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Visiting London

JPSmit

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Arrived yesterday morning. Mrs JP has been here since Sunday for a short conference. Yesterday we walked from the hotel to Bickingham Palace - and the to Trafalgar Square. Had high tea at St Martins in the crypt. (Literally the crypt below St Martins in the Field) then she had bought us rush seats for Wicked - amazing sets/ costumes music/ sadly we couldn't hear most of the lyrics but very very good! Today was the prtrait gallery and the national gallery - so much art so little time. We then walked to Westminster Cathedral for evensong - we were going to Westminster Abbey first but twice a year they have a combined service - lovely though mostly in Latin - so while we loved the music, again we didn't get the lyrics. :grin:

Where we are stayng (just near Paddington Station) is lovely - a bunch of small hotels (which describes the rooms perfectly too!) saw a real estate agent window - flats in the area are in the 1.5 - 2.5 million pound range! (5000 pounds a month - or curiously 1000+ pounds per week.

all in all a good time being had by all! No classic cars to speak of. Saw an old ice cream truck (parked for a long time!) and as the bus goes past a couple od car dealers a vintage benz (not sure what) and a James Bond DB? Downtown London is an ultra low emissions zone - so no older cars!

Will likely get my vehicle fix at the London Transport Museum - Brooklands has an event tomorrow but a bit far.

loving it all though!
 

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Have fun!

We were there 3 weeks ago... and the weather was FANTASTIC. My wife saw the Dior show at the Victoria & Albert.

Hadn't been to the Imperial War Museum for about 20 years, and it has been nicely re-done (inside). There on Lambeth Road, it's pretty easy to walk to from the Thames (and the Lambeth bridge or the Westminster bridge).
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See the Globe Theatre. Trip down the river to Greenwich.

IF you're over there on the southbank (near Blackfriars), the Globe has a nice back-stage tour... but tickets to a play require some advance planning.
I agree that trip to Greenwich is really worth it (as the naval museums are fantastic - including all the astronomical stuff on the hill). They have THE Cutty Sark there.
 

NutmegCT

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JP - we'll continue suggesting "must-see's" in London ... mine would be the Science Museum (or Bletchley Park if you get out of London).

But - what's on your own must-see list?

Tom M.
 

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... and if you get to the Science Museum, you might as well do the Natural History and Victoria & Albert (all across the street from each other). :smile:
 

Gliderman8

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My son arrived home today from London. I had some parts for my Lambretta shipped to his hotel and he brought them back.
 
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JPSmit

JPSmit

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Today was The London Transport Museum. My vehicle fix. Basically the history of transit in London. Interesting- not exactly overwhelming but interesting- saw some cars on the way. Mini and Land Rover.
 
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JPSmit

JPSmit

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Coming to your question Tom, just happy to be here. The National Gallery is amazing - especially the Impressionists. Hope to see Victoria & Albert museum tomorrow. This is a somwhat continuing education week also and Holy Trinity Brompton is nearbye. (If you have heard of or seen ads for a church program called ALPHA it was invented there.)

We hope to see the globe theatre. And maybe a play there. Oh and got an Austin Seven Manual delivered to the hotel today. Interesting story - the book is out of print and getting expensive on Ebay etc. By accident I stumbled on a forum discussion about the author's widow and was able to buy an original - new - copy for the original price. Not cheap but better.
 

Basil

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YOu need to go visit the corner of Lapstone Gardens and Mentmore Close(22 Mentmore Cl) in Greater London. Then take pictures of yourself beating your car with a tree branch. (Presumably the metal barriers were installed to prevent people for parking where Basil parked so as to recreated. that famous scene)


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Brooklands

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In Greenwich, a tour of the Cutty Sark is always worthwhile. We used the Hop On - Hop Off buses a lot there as an easy way to see the city, and to stop at the various museums. The London Transportation museum was one that my wife enjoyed too. I remember it being near Covent Garden.
 

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YOu need to go visit the corner of Lapstone Gardens and Mentmore Close(22 Mentmore Cl) in Greater London. Then take pictures of yourself beating your car with a tree branch. (Presumably the metal barriers were installed to prevent people for parking where Basil parked so as to recreated. that famous scene)

Excellent I idea!
 
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JPSmit

JPSmit

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I just need to arrange a car! Great idea though. Did get to the Victoria and Albert museum- amazing- the Dior exhibit was sold out for the day. Didn’t get to see a lot but enjoyed it all. It is amazing how full it was especially with younger people. In fact everyone walking everywhere. We walked home through Hyde Park which was full of people.

Speaking of walking I received a Fossil hybrid watch for Christmas. It does things like
Count steps but is a normal watch with normal hands. When you walk 10000 steps it vibrates and the hands spin in joy! I am embarrassed to point out that I only discovered this this week:smile:

In car news walking home I passed a Mercedes SRS - the new gullwing one and then around the corner a Ferrari something or another- both using on street parking! As we got to the hotel a Daimler 250 convertible drove by.

All in all a good day!
 

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We, too, found the Dior sold out but were told to get there at opening (10AM) and they hand out about 50-75 for those in line. We did that.
 

PAUL161

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When visiting family in Eccelshaw in Staffordshire, we took the train to London, there's no way I'd ever drive in the city! Walk or Taxi! :encouragement: PJ

We have family in Galway Ireland also and would love to go there, but that probably won't happen. :concern:
 

Basil

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We have family in Galway Ireland also and would love to go there, but that probably won't happen. :concern:

That's where my ancestors came from when they immigrated to America in the 1840s. My late uncle Bob, who was really into genealogy, visited Galway and some of our "relatives" He met one gent who was a direct descendant and could tell immediately he was a relative.
 

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When visiting family in Eccelshaw in Staffordshire, we took the train to London, there's no way I'd ever drive in the city! Walk or Taxi! :encouragement: PJ

Boy, ain't that the truth. And the Tube is so effective at getting one nearly anywhere. I've driven in London and it's less than fun (and, BTW, now costs a lot more due to the new taxes on entering it with a car).
 

Brooklands

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When visiting family in Eccelshaw in Staffordshire, we took the train to London, there's no way I'd ever drive in the city! Walk or Taxi!

Agreed...I last drove in London in 1976, and then only briefly. I drove in Birmingham in 2017 and found that a bit difficult with traffic and construction, but it was bearable. But once even parked there at the hotel, we mostly walked.
 
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JPSmit

JPSmit

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No personal need to drive in London that is for sure, and the tube is amazing! Today was a bit of a slow start and then to St. Paul's cathedral. Spent about 5 hours there, had a lovely tour, then walked to the top of the dome - 570 progressively narrower steps. Have i ever mentioned i don't like heights! The view was amazing though and I am glad I went. (Mrs. JP is both claustrophobic and doesn't like heights so wisely stayed on terra firma.) We had high tea in the basement, and earlier when we were having coffee, a fellow at the next table gave a rather extensive impromptu history lesson about Chaucer (I love surprises like that!)

After tours etc. (BTW the front of the church - stained glass window and area - is the American Chapel, a post WWII thank you) quite lovely and the guide pointed out a rocket cleverly carved into the window frame - it was done in the 50's. No Canadian Chapel though a thank you on the alter. I think because while you were friends who came to the aid, we were family and expected to show up. :smile:

fascinating stories of the blitz - there were crews who spent each night on the roof to put out incindiery bombs as they landed with buckets of water and sand! One night 27 bombs hit the cathedral. Where the American Chapel was and the alter was hit by a bomb and destroyed. Hence the new chapel.

we were also shown the choir - the seats not the people - beautiful repairs to the wood carvings over the more recent years. The carver will not stain the wood to make clear it is not original. Before we left we attended evensong which was amazing, both because we understood the lyrics (it was in English) and because we sat in the choir. Funnily the "board" in front of me - the "lectern"'running the full length of the choir for prayer books and music - had been crudely repaired a long time ago and has someone's initials carved in it - those pesky choir boys!

St Paul's is literally steps from the Millenium Bridge - a walking bridge - the bridge itself and the walkway to it were magnificent! It seems like the UK/Europe is so good at doing things with flair, in Canada at least it always seems to be done on the cheap and the most basic allowable, but I digress.

on the other side of the bridge is the Globe Theatre. Still looking very much like Shakespeares time. Each night they sell 700 standing room only seats for 5 pounds each. We paid a little more and got a seat - which was a numbered wooden bench. Saw The Merry Wives of Windsor, ddn't get all the lyrics but it was a lot of fun and great to see how the actors interacted with then audience, who were literally leaning with their arms up on the edge of the stage. It was easy to imagine how it used to be - people drinking beer and eating in the pit while the play went on.

About 1 1/2 hours from Toronto is Stratford ON which is an important Shakespeare theatre. There it is very pretentious and significant and people dress up - and this seemed way more authentic and way more fun. I have never been a big Shakespeare fan but a good time was had by all.

then home and some quiet before we figure out tomorrow.

cheers all!
 
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