Continued from Switzerland Trip Reports:
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Caught a taxi to the Geneva airport for our flight to London. We phoned in our request and he arrived on the dot right outside our door. So much easier than trying to pull suitcases on and off the bus.
As an economizing measure we took the train from the airport to the train station and had to visit platform 9¾, of Harry Potter fame. Souvenir pictures, of course, pushing the luggage trolley through the wall.
Then souvenirs from the Potter Store. Then a nice lunch in the station. And then we were on our way to Park City Grand Plaza Kensington to get rested up for the Proms tomorrow. Sara’s great uncle John, who lives in England made arrangements for us. And what amazing plans they were. He arranged for our room in Kensington, a booth at the proms, some light refreshments during the concert (champagne and snacks) and a late supper afterwards. Oh yeah, and a high tea at the Victoria and Albert Music Hall before the concert. How marvelous! Went to sleep with visions of tea and scones with clotted cream dancing in our heads.
Friday, July 22
Energized by the thought that today was basically the only day she had to see all of London Sara was beside herself to see everything. And that meant walking everywhere. Since we were already in Kensington we got up at 5:30 am and walked north to Kensington Gardens. We had it to ourselves except for the few joggers, dog walkers and homeless people sleeping in out of the way places. Lovely flowers everywhere. The intense heat the trees experienced a few days ago has obviously scorched some of leaves. Because we are on a mission (more about that later) we don’t really have time to explore the park. We just walked the length of Kensington, then headed toward the Thames through Hyde Park and then to Green Park and Buckingham Palace. The Queen was busy and couldn’t come out to see us, but we completely understood. All of the parks were lovely. Beautiful manicured flower beds and well-maintained gravel walkways. Even the weather behaved itself. Not too hot, not too cold. Real Goldilocks weather. Desperate for a restroom I insisted we stop at the St James Park Café where we drank some coffee and sat on the deck watching the ducks and swans beg for scraps in the lake. We passed 10 Downing Street but Boris was too busy to visit with us too. He sent his regrets. Sat on the wall outside Westminster Cathedral and took pictures of each other with Big Ben in the background. Then crossing the Thames we stood on the Westminster Bridge and admired the view of the Houses of Parliament.
On the South side of the Thames we turned left towards the London Eye, Jubilee Garden and the Globe Theater. A friend from school told Sara that she absolutely had to visit Borough Market near Southwark Cathedral where there was a doughnut-stand that sold the absolutely best filled-doughnuts in the whole world! This was our mission for the day. It was a loooong walk but pleasant and right along the edge of the Thames. In the Cathedral we took a picture of the reclining Shakespeare. In the Market we made a bee-line for the Doughnut Stand and it did not disappoint. Lemon-curd filled donut and coffee. Sara also found a fruit stand with fresh strawberries and I found the Bread-Ahead Bakery where I indulged myself with a chicken and thyme meat pie.
We walked all around looking at all the booths and the shoppers and fingering all the lovely things to touch. Loved listening to all the accents of the shoppers and sellers. Bought more souvenirs. You can’t have too many souvenirs.
Sara had expressed interest in becoming a veterinarian so wanted to see what the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons looked like. It was only about a mile and a half from where we were at the Market—so off we went again back over the Thames. It was located on a peaceful tree-lined street. A pleasant lady was manning the information desk and gave us all the literature she had about the school.
I was pretty much knackered so pleaded for taking the tube back to Earl’s Court near our hotel. We arrived at 2:30. Not much of a rest before getting ready for our high-tea, compliments of Justin’s Uncle John at 3:00. The public transportation in London is a terrific. I think Sara could visualize herself living here, studying veterinary medicine at the college—and visiting her Uncle John on weekends. And she was thrilled at her step-count today: 37,685, and we still had more walking to and from the Royal Albert Hall this evening. Whew!
At the tea we each got out own requested pot loose of tea. Then there were two trays of little sandwiches. The cucumber and cream-cheese was my favorite but the raw salmon was a close second. Then there were the scones with clotted cream and jelly. I asked the waiter which should be put on first: the cream or the jelly. He said “try it both ways and you’ll see immediately which way is best!” Then they sent us away with slices of cake in take-away boxes.
After the tea, we visited the gift shop to buy some more souvenirs then hurried over the Victoria and Albert Museum for a brief visit, then back to the Royal Albert Hall for the Proms Concert with more food and snacks and champagne in our box! (Thank you, thank you Uncle John!) The music was sublime. They don’t feel a need to be bombastic. It started with God Save the Queen, and some rousing music, but mostly peaceful songs. Some with vocal accompaniment. Nothing heavily amplified. Even a lovely vocal piece with the singers accompanied only with tom-toms. The crowd on the infield stood for the entire concert. We sat and snacked (and shared with the others in our box) and sipped champagne like royalty. We decided we could easily get used to this.
After the concert we headed off to the restaurant Uncle John had arranged for us: Cote Brassierie for mussels, fish stew and chips, and salmon with lentils. Chicken liver pate, of course, with minced cooked apples for a starter. Then we just stumbled back to our hotel to bed with visions of flugelhorns dancing in our heads.
Saturday, July 23
On the train to Oxford with assorted students. It was like sitting on the train with the cast of “Four Weddings and a Funeral.” “Ahh say Muffy, in’t that Buffy’s staaap?” “Ahh don’ know Chaaalss, ahh’ve nevah visited her little digs. Maybe Laaard Montcas’le will see fit to ring us one day with a’ invite.”
At Oxford we pulled our suitcases along the crowded sidewalks all the way to Magdalen College (pronounced “Maudlin) and presented ourselves at the lodge to get our room keys. We were staying in the same rooms we had in 2017. And the rooms hadn’t changes a whit. Not even new paint! Still that 1970s industrial green. I guess if you got it right the first time why would you change it?
To be continued
Off to France, Switzerland and the UK with Granddaughter, July 2022
Continued from France Trip Reports. https://www.sloweurope.com/community/threads/off-to-france-with-granddaughter-july-2022.7424/ Geneva, Switzerland - Sunday, July 17 - 20 Sunday, July 17 Georgia and I went to Mass at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in the neighborhood. It had a beautiful mixture...
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London, Oxford - Thursday, July 21-23, 2022
Thursday, July 21Caught a taxi to the Geneva airport for our flight to London. We phoned in our request and he arrived on the dot right outside our door. So much easier than trying to pull suitcases on and off the bus.
As an economizing measure we took the train from the airport to the train station and had to visit platform 9¾, of Harry Potter fame. Souvenir pictures, of course, pushing the luggage trolley through the wall.
Then souvenirs from the Potter Store. Then a nice lunch in the station. And then we were on our way to Park City Grand Plaza Kensington to get rested up for the Proms tomorrow. Sara’s great uncle John, who lives in England made arrangements for us. And what amazing plans they were. He arranged for our room in Kensington, a booth at the proms, some light refreshments during the concert (champagne and snacks) and a late supper afterwards. Oh yeah, and a high tea at the Victoria and Albert Music Hall before the concert. How marvelous! Went to sleep with visions of tea and scones with clotted cream dancing in our heads.
Friday, July 22
Energized by the thought that today was basically the only day she had to see all of London Sara was beside herself to see everything. And that meant walking everywhere. Since we were already in Kensington we got up at 5:30 am and walked north to Kensington Gardens. We had it to ourselves except for the few joggers, dog walkers and homeless people sleeping in out of the way places. Lovely flowers everywhere. The intense heat the trees experienced a few days ago has obviously scorched some of leaves. Because we are on a mission (more about that later) we don’t really have time to explore the park. We just walked the length of Kensington, then headed toward the Thames through Hyde Park and then to Green Park and Buckingham Palace. The Queen was busy and couldn’t come out to see us, but we completely understood. All of the parks were lovely. Beautiful manicured flower beds and well-maintained gravel walkways. Even the weather behaved itself. Not too hot, not too cold. Real Goldilocks weather. Desperate for a restroom I insisted we stop at the St James Park Café where we drank some coffee and sat on the deck watching the ducks and swans beg for scraps in the lake. We passed 10 Downing Street but Boris was too busy to visit with us too. He sent his regrets. Sat on the wall outside Westminster Cathedral and took pictures of each other with Big Ben in the background. Then crossing the Thames we stood on the Westminster Bridge and admired the view of the Houses of Parliament.
On the South side of the Thames we turned left towards the London Eye, Jubilee Garden and the Globe Theater. A friend from school told Sara that she absolutely had to visit Borough Market near Southwark Cathedral where there was a doughnut-stand that sold the absolutely best filled-doughnuts in the whole world! This was our mission for the day. It was a loooong walk but pleasant and right along the edge of the Thames. In the Cathedral we took a picture of the reclining Shakespeare. In the Market we made a bee-line for the Doughnut Stand and it did not disappoint. Lemon-curd filled donut and coffee. Sara also found a fruit stand with fresh strawberries and I found the Bread-Ahead Bakery where I indulged myself with a chicken and thyme meat pie.
We walked all around looking at all the booths and the shoppers and fingering all the lovely things to touch. Loved listening to all the accents of the shoppers and sellers. Bought more souvenirs. You can’t have too many souvenirs.
Sara had expressed interest in becoming a veterinarian so wanted to see what the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons looked like. It was only about a mile and a half from where we were at the Market—so off we went again back over the Thames. It was located on a peaceful tree-lined street. A pleasant lady was manning the information desk and gave us all the literature she had about the school.
I was pretty much knackered so pleaded for taking the tube back to Earl’s Court near our hotel. We arrived at 2:30. Not much of a rest before getting ready for our high-tea, compliments of Justin’s Uncle John at 3:00. The public transportation in London is a terrific. I think Sara could visualize herself living here, studying veterinary medicine at the college—and visiting her Uncle John on weekends. And she was thrilled at her step-count today: 37,685, and we still had more walking to and from the Royal Albert Hall this evening. Whew!
At the tea we each got out own requested pot loose of tea. Then there were two trays of little sandwiches. The cucumber and cream-cheese was my favorite but the raw salmon was a close second. Then there were the scones with clotted cream and jelly. I asked the waiter which should be put on first: the cream or the jelly. He said “try it both ways and you’ll see immediately which way is best!” Then they sent us away with slices of cake in take-away boxes.
After the tea, we visited the gift shop to buy some more souvenirs then hurried over the Victoria and Albert Museum for a brief visit, then back to the Royal Albert Hall for the Proms Concert with more food and snacks and champagne in our box! (Thank you, thank you Uncle John!) The music was sublime. They don’t feel a need to be bombastic. It started with God Save the Queen, and some rousing music, but mostly peaceful songs. Some with vocal accompaniment. Nothing heavily amplified. Even a lovely vocal piece with the singers accompanied only with tom-toms. The crowd on the infield stood for the entire concert. We sat and snacked (and shared with the others in our box) and sipped champagne like royalty. We decided we could easily get used to this.
After the concert we headed off to the restaurant Uncle John had arranged for us: Cote Brassierie for mussels, fish stew and chips, and salmon with lentils. Chicken liver pate, of course, with minced cooked apples for a starter. Then we just stumbled back to our hotel to bed with visions of flugelhorns dancing in our heads.
Saturday, July 23
On the train to Oxford with assorted students. It was like sitting on the train with the cast of “Four Weddings and a Funeral.” “Ahh say Muffy, in’t that Buffy’s staaap?” “Ahh don’ know Chaaalss, ahh’ve nevah visited her little digs. Maybe Laaard Montcas’le will see fit to ring us one day with a’ invite.”
At Oxford we pulled our suitcases along the crowded sidewalks all the way to Magdalen College (pronounced “Maudlin) and presented ourselves at the lodge to get our room keys. We were staying in the same rooms we had in 2017. And the rooms hadn’t changes a whit. Not even new paint! Still that 1970s industrial green. I guess if you got it right the first time why would you change it?
To be continued
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