. All the other gold and silver pieces are in separate cases and you can look at your leisure at those.

We wandered the grounds, made friends with the ravens (who could pick a fight with a small dog and probably win!) and went into the Royal Chapel, St. Peter ad Vincula where the poor beheaded queens of Henry VIII are buried beneath the altar (including Anne Boleynn, Jane the Duchess of Rochford and Jane Seymour) No photos allowed inside the chapel though. We didn't have the energy to climb anymore stairs so we didn't go into the big White Tower, the original fortress in the center of the compound where there is an armory display and maybe we missed the best bit but there is certainly enough still that we didn’t see to warrant going back again sometime. There are actually quite a few of the towers along the walls open to the public with things to see inside. The Lower Wakefield tower has a torture device display and there is still graffiti on the walls in the Beauchamp tower apparently enscribed by prisoners of long ago.

The Tower is open most days of the year, closing at 5:30 p.m. in spring, summer and fall and at 4:30 from November to February. Most of the Tower is not accessible for people with mobility issues but the Crown Jewels are defintely accessible to wheelchairs. There are accessible toilet facilities, shops and eating stops. There are a couple of cafes and gift shops though there are also pubs and cafes close by outside the walls of the Tower as well.

If you are on a budget, then this is probably going to be a bit high cost but you can spend hours here. I find that if it's somewhere that you have a lot to see or do, then the cost doesn't seem quite so high. If you are on a budget and want to splurge on one thing, I think this would be the one to see. Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on March 5, 2009

Tower of London
Tower Hill
London, England EC3N 4AB
+44 (207) 709 0765

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Thistle Euston

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Hotel | "Good Tourist Class Hotel"

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I've stayed at the Thistle Euston several times over the years and it's always been a pleasant experience. It has often been used as a "bus tour" or group tour hotel, which is how I first stayed there. The location is very good, just a block from Euston train and underground station and around the corner, on Euston Road, is the Euston square and Warren Street stations with in a block or two. Euston station is a major bus terminal as well. I didn't notice much noise from the trains and the neighbourhood itself is quiet. It's close to Regent Park and Camden too.The hotel has a nice little bar and a restaurant in the basement, both have pretty good food, though a bit pricey as you would expec...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on June 10, 2008

Thistle Euston
CARDINGTON STREET
London, England
044 207 387 4400

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