The Guards changed but no luck with afternoon tea.

Wednesday morning Beth and I both have an English breakfast. It is delicious! Rashers, sausages, black pudding, grilled tomato, scrambled eggs, baked beans. What a way to start the day!

We head to the bus stop to go to Buckingham Palace again for the Changing of the Guards. A woman from the Big Bus Company meets us to let us know that the Hop On Hop Off bus will not be stopping on our street today because of construction. So we walk to Buckingham Palace which surprisingly is just a short distance away! With all the one way streets plus all the construction in London, sometimes it is difficult to gauge the distance from one place to another on the buses.

When we get to the front of the Palace, crowds have started to gather in front of the gates and on Victoria's statue. I find a place for Beth in front of the gates since she has never seen this ceremony before. 

Beth found the tourists very rude and pushy. Some held tablets between the poles on the gates to take pictures thus blocking the view. Others elbowed their way through the crowd to get close to the gates. 

I can't stand in one place for too long - my hips rebel despite two hip replacements. So I walked back and forth between the crowds at the gates and the crowds lining the street. What a sea of humanity - so many colors, tongues, sizes and shapes! 

Gates at Buckingham Palace

We waited about 45-60 minutes before things got started. It was a hot sunny day. It takes about 45 minutes for the whole ceremony. I was sweating bullets by the time it finished!

Active duty soldiers are assigned to guard the Queen, Buckingham Palace and St. James Palace further down the road. Today there are 2 guards on duty in front of Buckingham Palace - if the Queen was at home, there would be 4. She must have forgotten we were coming. Troops have guarded the monarch and the palaces since 1660!

The old guard (going off duty) at St. James' Palace marches down to Buckingham Palace. The new guard and its band march over from Wellington Barracks, which is between our hotel and Buckingham Palace. They enter the gates of the palace. The band plays a few tunes. New sentries take over. The old guard from St. James' and Buckingham Palaces march back to Wellington Barracks. Some of the new guard remains at Buckingham Palace while some march back to St. James. All over.

MEM in front of Buckingham Palace.

Beth in front of Queen Victoria's memorial across from Buckingham Palace.

Statue on Victoria's memorial

After taking some pictures, we jump on the bus and head to Piccadilly Square to find the Vodaphone Store. I want to buy a phone to call home - Julie had given me one but I couldn't figure out how to work it.

Statue of a horse's head - no one could tell me its significance.

NFL in London?

Shop being renovated near Piccadilly Circus.

 

We get off in Piccadilly and check out the Eros Statue. Beth's husband had spent time around here when he was a college student.

We buy some magnets and postcards from a street vendor before walking down Piccadilly Street to the Vodaphone shop. After waiting in line for a while, I ask for a phone that I can top up as needed. There is a cheap one for 15 gbp. The clerk tells me that I will have to pay roaming charges if I use it outside the UK. When I say I am still interested, he says that he has no Sim cards and that I have to go to the Oxford Street Vodapone shop to buy one. I said forget it, and we decided to try to have afternoon tea at Fortnum and Mason's - we have no reservations, but I wanted to have a formal tea once while we were here.

We went into this exclusive shop which was started in the 1700s. Queen Elizabeth II opened a tea room here last year. We head upstairs to the tea room. It must be my rucksuck and capris. The woman in charge can barely find the time to talk to us. "A cup of tea, Madame?" "No" I say - "Afternoon tea." She tells us that they have no openings at the moment but if we come back in an hour, they can accommodate us. I think she is relieved when I say no. 

Most people know that I am very low key, very patient, BUT, boy was I PISSED by her attitude. I hate to have anyone look down on me - think they are better than I am. I even want to be sitting up in my coffin during my wake so no one looks down on me and says how good or bad I look. Everyone deserves respect. I am fuming!

We go into a pub a couple of doors back. I order tea and instead of a scone, fruit salad with ice cream to cool me off!! I try to let this anger go - it was not easy!! But the fruit salad and ice cream are delicious!! 

Next time I'll go to Selfridge's!!

Pub where we had tea - a few doors down from Fortnum and Mason.

Very nice door man that we passed - he agreed to let me take his picture.

We jump back on the Hop On Hop Off bus and pass through Trafalgar Square. We decide to go to Tower Pier and grab a ferry back to Westminster.

Blue rooster in Trafalgar Square on one of the pillars.

Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery

New film about Princes Diana is coming out.

We get off at the Tower of London and grab a 99 - that is a vanilla soft serve ice cream cone with a piece of a Flake bar in the ice cream.  We eat this as we look around this area of town. Then we walk down to the pier and jump on the ferry for a boat ride back to Westminster Pier. 

Tower Bridge from the ferry.

Tower Bridge and HMS Belfast who saw action in WWII.

St. Paul's Cathedral from ferry.

Westminster from the ferry.

Pancake/Crepe vendor on the stairs to Westminster pier.  When we were there in 2000, my daughter Mairead would get a crepe every morning - with Nutella I think!

We looked for directions re how to make an international call in this phone box - no luck.

When we return to the hotel, there is a message from my husband's cousin that her son would meet us at the hotel at 6:30 tomorrow evening.

We drop some of our gear and then walk around looking for a place to eat. Our pub is overflowing with business men having a pint or two after work. It is very noisy. They are also outside on the sidewalk with a cigarette in one hand and a pint in the other.

We finally decide on the Blue Boar next to our hotel - it is not as crowded as the other places. But it is more expensive.

When we finish eating, it is almost 10 pm. Time to head home, shower, and start packing up some things - we have to be at Gatwick Airport by 7:30 on Friday morning. We stop by reception and book a taxi - I couldn't face the Tube at 6:30 am for a journey to Gatwick.  

So tomorrow is our last day in London - Westminster Abbey, Churchill War Rooms, and the Tower of London are on our agenda - and then we are meeting Patrick at 6:30. It will be a busy day!

Refreshments at Buckingham Palace

So Tuesday morning we head downstairs for breakfast in the pub. I choose the breakfast buffet, and Beth has Eggs Benedict. The food is good and is included in the 160 GBP/night cost of the room.

Then we head for the bus stop to pick up the Hop On Hop Off Bus to go to Buckingham Palace to buy tickets for a tour of the state rooms on Thursday since the website said that there were none for today and only a few for tomorrow. The Palace is only open in August and September when the Royal Family are on holiday in Scotland. On my last two trips to London - in 1978 and 2000 - it was not open so it is my #1 priority.

It is a short bus trip, and we see people heading into one white tent to tour the Palace, another tent for groups, and another tent for tickets. To our surprise, there are tickets available for 10:45 this morning! So we grab them - it is 10:30. We get in line and just keep moving - at security they are checking rucksacks/backpacks - but I knew ahead of time to leave mine behind. I like to put my things in a backpack - it leaves my hands free - and there is plenty of space if I buy anything. I keep my money and cards in my pants pockets just in case anyone would grab or open my backpack. We also know no pictures inside the Palace. We are given an audioguide and are on our way.

I love history so I am somewhat familiar with British history. I find it interesting that King George III bought Buckingham House and used it as a country house outside the city of London. George III was king during the American Revolution. As I was later told, George was a good king and tried to prevent a war with the colonies; the British politicians were responsible for the war. Aren't they always!!

George IV had John Nash expand the country house - they eventually ran out of money. When William IV succeeded his brother George, he had the work completed but died before he could move in. So his niece Victoria was the first monarch to live in the palace.

Touring Buckingham Palace reminds me of the White House that Beth, GeeGee, and I had toured in October but on a much, much grander scale. The rooms and furnishings are fabulous, but eventually I tire of the gold and glitter. I am more interested in the family portraits hanging on the walls and their history. Queen Victoria married her children off to European and Russian royalty so there are family connections all over Europe - you need a scorecard to keep them all straight!

2012 was the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II's coronation in 1952.   There are pictures and TV clips of the coronation set up in one of the state rooms. The coronation was very lavish, but also fascinating because of the centuries long tradition involved with coronations. It is also very interesting listening to older British women - who are also doing the tour - discussing members of the Royal Family and the extended family - like the Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent. I stay close to listen to what they have to say - they seem to admire the Queen, but not too many like Charles - yet they all love William and Kate. Some of these women worked in some capacity for the extended royal family. I speak a few words to a couple of them, but the crowds prohibit any extended conversations - but I would have loved to hear more of what they had to say!

The tour ends in the Gardens of the palace where we are able to have refreshments. Due to the unusually warm weather, I choose royal ice cream and a bottle of water over tea. The ice cream comes from the royal cows at Windsor. The container has the crown on it.

Beth standing on steps of Buckingham Palace leading to the  garden.

This is the building above Beth's head.

We notice what looks like Canadian geese on the grass in the distance. I ask one of the Palace workers if they are indeed geese. He tells me that they are Canadian geese, and they are a blight. If we visitors were not there, he says the geese would be vigorously discouraged from resting on the property. So even Royals have their landscape problems!!

We stop in the gift shop for a short time and then continue through the gardens out the Bayswater Street gate. 

We walk up to Marble Arch and then to Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park before we find the Hop On Hop Off Bus Stop. 

Window on Bayswater Street

Wellington monument in Hyde Park.

We want to go to Kensington Palace. After what seems an exceptionally long wait, the blue bus comes along, and we hop on. There is no tour guide on the blue bus to announce the stops. I miscalculate, and we get off a street too soon. Fortunately, another bus comes right along, and we hop in for one more stop.

Kensington Palace was the site with all the flowers outside the above gates after Princess Diana died. Later, on the flight to Malaga, the man beside me tells me that he saw the flowers from a helicopter, and he will never forget the site. Many of the people with whom I talk say that the queen learned a much needed lesson from the outpouring of affection for Diana. They say the queen is popular again, but it took time to regain the public's respect.

Kensington Palace is much older than Buckingham Palace and is situated in a park that is accessible to the public. I am actually quite surprised that anyone could just walk up and walk inside the section opened to the public. William III and Mary bought the country home of the Earl of Nottingham before 1700.  Like Buckingham Palace, it was originally situated outside the city of London in what was then the country.  William suffered from asthma, and the damp weather closer to the Thames was unhealthy. The air around Kensington was healthier. So William had Christopher Wren renovate it.

I am interested in Kensington Palace because Protestant William of Orange defeated Catholic James II in Ireland at the battle of the Boyne. William III was married to Mary who was James II"s daughter. The defeat of James II brought the Protestant English domination of Ireland.

There is quite a difference here from Buckingham Palace. The part of Kensington Palace that is open to the public is simpler, less ornate, and obviously much, much older. It has displays about William III and especially about his wife - Queen Mary - who was also his first cousin.  She expanded the palace but unfortunately died at 32 of the smallpox. She had no surviving children so her sister Anne became queen when William died. There is information here about Anne as well.

There is a display of dresses belonging to Queen Elizabeth, her sister Princess Margaret, and Lady Diana. Beth and I are both struck by their tiny waists!! The clothes were very classy. And I love the Queen's fur coat!

I stop to talk for a while to one of the docents who has worked there for over 15 years. She said she is passionate about history, a colleague is passionate about art, and another colleague is passionate about mythology, so between them, they can answer almost any question about Kensington Palace.

She also told me that the palace has been open to the public since before 1900!! She said there is elaborate security because members of the royal family live here in the sections not opened to the public. William, Kate, and baby George are scheduled to return some time in October.

The main exhibit is about Queen Victoria who was born in Kensington Palace and who was the first monarch to live in Buckingham Palace. Of course, I was fascinated by the pictures of her children and relatives.

We stop for a very quick cold drink in the cafe. The gates are closing, and the guard tells us that the park gets dark quickly. 

 Beth in front of a statue of Queen Victoria commissioned by one of her daughters in front of Kensington Palace.

We get back to the bus stop only to find that the last stop is at Marble Arch. We need another way back to the hotel. Before we get to the stop, the driver just parks the bus on the street and announces he is making a pit stop - seems like he was gone a pretty long time while we all sat there!

So we get out at Marble Arch and decide to take the Tube so Beth can see what it is like. We find the Tube station and head in with the crowd because the area outside does not look very safe. We are in line for tickets when the only clerk leaves to fix a ticket machine which has eaten someone's money and given them no ticket or change. After waiting a while, we decide to take a taxi and head back outside. I hail a taxi who drops us at the hotel for 7 euro. 

When we get to our room, there is a message from my husband's cousin that her son works nearby and how about meeting him at 6 pm. Unfortunately, it is now after 8pm. So I send her an email - yes the hotel has free wifi -  and we head off to grab some supper.

We walk around the block to a pub across from St. James tube station. We find a seat, and I get us a drink. Beth is surprised that we have to go up to the bar to order our meal. I have roast chicken, delicious potatoes, and perfect green bean; Beth has fish and chips, and the cook substituted cole slaw for her mushy peas. In my mind, there is nothing worse than mushy peas!! The waiter brings them over to the table. There is a French couple sitting near us who ordered chicken/steak and mushroom pies which look delicious. They don't speak English, and altho we don't speak but a smattering of French, we manage to exchange a few words.

By the time we get home, it is after 10. Time for my shower and bed - tomorrow it is the Changing of the Guard!

There is nothing like traveling!

My computer says 12:18 am - I guess that would be 5:18 English time. I have been awake for a couple of hours - jet lag is fun!!

Yesterday - Monday - Beth and I decided after checking into our room to jump on the Big Bus Company's Hop On, Hop Off Bus and take a tour of the city.  Beth has never been here before so I thought the tour might give her some orientation of where places are. I had bought a 48 hour ticket for 28 GBP - an online special - 24 hour tickets are 30 GBP.

We wanted a red bus with live commentary. To my surprise and delight, there is a stop across the street from the hotel!! So we jumped on, made our way upstairs, and I grabbed a window seat in the second row - we were under cover in case of a shower. Being inconsiderate, I didn't think to let Beth have the window seat - after she had put up with the middle seat and the comatose man beside her for 6+ hours in the plane. I blame being tired on grabbing the prime seat!

Justin was our tour guide. He was young - gave some information about things we passed - kept asking if anyone had questions. When someone did, he would repeat the question, answer it, ask if he had answered the question, and ask if anyone else had a question. This went on and on and on! There was more talk about questions than there was commentary!

Our first stop to pick up passengers was the side of Buckingham Palace - I could see Queen Victoria's statue. When we moved on, Justin told us that when we reached our next stop, we would all have to leave the bus and transfer to a new one - his work day and the driver's were over. A new bus with live commentary would arrive within a couple of minutes. I try to roll with the punches and this didn't seem too bad - we were outside - why complain like the others that they had just got on this bus.

As we were turning down a narrow street, I guess the bus hit a cab and broke the side mirror. I didn't know this right away - all I knew was that a crazy cab driver had pulled in front of our bus and stopped. The cabbie was screaming at the bus driver, people were gathering on the street and watching, and we didn't know what had happened. Justin announced that the bus driver has been driving buses in London for 20 years, was a safe driver, and we would be underway shortly. But we weren't. The cabbie was in front of the bus and backed the cab up until he was almost touching our bus so we could not get around him. He continued shouting and complaining. I was watching this in the reflection of a store window. 
The situation continued and then the passengers on the bus started. They complained that they were losing time for sightseeing, asking where another bus was and why didn't someone call the police. They said they were getting off. Justin explained where the next bus stop was. But, of course, it was not that easy. We heard yelling and screaming downstairs in the bus. People came back up yelling that the bus driver would not let them off the bus. We were all trapped! Justin announced that it was against the law for the bus to open the doors in the middle of the street. So the driver and cabbie are yelling on the street. Upstairs in the bus people are yelling that they are being held against their wills, they are being held captive - call the police, call the company, call someone - Justin has already called the company who told him that it is the driver's decision whether to let passengers off or not. This incensed some of the passengers. Beth and I just sat there laughing - what else could we do - it had only been 10 minutes! We had only been in London for 6 hours and we were being held captive on a tour bus!! I didn't turn around to look at the man who was yelling that he couldn't take being a prisoner any more - I said to Beth that I just hoped no one had a gun!!

After a couple more minutes a police car arrived - people on the bus were cheering!! We were all allowed off and told to walk up the street to get on another bus. I was saying to Beth that today people really want instant gratification - all this fuss from passengers and it was only 10-15 minutes!! 

So within less than 24 hours, we felt like we were held captive in that BA plane and then were held prisoner for 15 minutes on a tour bus!! 

But we were lucky! The next tour guide we had was great!! Graham knew his history and was very pleasant - he also had a great voice - he broke into song several times as we drove by theatres that had musicals playing.

Again I couldn't believe all the construction!! And the teeming masses of people! There were so many people - and so diverse!! Maybe I haven't been into Boston recently or maybe I've lived in the Cape too long.  I was amazed by the hordes of people rushing to the Tube stations!  It was evening rush hour. 

We were over near the First Court when pedestrians stopped traffic with a demonstration. A group of them would walk back and forth in the zebra lines (crosswalks) which would prevent the traffic from moving. I didn't mind being held captive the first time, but I was way too tired for this - I wouldn't have blamed the bus driver if he had just driven over them when we finally got up to them!

We finished the tour at the stop back at the hotel. I was exhausted. We looked into a place near the hotel, but Beth said nothing on the menu appealed to her. We walked up to Westminster Abbey. We decided to get something take away at a nearby cafe and go back to the hotel. I had delicious potatoes with cheddar and bacon - except it was so salty!! and there must have been almost a pound of bacon!! I love potatoes and the potatoes in Ireland and England have to be the best. Beth bought a turkey sandwich. 

We ate in our room. I was knackered. I took a shower and then could not keep my eyes open - it was about 8 pm. I went to bed with my hair wet and woke up with a Mohawk!!

Today we may jump on the tour bus and stop to visit Buckingham Palace. The state rooms are only open in August and September when the royal family is away on holidays. Then we may take the tour bus to Kensington Palace for a tour and later check out Harrods. Beth wants to take a cruise down the Thames so we may finish the afternoon with that. Or if anything unexpected comes along, we'll try that!

And today we will take pictures. I guess I am getting old - I was to tired to take any yesterday!!!

There is nothing like traveling!!

We have been planning this trip since the fall of 2012 after we decided to have a redo of our 1976 trip to Washington, DC - best friends Beth McCusker, GeeGee Rafferty, Julie O'Connell and myself. We had a few adventures in our younger days and wanted to get that feeling back.

The trip to Washington was a a success except Julie couldn't make it at the last minute due to work.

Now we are venturing further afield - across the Atlantic. Julie invited us to her time share in the south of Spain for a week. Now, I have to admit, Spain was never high on my list of places to visit. But as I say since my father died unexpectedly, grab the bull by the horns and latch onto any opportunity that comes around.  So Beth and I decided to give it a go. And speaking of bulls, I would love to see a bullfight, but we think the season will be over when we get to Spain.

I have been researching London and Spain since the tickets were booked in March - I can be quite obsessive, compulsive at times. Beth and I decided to add on a couple of days in London - a city that I have loved since being there in 1978 with GeeGee and in 2000 with 3 of my kids - Mike, Mairead, and JB. Then we head to the Costa Del Sol to meet Julie and end up in Madrid for a quick weekend.

So after reading all the tour books, visiting hundreds of websites, the day finally arrived! We boarded our British Airways flight about 8:30 pm at Logan on Sunday 9/22/13.

I guess I am too used to Aer Lingus - BA really squeezes people into those planes! 3 seats and 4 seats and another 3 seats across! I'm used to booking a window and aisle seat on Aer Lingus - with no one in between! But Beth took the middle seat and gave me the aisle seat - very nice gesture starting out. The guy near the window was totally non- responsive - he ate his dinner so we knew he was alive.

I don't think I have traveled overseas since 9/11 so maybe it is a new rule, but they kept the shades down on the small windows in that plane for the whole flight!! We could't see the lights of Boston as we left. We had no idea when the sun came up, and we couldn't look at London as we landed! Talk about feeling claustrophobic and disoriented!! Some people opened the shades when we touched down in London but the loudspeaker told them to close the shades again.

And the heat in the plane was stifling - no air vents to adjust either!

But, we arrived safely - stiff, tired and sweating maybe - but we were finally HERE!!

I decided that I could not be enclosed any longer - I needed to see daylight and feel fresh air. So rather than take the Heathrow Express, the Tube, or the National Express bus, I suggested the Hotel bus which drops you at your hotel - no changing Tube circles or buses. This would drop us off right at the hotel - which no one had ever heard of I might add - for 22.50 GBP.

The fresh air felt good - the day was dry but overcast - a little humid. But we were outside!! I couldn't take being enclosed another minute!

The driver of the minibus was a maniac. Most London drivers seem to be the same. No wonder he made sure we were buckled up! We were speeding one minute and then he would slam on the brakes. We zigged and zagged in the traffic, cut people off, speeded up for a few seconds and then slowed down because of all the traffic and it wasn't even rush hour.

I was totally amazed - and drove Beth crazy by saying the same thing over and over - at all the construction from Heathrow all the way to and throughout the city of London!! There are cranes absolutely everywhere!! Scaffolding is big business here - it covers hundreds of houses, buildings, monuments - whole blocks of stores are covered with it.  The streets are dug up all over the city as we soon learned from all the careening detours our minibus driver took. I frequently hear how terrible the economy in Ireland is, but London looks to be booming.

After we stopped at two hotels to drop off the other passengers, Beth and I moved from the back of the bus to the seats behind the driver who became very talkative all of a sudden! Of course I had to ask him about the construction. He said the economy is slow - the government is investing big money into building projects and renovations to try to stimulate it.  As we got into the heart of the city, we could see huge holes where city blocks used to be - millions are being spent on new buildings and new blocks of offices and apartments in addition to the renovations according to Tony. He said he is happy on one hand that the interest rate is still low - better for his mortgage - he has 5 kids from newborn to 19 - but developers are buying up property cheap and exploiting the large numbers of unemployed workers by paying cheap wages.

I asked Tony about the cost of university education as we passed by University of London and a couple of other secondary schools - loads of kids walking around with maps in their hands looking lost. He said his oldest son started University last year - cost was 3000 GBP including board. Tony said that the government just tripled the cost - now he wonders how he will be able to send his other children - 6, 5, 2, and newborn - to university.

We passed Hyde Park, and I asked if that was part of Kensington Gardens. That led us to a discussion of the Royals. Tony said the young couple - William and Kate - are very popular with the English people - they are viewed as being down to earth and more in touch with the real world. He said they will soon be returning to live at Kensington Palace.

Tony wondered if Charles will ever make it to king - the queen may live to be 100+ like her mother. He said no one likes Camilla. He - like many of us - wondered what Charles ever saw in her.

But now we were outside our hotel - The Sanctuary House Hotel at 33 Tothill Street. Tony unloaded our bags, we tipped him, and he was off to drive a school bus at 3pm - God help those children!

We made our way to reception on the British first floor or our second floor. Of course our room wasn't ready - it was 1 pm - check in at 3pm. The girl suggested we get something to eat in the pub downstairs - yes, indeed, there is an English pub in the hotel!! How handy!!

So we had delicious chicken Kiev with potatoes and spinach. I had started with a bowl of tomato soup which was good but not exceptional - I needed something quick because I had started to get car sick with all the zigging, zagging, speeding up, slamming the brakes on in the minibus. Beth tried a pint of Fosters, but I was a coward and just had tea. I was afraid alcohol would put me to sleep at this point!

When we went back upstairs at 2, our room was ready - on their 2nd floor/our 3rd floor. When researching lodgings, I wanted a hotel that had a/c and a lift - those were my two major requirements.  And this place has both!! It is an older building - floors a little squeaky- but clean, comfortable - and most importantly, it is a block away from Westminster Abbey which is across the street from Parliament and Big Ben!  Westminster Bridge and the river cruises are 3 blocks! My daughter used to get a crepe every morning from a vendor on the Westminster Bridge - Mairead, the sign now says pancakes - no mention of crepes but I will check it out for you.

So our London adventure is beginning!