London -- oh! London!


After spending four days in the countryside, we were on our way to London on the train. As we approached the city,
little towns with their homes in neat little rows would come into view and quickly pass by. In no time at all,
we arrived around noon at the Marylebone Station - not far from the mythical (or is it?) office and home
of Sherlock Holmes at 221B Baker Street.

We decided to try the Underground and take our luggage (and by now, several teddy bears)
to our hotel before we started exploring the city. We again surfaced at Tower Hill Station and made our way to
the Thistle Tower which is located right on the north bank of the Thames River, just east of the Tower of London.
We made our way through the maze to our room, and when we opened the door - all I could do was gasp!
There was the Tower Bridge - so close that I felt that I could reach out and touch it!!


After a few minutes enjoying the wonderful view and the clipper ships docked across the river,
we dropped our luggage (and bears) on the bed and returned to the Underground
to head back up to explore the area around 221B Baker Street and enjoy a dinner at SeaShells
(a delightful little tourist stop).

Without any trouble, we located the Sherlock Holmes' Museum and toured the collection of Holmes' items...
letters, guns, photos, the VIOLIN... etc. The room that we all knew (from the movies) to be his office,
was just like we'd expected down to the couch we've seen the master recline on and the
window draped with heavy curtains that he'd look out of when guests approached or departed.
Well, even though it was just a story - it was fun to experience.


Dr Watson (Ken) and Sherlock (me) posing for a quick snapshot.

We found our way home after dinner - and enjoyed walking along the Thames until we could walk no more.

After a good night's sleep, we got up early and prepared for the day... starting
out with what's became a habit - an English Breakfast.
My favorite items were: a bowl of prunes (plums) with cream cheese,
poached eggs, sausage (a nice mild breakfast sausage),
granary toast with black currant jelly, and tea with cream.

I must make a personal note here - as a kid, one of my favorite treats was canned plums and cream cheese
- now I know where that came from - the English side of our very German family.

We spent the next day riding around in double-decker tour buses through the streets of London...
we went north and south, and east and west.... to the point of almost getting dizzy.
We saw Sean Connery's London home, where Prince Charles lives (St. James Palace), Buckingham Palace,
Westerminster Abbey (which is just across from the House of Parliament), Piccadelli Circus,
St. Paul's Cathedral, Trafalgar Square (which is more of a circle), beautiful parks, and busy streets.

At 9:30am, we had a little spare time, so we jumped off at Trafalgar Square. Hmm, there's the National Gallery
and I knew that I could view a da Vinci and a Raphael if I hurried. So with Ken in tow, I headed into
the Sainsbury Wing and up the stairs to the gallery. I know it's silly, but we only had a few minutes - if we were
going to view the Changing of the Guard. So in a few minutes and in just a few rooms,
we viewed Leonardo da Vinci's 'The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist,'
several works by Raphael, and 'The Arnolfini Portrait' by Jan van Eyck.

We were able to catch a walking (ha! they don't know what the word "walk" means) tour to
view two Changings of the Guard. The first was at St. James Palace - and then we followed (chased after) the
soldiers as they marched to Buckingham Palace to join in the larger ceremony. By the time our guide raced us here
and there, I was more than ready for a nap -- but that wasn't on the schedule.... so we jumped back
on the tour bus and continued zipping around London.

We jumped off at Harrod's (a huge store just south of Kensington Park) for lunch in their famous food court.
I had a marvelous bouillabaisse at the Sea Grill... and then followed it with a little "bear" and souvenir shopping.
Then out the door (once we found it) and back onto the tour bus - where we stayed until the end of tours.

- - - -

After our English Breakfast on the next day, Saturday, we were scheduled to
change hotels. We hired a taxi and took our luggage (and now numerous bears) to the Thistle Horseguard.
Even though it was 8:00am, they gave us our room early to put our stuff in. So now on foot, we walked past Horseguards and on to Westminster Abbey. We spent several hours touring the Abbey and the tombs of names out of
World History classes -- names such as: Mary, Queen of Scots; Oliver Cromwell; Elizabeth I; Henry VII; Edward III; Geoffrey Chaucer; Charles Dickens; and George Frederick Handel.
Words can not describe the beauty of England - but especially Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral.

We then walked by Buckingham Palace and through St. James Park to the Cabinet War Rooms where
Sir Winston Churchill and his war cabinet worked during WWII. There were map rooms, communication rooms, sleeping rooms, offices, a kitchen, and meeting rooms. All underground and under 3 feet of cement and steel reinforcements.
The rooms have been restored to what they would have been like at the time.

We took a shortcut through Horseguard's giant arena, only to
catch the Dismounting Ceremony in the front courtyard.

The Banqueting House was our next stop. A simple exterior, finished in 1622, hid the exquisite interior
that is still used for parties and elaborate events. The ceiling in the upstairs room consists of nine paintings
by Paul Ruben, which were installed in 1636. We had the room totally to ourselves - so we walked back and forth
staring up at the wonderful works of art absorbing the energy and amazed at the details.

We enjoyed dinner at the Princess of Wales pub, with their marvelous fish 'n chips --
and the even more delightful chocolate cake with hot chocolate icing.

Here are some of the delightful sites.

Click on the pictures to enlarge them.


Posing in front
of that marvelous
Tower Bridge

Looking from
Buckingham Palace towards
Horseguards

House of Parliament

Details on
Westminster Abbey

Ruben's ceiling in the
Banqueting House

Yes, shining armour
in display at the
Tower of London

Cadbury machines!

Lovely duck in
St. James Park

Mind the Gap
Mind the Door
Mind the Lift

Dismounting
Ceremony at
Horseguards


Sunday, we returned to tour the Tower Bridge (including crossing the upper walkway) and the Tower of London.

The foundations for the White Tower were laid in about 1078. Since that time, the Tower has been the scene of great historical happenings - some very brutal. We toured the different chambers that had been used for prisoners and
viewed the Crown Jewels - orbs, crowns, and sceptres heavily ladened with huge diamonds and other jewels.
There was also a room filled with elaborate gold items - one punch bowl was maybe 30 inches high by
36 inches long by 24 inches wide with carved/worked figures surrounding the bowl.
The ladel was also gold and could hold maybe one or two quarts of liquid.

To end the day, we took a river cruise back up to the Embankment Station which is right around the corner from
the Royal Horseguards. For dinner we returned to the Princess of Wales pub - and another enjoyable dinner
with our same waitress from Copenhagen, Anne.

- - - -

Monday, our last day, we rose early and after breakfast heading to St. Paul's Cathedral. I was not prepared for the
size and beauty of the structure - the ceiling was a giant mosaic of cut glass and gold. Ken and I hiked up to the
first dome - which was high enough for me -- but Ken continued up to the very top and has some wonderful pictures
of the city from outside the giant dome. Evidently, St. Paul's in the second largest cathedral in the world.

We then took the Underground over to Bond Street Station - and then walked down Oxford and
Regent Streets, famous for their shopping! We found Hamley's toyshop which was started in 1760. Five giant floors filled with toys of every shape and color and something for every age group. A few Hamley bears came home with me.

After dropping our new acquisitions off in our room, we headed back
to SeaShells for our last dinner in England... which was then followed by a trip to the south bank of the
Thames and a leisurely evening/nighttime walk back to our hotel. We walked by the Southwark Cathedral (where people have worshipped for over 1000 years), the replica of the Golden Hinde (Sir Frances Drakes' ship) and the rebuilt Globe Theater (the only thatched-roofed building permitted within London). We walked across the Millenium walking bridge and eventually made our walk back to the hotel.

- - - -

Tuesday, we made our way to Victoria Station and caught an early train out to Gatwick for the flight back to the states.


We might have left - but we'll never forget.

This is one dream that we will not awaken from. We were both deeply moved by the beauty of the island
and its people - and by the great influence Britian has had on our world's history and survival.


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