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Travel 2017: A Rainy Day in London Town Still Sizzles: Day Five
Our last full day in London was to be a very wet one, start to finish. We’d actually been pretty lucky with the weather– mostly sunny days and temperatures slightly above the norm for this time of year. There was no way we were going to let a little rain dampen our spirits. We grabbed an umbrella and headed out for another busy day.
At The Monument.
The Monument to the Great Fire of London is the world’s tallest isolated stone column. It is most commonly referred to as The Monument. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren, it stands to commemorate the Great Fire of 1666. It’s hard to get a perspective of its size in a picture– so consider that there are 311 steps that go up to a viewing platform at the top.
The Monument to the Great Fire of London.
One of the interesting things we found online before our trip was the Sky Garden in the Walkie Talkie building, 20 Fenchurch Street.
Looking up from the base of 20 Fenchurch Street, nicknamed the Walkie Talkie building.
The building itself, nicknamed for its unusual shape, is considered by many as “the worst building” in the U.K. Completed in 2014, it has 34 floors, the top three made up of the Sky Garden, bars and restaurants.
The Sky Garden is London’s highest public garden and it offers an uninterrupted, 360 degree view of London. It’s free to visit but tickets are required. It’s highly recommended you reserve them in advance because it is frequently filled.
The Sky Garden has tiered levels for enjoying the spectacular 360 degree views.
Looking out over the Sky Garden.
In spite of the cloudy skies and rain-spattered windows, the views were spectacular. There is an open air observation deck on one side, with rest of the views through large panes of glass.
London from the Sky Garden, 20 Fenchurch Street.
The Gherkin (right) from the Sky Garden.
The River Thames and the 95-story Shard Building on the right.
Looking out at the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge.
It started raining again so we took the Tube as close as we could, to our matinee performance of Les Miserables. Why Les Miz? Yes, we’ve seen many professional productions– in NYC and on tour. Maybe even a dozen. BUT we’d never seen it in London– where it all began. AND it’s Michael’s favorite musical.
Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre.
Les Miserables has been running continuously in London for nearly 32 years! One fact you may not know, is that the events in the show, occur around the June Rebellion (or The Paris Uprising of 1832) NOT the French Revolution (1789-1799) as many people believe.
At intermission, we both commented that we thought is was way to fast! Now, when Michael agrees that something is too fast– it’s too fast. When we see shows, he’s always saying they could pick up the tempo. Sure, a performance differs from one to the next– but this, apparently, wasn’t a fluke. A friend who saw it two years ago asked if they were still speeding though it.
I found the differences in staging from the original Broadway production interesting. (I’m assuming this is still the original staging.) Some things worked better than others and I could also see why some were changed. All in all, in spite of the pace, we still enjoyed it.
Inside the Queen’s Theatre before the performance of Les Miserables.
It was pouring rain after the show. We headed over to the Savoy Theatre and picked up our tickets, hoping to find a place for dinner nearby. While we were there, we went in the Savoy (Hotel) to check out the lobby.
In the lobby of the Savoy, looking in to the dining room.
We found a place across the street for dinner– appropriately called Eat. We did.
And, yes, still raining.
Our last show this visit– and another one of the reasons we came to London: the musical Dreamgirls.
Last show this trip: Dreamgirls!
A little backstory is necessary. We saw Amber Riley (Glee) was starring in the London production and really wanted to see it. I went to order tickets, front and center, and I had the option of getting the same seats with something called ‘blue box’ for the same price. This said it included a drink and snack. Okay… same price… why not? The tickets were about 80 pounds or $102 USD. At New York ticket prices, it would have been a minimum of $149– probably over $200 because these would be considered ‘premium seats’ — without a ‘blue box’.
I purchase the tickets. Done. Then get a message (after they were paid for, no refunds) that Amber Riley doesn’t perform all the Wednesday night shows! Not happy. Then the show opened in London, won a number of Oliver Awards, including Best Actress (Riley) — so we just kept our fingers crossed. Maybe we’d get lucky.
We get back to the theatre for the show… soaking wet from the rain and they held us at the door. No, clue what was going on. Then the usher tells us we’ve been upgraded to ‘red box’. Huh? We waited until they escorted us to a private lounge where we were given drinks and snacks until we would be escorted to our seats just before the lights went down.
Phone pic inside the Ambassador Lounge.
At the busiest point, there were only eleven people in the lounge and we had two servers. They also held our wet things in a private coat check until after the show.
So why the VIP treatment? No clue! We just kept our fingers crossed that the good luck would continue and Amber Riley would walk out on that stage. Our hostess told us they’d meet us at the interval and bring us back to the Ambassador Lounge for drinks– this was just way too cool.
We took our seats– and I think we both held our breath until Effie walked out on that stage. Exhale. Amber Riley was performing!
All I can say is WOW! Everything about the show was perfect. It was beautiful to look at, full of power and emotion– and every single cast member was amazing. Problems we’ve seen in past productions with pace and flow were nonexistent. Riley stopped the show with And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going and Listen (added to this production from the movie) with her costar during the later.
It was magic.
This Dreamgirls will definitely never leave me.
Sometimes the stars align and everything is right.
Tonight was simply beyond wonderful.
Travel Date: May 17, 2017 (Day Five) Wednesday
Travel 2017: A Day on the Thames-Nature, Art and Angels : Day Four
We started the day at the Tate Modern. This was the one day we’d pretty much scheduled out ahead of time, start to finish, knowing that later, we’d be spending eight and a half hours at the National Theatre. We chose to visit the Tate Modern this morning because of its close proximity to the theatre and we hadn’t explored the South Bank.
Looking up at the former Bankside Power Station, now the home of the Tate Modern.
The Tate Modern hosts a large collection of international modern and contemporary art from 1900 to the present. I didn’t know until after our visit that the building itself was the former Bankside Power Station. This explains its unusual, cavernous design.
It was built by the architect, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, coincidentally, the grandson of architect, Sir George Gilbert Scott, who built the hotel we were staying in– St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel. Sir Giles Gilbert Scott also designed the Waterloo bridge and the famous red telephone boxes.
Inside the cavernous entrance of the Tate Modern, the former Bankside Power Station.
The wide variety of artistic styles here, span from late Impressionism to modern sculpture and art in advertising. Overall, I found the museum quite stimulating and well conceived. Even though I find a lot of modern art not to my taste, there were many works and artists represented here for whom I have a great fondness.
Lightning with Stag in its Glare by Joseph Beuys.
Weeping Woman (1937) by Pablo Picasso.
Metamorphosis of Narcissus (1937) by Salvador Dali.
One of the gallery spaces inside the Tate Modern.
We left the museum with plenty of time for an enjoyable walk along the Thames. There are many restaurants and shops along the South Bank and quiet little parks as well. This area of the embankment is known as The Queen’s Walk.
A beautiful view of London from the South Bank of the Thames.
The rest of the day was spent at National Theatre’s production of the Pulitzer Prize winning play, Angels In America. The opportunity to see it was the catalyst that brought us to London (prior to our cruise) instead of NYC.
The National Theatre complex.
Angels In America: A Gay Fantasia on National Theme is Tony Kushner’s 1993 play in two parts, entitled Millennium Approaches and Perestroika. It’s an epic journey that explores AIDS and Homosexuality in 1980’s America.
Angels In America.
The National Theatre’s production features impressive performances by Andrew Garfield, Russell Tovey and Nathan Lane, among many others.
We were lucky enough to purchase excellent seats, in a combined event ticket, that included both parts presented in one day. The entire run of the production quickly sold out after going on sale.
Each part also had two intermissions. We had about a two hour break between parts one and part two for dinner, that we spent at a nice restaurant between the theatre and the London Eye. The actual run time, including intermissions (but not the dinner break), was just over eight and a half hours.
The production is incredible. The time flew by. Honestly, the experience is nearly impossible to describe. The revealing (or realization) of the Angel at the end of the first part was pretty ingenious — as frightening as it was beautiful.
I have to say that I cannot imagine seeing Millennium Approaches and Perestroika separately. They are so closely woven and dependent on each other in the scope of the entire piece. This is a historic work– it not only captures a dark moment in history– it is ground-breaking in its structure and form.
When we left the theatre, we entered the misty night air and walked across the Waterloo Bridge to the Tube. We couldn’t help stopping on the bridge and enjoy the wonderful night view of London.
London at night from the Waterloo Bridge.
Travel Date: May 16, 2017 (Day Four)
Travel 2017: Gardens, Rock and Robbery: Day Two
The Guard House at Kensington Palace Gardens.
After a good night’s sleep and no noticeable jet lag, we had a quiet breakfast, then headed out for the day.
Our morning target was Kensington Palace and gardens. We already knew tickets for the palace, which included a special new exhibition, had been sold out for months.
Getting off the Tube we came upon Kensington Palace Gardens, which has been called “the most exclusive address in London” and is also known as “Billionaires Row”. There’s a guard house where you enter the street (and no photography allowed) which is lined with palatial mansions– many are the homes of foreign diplomats, or serve as foreign embassies. Prior to being renamed around 1870, the street was known as The Queen’s Road. It was the MI19 center, The London Cage, during World War II and the Cold War.
The beautiful tree-lined street was nearly silent under it’s shaded canopy.
Looking through the ornate gates at Kensington Palace.
This led us to the gardens of Kensington Palace. Not exactly sure where we were headed, we walked towards the palace, then around it, until we found the specific garden we were looking for.
I’d like to note that even if you aren’t touring it, you can still get surprisingly close to the palace, which also hosts a cafe that is open to the public. Last trip, we only saw Kensington from across the green of Hyde Park.
We passed the visitor’s entrance and came upon a maze-like path that wound us around to the Sunken Garden.
Our particular interest was that the garden has been transformed into the White Garden, in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death. This was one of Diana’s favorite spots and it has been filled with many of her favorite flowers to mark the occasion.
The White Garden will be open to the public through the summer of 2017.
Remembering Princess Diana- The White Garden.
Beautiful arched trellises surround the Kensington Palace Sunken Garden, transformed into the White Garden to honor Princess Diana, 2017.
The Kensington Palace Sunken Garden has been transformed into the White Garden.
At the White Garden.
The Kensington Gardens, covering 242 acres are adjacent to Hyde Park, though crossing over from one to the other goes unnoticed.
Princess Diana Memorial Walk.
We’d visited the other formal gardens on the last visit, so this time we set out in a new direction, down The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk.
As quiet and peaceful as it was, everywhere you looked you’d see joggers, sunbathers, people enjoying family picnics and walking their dogs.
We reached the Long River and in addition to the beautiful swans, we had a great view of artist Henry Moore’s The Arch positioned on the north bank of the river.
Henry Moore’s ‘The Arch’.
We were soon following the Serpentine River, finding many people out boating and even swimming in a public recreation area.
Along the Serpentine River in Hyde Park.
Beautiful plantings throughout Hyde Park.
We had successfully walked the entire length of Hyde Park, reaching the Marble Arch. John Nash, designed the arch as the official state entrance to Buckingham Palace in 1827. The design was partially based on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. After years of problems preventing it’s completion, it was finished quickly in time for Queen Victoria’s accession to the throne in 1937. But as Queen Victoria’s court and family quickly grew, it became necessary to build on to the palace, forcing the removal of the arch. It was moved to it’s current location at Cumberland Gate, the northeast corner of Hyde Park, completed in 1851.
The Marble Arch, originally the state entrance of Buckingham palace, moved in 1851.
If all we’d seen wasn’t enough, our day was just beginning, so to speak. It was just early afternoon and we still had two theatrical performances to attend.
School of Rock is a feel-good show for the entire family. A musical stage adaptation of the 2003 film, that starred Jack Black– it stays true to its source. (Michael and I actually just saw the movie again, shortly before our trip.) The show relies heavily on character stereotypes but that works well for this type of show.
This is an Andrew Lloyd Webber production and his theatrical roots have been based in shows with gimmicks. School of Rock’s gimmick is that all the younger performers actually play their own instruments on stage– something the production doesn’t let you forget.
School of Rock, London.
We both really enjoyed it. It’s lively, uplifting– and just plain fun, with a positive message. It also made me ask the question again: Why are young British performers uniformly better than their American counterparts?
We had one of those frequent London come-and-go rains while we were in the matinee. The streets were wet and glistening as the sun quickly returned to brighten the afternoon. We headed over to Piccadilly Circus and picked up the tickets for our evening performance.
Piccadilly Circus after a short rain.
We decided not to eat until after the evening show and spent the little bit of time we had– people-watching and enjoying the street performers scattered around Piccadilly Circus. Michael became particularly captivated by one performer that required audience participation for his act. It was a pretty simple and clever concept– he stood frozen until someone dropped a coin or two in his box and then he would come to life, taking his benefactor and posing them in a variety of positions. He would then add himself to the ‘picture’ with some amusing results.
Here’s Michael becoming part of the act:
Michael gets into the act with a Piccadilly Circus performer.
The Comedy About A Bank Robbery. It’s hard for me to put into words how impressed I am by the creativity and ingenious work done by the Mischief Theatre Company. We saw and loved their production, The Play That Goes Wrong, last September and were excited to see what else they could do.
The Comedy About A Bank Robbery, London 2017.
Going in, I honestly didn’t think I could have been more impressed than I had been with their last one. Minutes after the lights dimmed, I was proven wrong. By the time we reached the interval (intermission), I had absolutely no idea how they were going to get back to the base premise of the show. Hysterically funny, brilliant and thoroughly entertaining!
If you love British farce, slapstick comedy and really creative word play. See this show!
Entering the Tube at Piccadilly Circus.
We’d walked over 8 miles today, enjoyed some of the best parks and shows London has to offer. We couldn’t have asked for a better day!
Travel Date: May 14, 2017 Sunday (Day Two)
Travel 2017: Back ‘Home’ in London: Day One
According to schedule, we landed at Heathrow at 8:30 am and breezed through Customs/Immigration. We had arranged a car service to meet us and whisk us off to our London home away from home, the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel. We loved it so much last September, we didn’t even have to think twice about staying here again. The added bonus (this trip) was that they have VIP service to walk you through customs and get you boarded on the EuroStar train we were taking to Paris at the end of our stay.
We pre-checked in and dropped our bags, then had a quick knosh in the Chambers Club before hitting the street for the day. (We knew ahead of time our room wouldn’t be ready.) With tickets to two shows, we figured we wouldn’t actually get into our room until late that night.
Looking out through the magnificent windows of St. Pancras.
We’d made a short list of things we wanted to see in London this trip. Since we were just here last September, we’d gotten the touristy- thing out of the way and felt no rush to cram in a bunch of sites. Plus, with our heavy show schedule, we figured we’d just try and do one thing a day and keep things simple and relaxed.
We didn’t get to spend any time in Trafalgar Square last trip, so that’s where we headed first. The large public area, formerly known as Charing Cross, was named after the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar and is anchored by the prominent Nelson’s Column surrounded by statues and fountains.
Trafalgar Square, bustling with activity even with the threat of rain.
The National Gallery is located on the square, but being a Saturday, the lines were quite long so we didn’t try to go in.
There were plenty of artists and street performers entertaining the large crowds of people enjoying the weekend. The wind started to pick up and dark clouds started rolling in suggesting we might be in for a downpour.
The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square.
A view of London (Big Ben in the background) from Trafalgar Square.
After a bit of people watching, we headed to the far end of the square, towards St. Martin in-the-Fields church and the National Portrait Gallery around the corner.
After watching The Crown recently, I found out the sketches for Graham Sutherland’s commissioned painting of Winston Churchill were on display at the National Portrait Gallery. (Churchill hated the painting, that was commissioned as gift to him– and his wife had the painting destroyed.) What I neglected to find out was the room in which they are displayed is closed for renovation. Maybe on a future visit.
The National Portrait Gallery.
After exploring the neighborhood a bit more, we returned to Trafalgar Square to relax, enjoying the sights and sounds of the city until we needed to head to our matinee show.
Half a Sixpence. Our first show was a matinee performance of the musical, Half A Sixpence. The romantic comedy was originally produced in 1963 (in London) starring Tommy Steele and moved to Broadway (with Steele) in 1965. I saw the 1967 film version many years ago and remembered it as being a lot of fun.
We weren’t disappointed. We both enjoyed this “poor man- inherits fortune- loses fortune- gets the girl” story, thanks to the energetic and extremely talented cast. Charlie Stemp would have made Tommy Steele proud. It was a great start to our London theatre experience.
Half A Sixpence at the Noel Coward Theatre.
The threat of rain gone, the dark clouds had been replaced with sun and beautiful blue skies. We ventured over near Buckingham Palace and revisited the Wellington Arch. It was nice to be able to take our time enjoying the nice spring weather, leisurely, making our way to the theatre nearby.
The Wellington Arch.
We had plenty of time for dinner after picking up our show tickets, so we chose to eat at The Other Naughty Piglet. The restaurant boasts a seasonal menu of small plate offerings. Let me just say– the food here is art. The ham croquettes were to die for! For a place that appears so casual and unpretentious– the food is a culinary masterpiece. I’m no foodie and I seldom write much about our meals. This should be an indication of how impressed I was.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s theatre, The Other Palace. (Until recently, known as the St. James Theatre.)
Whisper House. Our evening performance was Duncan Sheik’s Whisper House at The Other Palace Theatre. Built where the Westminster Theatre stood until fire consumed it in 2002, it was named the St. James Theatre when is opened in 2012.
Andrew Lloyd Webber acquired it in 2016 and it was renamed The Other Palace. There are two smaller theatres in the complex (a 312 seat main stage and 12o seat studio space) which is now dedicated to developing new works.
When I saw Whisper House would be playing, I had to see it. I’m a huge fan of Sheik and his musical, Spring Awakening. I’d say Whisper House is more a play with music than a true musical. It’s basically a ghost story that takes place in a haunted lighthouse during World War II. The show was originally workshopped in San Diego in 2010 and it was co-written by Kyle Jarrow.
The set of Duncan Sheik’s Whisper House, The Other Palace Theatre, London 2017.
It seemed promising at the beginning. Visually, the show was gorgeous. The opening number “It’s Better To Be Dead” is both haunting and glorious. Much of the music is really good– but at as the show progressed, it (the show) seemed to be troubled on a number of levels. The cast seemed to struggle with the material and the stage chemistry between the actors/characters wasn’t always evident. Initially, it appeared that only the ghost characters would be singing the musical numbers as a commentary– but then later it seemed to hinder the show’s progression.
Director Adam Lenson fails to make this production his own. During one song, for no apparent reason, the cast began to physically express themselves (individually) in a way that directly mimicked Spring Awakening. So much for originality. I also felt that overall, the intensity was lacking, causing the show to drag. I didn’t hate it– with work I think there’s some real promise in this piece.
It had been a long day.
We headed back to the hotel to complete check in, unpack and get some sleep. Our heads hadn’t hit pillows since Thursday night (in the U.S.) and I’m surprised we weren’t even more exhausted.
It had been a great first day of vacation. We’d walked over seven miles today, even with taking the Tube. We were ready for some solid rest.
Travel Date: 5/13/17 Saturday (Day One)
Travel 2017: An ‘Awkward’ Travel Day with United Airlines
The first half of the day couldn’t pass fast enough! We were both up early, last minute packing check, I took Belle and Dudley for their boarding/’vacation’ and Michael went in for a half day of work. We’d checked in with the airline and printed our boarding passes the night before.
We were ready.
Everything was on time and Peggy drove us to the airport late afternoon. We went to check our luggage and noticed right away our seats were changed. No big deal– but wait! We weren’t sitting together. Why did this change overnight?
The new seating arrangement was 2-1-2. I was now assigned on the left side, seated by a stranger and Michael was in the single center seat– in what appeared to be business class. Except, we had paid for first class.
It was a full flight and there was no way to change our seat assignments at the kiosk. We tried to get assistance but no one could explain what happened or knew how to fix it. We went ahead and checked our bags and went through security, hoping to fix the situation at the gate.
We have global entry and TSA Precheck…. advantages include: leaving shoes and belts on and you don’t have to take your computer/electronics out of your bag. Well, both of us set off the detector and were stopped for further screening. Michael just had to take off his shoes but I had to wait to be searched. Of course, no one was there to do this and there were five people ahead of me waiting. I went through the x-ray body scanner, got the pat down and then the metal detector wand. It was showing something above my ankle. I had to remove one shoe — yet still it was detecting metal above my ankle– they checked again, then let me through.
We were headed to the desk at our gate when we saw a United Customer Service Center. No help. Beyond the fact that they changed planes, they couldn’t explain why we had been separated and they couldn’t fix it. Actually, after checking his computer and then several minutes on the phone, the rep gave us false information. He tried to claim we were still in first class (we were supposed to believe business class seats, randomly placed, were ‘first class’) and that this was one of the newly renovated planes (it wasn’t). He insisted there was no way we could be seated together.
I fired off a couple Tweets at United. I’d heard of people getting responses in the past so I thought it was worth a try.
No one was manning the desk at our gate yet, so we decided to go to United’s Polaris lounge. They let us in but told us they were full and there would likely be no open seating for at least 40 minutes. The regular United lounge in the terminal was closed and they were apparently letting everyone (‘eligible’) use this lounge instead.
So far, this wasn’t going well.
Luckily, we didn’t wait long before we were able to grab a couple seats. In less than 30 minutes, the lounge was nearly empty. Michael and I discussed our frustration about the flight and I expressed the fact that there was no way I was going to be able to do any sleeping right next to a stranger. An eight and a half hour flight can feel monotonous enough without making it any more uncomfortable.
By the time we were boarding, a United Representative was waiting for us and said they’d try to get someone to move so we could be seated together. We also wanted to know why we being told first class was the same as business (it isn’t). The Rep was very nice, apologetic and said he’d see what he could do.
On the plane, we were able to switch seats and sit together. The Rep checked on us again and confirmed that they had switched our flight from a three class (first, business, economy) to a two class (business, economy) plane. He also apologized for us being given false information regarding the change and said he’d make sure it was addressed. We were now owed a substantial refund.
What makes me really aggravated about this is that 1) we booked this flight months ago; 2) the plane change should have happened before check in; 3) a misinformed customer service rep chose to give us false information as opposed to saying he didn’t have an answer. Thankfully, the customer service rep at the gate was honest and extremely attentive. I felt he did everything he could at that moment to rectify the situation and make us feel like we (the customers) were important (to the company).
Why am I sharing this? Because our experience might help someone else in a similar situation. I think it’s important to try and handle things in the appropriate way. We could have a) taken out our frustration on reps in a rude manner (when it wasn’t their fault); or b) not said anything, letting it fester and put a damper on the the beginning of our adventure. Neither would have resulted in a happy outcome.
United should have been proactive. With the plane change, they should have seated us together and informed us of the change when we checked our bags. They also should have automatically refunded us the difference in the price between first class and business class tickets. Had this been done, the confusion would have been eliminated and we would not have been left to try and figure out what happened ourselves.
The flight itself was pretty uneventful. I watched the movie Allied and was able to get a few hours sleep before we landed.
By the time we reached London, we felt relaxed and were able to put the rocky start behind us.
Now, as long as United issues a refund for the difference in ticket price, I think we’ll be satisfied with the outcome.
Travel Date: May 12, 2017
Travel 2017: An American in Europe
Académie de musique de Paris.
What an adventure!
It’s hard to believe it’s over. A year of planning, researching, and of course, the hardest part– counting down the days. Before you know it– it’s come and gone.
Four days after returning home and I’m a bit jet lagged, my senses are still a little overwhelmed; but most of all, I’m happily content with having completed another whirlwind adventure.
The Basilica in Lyon, France.
In nineteen days, Michael and I managed to visit 16 cities in 3 countries, halfway around the world. We walked over 124 miles, sailed some of Europe’s most famous rivers, experienced the speed of the EuroRail and saw first hand, many historical landmarks that many Americans have only read about in books.
I thought I’d lead off my day-to-day blogging of our adventure with a brief overview.
What can you expect to glean from our adventures? Aside from our personal impressions of the experience itself– I might be able to dispel some of the myths, mysteries and misconceptions about travel and the places we visited.
What do Europeans think of America? Are Parisians really rude? How easy is it to get around a foreign city? How different is the European culture from that in America? What’s different about a river cruise compared with an ocean excursion? Are travel and sightseeing difficult abroad?
Visiting the windmills in Zaanse Schans, Netherlands.
I invite you to join us as we explore London, Paris, Amsterdam and many places in between.
Tours and exploring on our own… food and wine… museums and parks… transportation… the locals… so much to see and do.
You might pick up some travel tips or benefit from our experiences. You might enjoy just going along for the ride. Curious?
Travel with us.
A view of London from Trafalgar Square.
Travel 2016: Day Five – Farewell London, Ciao Roma!
The Grand Staircase at the St. Pancras Renassaince Hotel London.
Saying goodbye to a city you’re visiting can be hard. Especially when you’ve had great experiences and stayed in a wonderful place.
This was my early morning– saying goodbye to St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel. Before breakfast, bags already packed, I walked through the hotel one last time.
I found myself back at the grand staircase. I had to walk all the way up and down it one last time.
Some London Takeaways
- Public transportation is a must in London. It’s much too big and spread out to walk. Walking neighborhoods, yes; but not if you are sightseeing all over the city.
- We purchased and used the London Pass. We probably just about broke even with what we saw using it and saved time not waiting in lines. I know we visited a few spots we wouldn’t have, had we not had it. If you are the type of traveler that wants to see as much as possible (in and out), it’s likely a good investment. If you are the type that prefers longer visits, especially at museums, for example– you are probably going to save money paying as you go.
- Travel Guides can be handy but for me, I found them unnecessary (practically useless) and it certainly wouldn’t have been practical to carry around the city. If you do your research online ahead of time– there’s no need to purchase/carry/take a book.
- Get a good GPS phone map (app) like Maps.Me to help you get around. I found it to be an invaluable tool and never had to stop and ask directions while using it.
- Safety was never a concern during our visit. Of course, you should always be cautious but I never felt I was in a dangerous or risky situation. I honestly felt safer in London than I did in my last Chicago overnight visit, 45 minutes from home. I bring this up because in Rick Steve’s London 2016, he overemphasizes the necessity of safety steps, to the point of fear mongering.
London Sightings
A few things I haven’t mentioned:
Punch Tavern.
Traditional London Pubs, you know, with the old-style classic exteriors– are abundant. I always love sighting unique architecture. Another thing I noticed as we passed many restaurants– in London, creating a unique atmosphere and ambiance is not only important, it’s the norm. This can be said of many of the small retail shops as well. I mean, uniquely different. It appears British entrepreneurs have a better understanding of what will set themselves apart and draw in the clientele. American business owner should take notice.
A British Hearse leading a funeral procession.
Classic British Hearse. While we were on the HOHO Bus, we were passed by a funeral procession and it was interesting to see a British Hearse with large side windows and wreath rails. The coffin and the many floral tributes were in full display to all it passed. You hardly see this in America. The hearse windows are almost always tinted or curtained.
British Telephone Kiosk in the Queen’s Gate neighborhood.
British Telephone Kiosks are alive and well. Often referred to as the Red Telephone Box ; there were many incarnations, with the most common ones (seen today) being the “K6”. We saw them all over London in Red, Green and Black. With the popularity of cell phones, many of the boxes are being re-purposed into WIFI, phone-charging and even work stations. The good news is that these icons aren’t going away.
My View of London
Looking back, I see London as an extremely friendly, warm and inviting city. It’s not at all what I had expected. I thought it would be more like downtown Chicago or NYC. It is full of neighborhood charm, while at the same time– steeped in massive amounts of culture and historic places of interest. As old as London is, it retains its historic appeal, yet feels comfortable and modern at the same time. It is busy– but not chaotic; and it is a quiet city, compared to many others I’ve visited.
This photo probably best embodies how I feel about/picture London in my head:
A typical London street.
Off to Rome
Our car to Heathrow arrived early and we were there in a flash. I was so glad we weren’t hauling our luggage on the Tube again. The flight to Rome was on time and we had no issues at the airport or with our flight.
Our transportation and hotel had been arranged through Playbill Travel, so a car was waiting for us at the airport when we arrived in Rome.
Our driver didn’t take the most scenic route to the hotel. I was a little taken aback by the rundown, graffiti-covered buildings on the outskirts of the city. It got better the further in we got, finally arriving at the Westin Excelsior Hotel, a few blocks from the Borghese Gardens.
We arrived mid afternoon and had a short wait before our room was ready. The first thing I noticed when we arrived were the armed soldiers across the street. That was a little unnerving. Then I discovered the following day that we were next door to the American Embassy, which explained the added security.
While we waited for our room, we started looking to see what friends from past cruises had arrived. We knew our friends George and Mary had gotten there that morning– if we could only find them!
The Westin Excelsior in Rome.
We checked in around 4 pm. –Our room was nice enough. — And we got settled in.
Our room in the Westin Excelsior.
We went down to the Playbill Reception Desk, got our stuff and ran into a bunch of friends. After chatting for awhile, we decided to make things simple and have dinner in the hotel.
Eight of us met for dinner at the Doney, and enjoyed good food and conversation before retiring for the night. A big day tomorrow!
Italian Stone Pines form a canopy over Borghese Gardens.
Travel 2016: Day Four – A Royal Palace, New Friends and a Funny Girl
We started the day enjoying the ambience of our hotel and a hearty breakfast in the Chamber Club. Our last day in London. Our day was mostly planned out ahead of time so we weren’t rushed getting started.
Buckingham Palace.
Buckingham Palace. We purchased tickets to tour the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace with an add-on garden tour, way in advance of our trip. The ticket also included a large exhibition of the Queen’s clothing entitled, Fashioning a Reign: 90 Years of Style From the Queen’s Wardrobe.
The State Rooms tour is only available during July-October. I was extremely glad we were going to get this opportunity.
The Royal Gate at Buckingham Palace.
A Palace Guard.
Upon arrival, I got the bad news that no photography was allowed in the Palace. I always find this annoying, especially when you are being charged admission in the first place. You see people ‘sneaking pictures’ (which almost always turn out bad) that they will surely post on social media–so doesn’t that defeat the point? I behaved (inside at least) and left my camera in my bag while in the Palace. We were told we could take as many pictures as we wanted in the gardens afterwards.
The 19 State Rooms (public rooms) are each ornate and unique in their decor. The Green Drawing Room and the Music Room were my favorites. What is really great about touring Buckingham Palace is that it is a living museum. It is actually lived in and used to receive guests. There are many breathtaking pieces in the Royal Collection. Also, the self-guided audio tour (with touch screen options) is one of the best I’ve seen.
The fashion exhibition was quite interesting as well. The exhibition is actually taking place in three locations. (Also at Windsor and Holyroodhouse.) The selected pieces of the Queen’s wardrobe are tied most directly to the location where they are displayed, 150 pieces in all. The only drawback was that the display blocked the grand view of the ballrooms where they are located.
The back, or garden side of Buckingham Palace.
We finished the tour and discovered we had an hour until the garden highlights tour started. This was frustrating because we could not leave the garden terrace and re-enter, meaning that we missed the changing of the guard in front of the Palace.
A view of the gardens from the terrace of Buckingham Palace.
Part of the Queen’s Rose Garden at Buckingham Palace.
Buckingham Palace Gardens. I had thought the garden tour was a great idea. It was an inexpensive add-on to our Buckingham Palace ticket and it’s the only way you get the opportunity to walk through the gardens. It ended up being a let down. First, no pictures. Second, there wasn’t much to see– mostly grass and trees.
The tour was basically a big loop around the perimeter of the gardens. There were a couple statues and the Queen’s rose garden– where I quickly snapped a picture unseen. We also passed the tennis courts but they were mostly blocked by trees and shrubs. I was surprised to find that there was no formal English garden on the property.
I think I figured out why they didn’t want photographs– evidence that the tour is a waste of time and money perhaps.
Leaving the Palace, we decided we were ready for a break. I’d wanted to visit the Queen’s Gallery and possibly the Royal Mews, but instead, we decided to spend a couple relaxing hours at the hotel. On the way back, we stopped at the Wellington Arch. It was an original entrance to Buckingham Palace, later representing Wellington’s victory over Napoleon.
The Wellington Arch.
New Friends. About a week before we left home, an old friend told me that her boss was going on our Broadway cruise and that he splits time between London and Chicago. We got contact information and planned to meet Anthony and Michael at The Lobby Bar at One Aldwych before our show.
Michael at one of the gates of Somerset House.
Arriving early, we decided to walk the neighborhood. By chance, we found Somerset House— which was on my short list to visit.
We didn’t have the time to wander through but did have a few minutes to enjoy the large plaza and exterior architecture. There’s an art gallery, the Courtauld Gallery, I really want to visit in the future.
We were there a few days before the official start of London’s Fashion Week, so there was a lot of activity there.
The plaza at Somerset House.
Michael was waiting for us when we got back to the bar and Anthony joined us a few minutes later. Very nice guys. We had about an hour to get acquainted and talked a little about London, theatre, and what to expect on the upcoming cruise. (Their first one.) Then we parted ways– they were headed to see The Entertainer and we were on our way to our last show in London– and our most anticipated.
Funny Girl.
Funny Girl at the Savoy Theatre. Producers have been trying to bring a revival of Funny Girl to Broadway for years with no success. Could the success of this London production be just the push that it needs?
Any production can’t help but be compared to the original Barbra Streisand vehicle that made her a star. But is that fair? Is there another Streisand in the wings?
Sheridan Smith, who leads the cast of the London production, is clearly not Barbra Streisand. My argument is that she doesn’t need to be. She does need to embody Fanny Brice though– at this she misses the mark. Smith is a good actress and a fair singer. Her portrayal here (as pointed out by Michael after the show) is more Melissa McCarthy than Fanny Brice. Her Brice character is empathetic and likable, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that I can think of a dozen actresses that could have acted and sung it better.
Another huge weakness in this production is the choice of Darius Campbell as Nicky Arnstein. He’s too cute. Campbell is more reminiscent of Zac Efron in High School Musical than Arnstein–the gambling, debonair man of the world. It just doesn’t play believably.
My last gripe is the cast is too small. I’m sure it worked perfectly in the smaller Menier Chocolate Factory Theater (sold out run). I would have thought with the move to the Savoy, a few more actors could have been employed. This story revolves around the Ziegfeld Follies which evokes images of a large dancing chorus. Not here. Especially frustrating was when male ensemble members took on multiple roles within minutes of each other with no effort to disguise them. It was just confusing.
All that said, I did enjoy the production, in spite of its flaws. I just can’t imagine a Broadway transfer which means American audiences will have to continue to wait.
We made one final stop at Shake Shack on the way back to our hotel.
Tomorrow we’re off to Rome.
Travel 2016: Day Three – London Hop On Hop Off & a Blast From the Past
Big Ben & Me
We started the day with breakfast in the Chamber Club at our hotel, fueling up for our biggest sightseeing day in London.
London Hop On Hop Off Bus. (Golden Tours) With limited time to take in this amazing city, we looked forward to the HOHO bus as a quick way to see the major sights. (One Day Unlimited use was included with our London Pass.) There are four routes (with a lot of overlap) and we chose The Grand Tour.
Crossing the Tower Bridge on a HOHO bus.
I’d rename this The Grand Bore. Besides the fact that traffic was at a standstill most of the time; many of the major sights of London were hidden from view or around the corner from the bus route. When we did reach a landmark that we could see…. the bus often rushed by so fast it was hard to even snap a picture. A huge disappointment!
We’ve really enjoyed the HOHO buses in Chicago, NYC and Singapore. Unless you are using the bus as your transportation to get off at each stop in London, I wouldn’t recommend it. Even then, you are bound by the bus schedule which could have you waiting and losing more valuable time. Unlike the other cities I mentioned, there wasn’t the same satisfactory ‘city tour’ overview (riding the whole route as a tour) we experienced in the past. Plus, the tour narration (prerecorded, available in different languages) often didn’t sync up and restarted segments frequently.
There was one perk. That was crossing the Tower Bridge on an open top bus. I found that pretty thrilling.
We were only about halfway through the route when we decided we were wasting valuable time, so we got off at Hyde Park and took to the street.
A distant view of Trafalgar Square.
The Oyster Card. Before I launch into all the ground we covered today, I wanted to mention how easy the Oyster Card is to use. You scan/tap/swipe your card each time you start and stop travel whether it be the Tube (Underground), bus, train, etc. There are caps on the charges per day depending on the distance and zones you travel. So jumping on and off public transportation doesn’t have to be so expensive and is a fast, convenient way to get around the city.
We ordered our cards several months before our trip, already loaded with a balance so they were ready to go when we arrived. (Each person must have their own card.) You can reload them or cash them out at many stations but there is often a line. You need this card if you intend to use public transportation.
Hyde Park. One of the largest parks- 350 acres, Hyde Park is one of the Royal Parks. It’s often compared to Central Park in NYC, of course, they are quite different. One of the first spots we encountered was the Italian Gardens. A lovely, formal setting with fountains and statuary. We got a cup of coffee at the nearby pavilion and enjoyed this peaceful setting.
In the Italian Gardens of Hyde Park.
The Peter Pan Statue in Kensington Gardens.
Moving on through the park to Kensington Gardens we happened to find the bronze Peter Pan statue, paying tribute to J.M. Barrie’s immortal character. Barrie lived close to these gardens and drew upon them for inspiration.
Kensington Palace was next on our walk, currently the home of many Royals (include both Prince and William and Prince Harry) in different wings of the estate. Portions of the Palace are currently closed for renovation. With limited time, we had not planned to tour the interior of the Palace.
Kensington Palace from the gardens.
We continued our walk toward Royal Albert Hall and the massive Albert Memorial commemorating the death of Prince Albert at the early age of 42. The memorial was designed by George Gilbert Scott, who was also the architect of our hotel.
Strolling through Kensington Gardens towards Royal Albert Hall.
The Albert Memorial at Royal Albert Hall.
Royal Albert Hall.
The London neighborhood of Queen’s Gate.
Queen’s Gate. At this point, we left Kensington Gardens and headed to Michael’s old stomping ground in the Queen’s Gate neighborhood. Michael lived in London for six months while completing a college internship with the BBC in 1986… 30 years ago.
Michael found his old apartment building in this quiet, classic neighborhood and enjoyed reminiscing over fond memories. Including something about a fire and breaking a window. (Oops!)
Michael on the porch of his old apartment building in Queen’s Gate.
Michael’s apartment was just around the corner from the British Natural History Museum, designed by Alfred Waterhouse in the Victorian Gothic Revival style of architecture. We didn’t have a lot of time but we did run in and check out the massive lobby and first floor exhibits. NOTE: Most of the major museums in London are free to the public (with a suggested donation encouraged.)
The grand entry of the Natural History Museum.
Trying to see as much as possible in a city with so much to offer is a daunting task. We knew we wouldn’t have a lot of time to spend in London’s many wonderful museums. I researched many of them ahead of time and chose a couple I hoped to visit.
The Victoria and Albert Museum featuring art and design.
The Victoria and Albert Museum. I’m glad we selected V & A, featuring a tremendous collection based on art and design. The museum provides excellent temporary exhibitions in addition to the permanent collection. One of the reasons we chose this over other museums was the smaller size (comparatively speaking) and the ambiance– based on the way the collections were displayed. When done well, the space itself becomes art, with each installation becoming part of of the whole.
Entering the museum, you are welcomed in the rotunda by a stunning, modern chandelier by Dale Chihuly. It was first installed in 1999 but expanded and enlarged by the artist in 2001 to its current size.
The Dale Chihuly chandelier in the rotunda.
Beautifully displayed art in in the Victoria and Albert Museum.
After walking through much of the museum, we had Cream Tea ( tea and scones, complimentary with the London Pass) at the cafe across the courtyard from the main museum building. We could have easily spent several more hours here but we needed to move on. I’m sure we’ll return in the future.
Harrods.
Harrods. Since we were in the neighborhood, we made a brief stop at the world-famous department store, Harrods. Just walking through the jewelry and perfume sections was mind-boggling. Michael purchased his hard-to-find cologne and then we moved through the gourmet food section– quickly— exiting before our stomachs could start rumbling. (I’m glad we just had that scone!)
The clock of Elizabeth Tower that houses Big Ben.
Palace of Westminster. We took the Tube to Westminster for a closer look at the Houses of Parliament and Elizabeth Tower, most commonly referred to as Big Ben.
Big Ben is actually the nickname of the bell in the tower. The official name of the tower was Clock Tower until it was renamed in 2012 in honor of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
Westminster Abbey is just west of the Palace and is most notable as the place of coronations and the burial site of British monarchs.
The Palace of Westminster.
Westminster Abbey.
Thames River Cruise. (Included on the London Pass.) We boarded the boat at Westminster for what was to be a short ride– but not short on visual delight. From the Thames you get great views of London and many of its iconic buildings and attractions.
Cleopatra’s Needle.
Some of the most notable were: the Palace of Westminster, the London Eye, St. Paul’s Cathedral, London Bridge, the Shard, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, The Tower of London, Tower Bridge and Cleopatra’s Needle.
Cleopatra’s Needle is actually a twin to one that now resides in New York City. It was originally from the Egyptian city, Heliopolis, erected there in 1450 BC. It was moved to London in 1877.
The forecast had predicted rain and the sky looked pretty threatening. The good news was that the rain held off and the boat wasn’t too full. This allowed me to be able to take some decent photographs.
The London Eye from the Thames River.
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
The Shard, also known as Shard London Bridge.
St. Paul’s Cathedral is prominent in the London skyline along the Thames River.
The Tower Bridge.
The Tower of London.
The cruise ended at a dock where the path split to either the Tower of London or the Tower Bridge. Here, we had to make a choice. We only had time for one before they closed. As much as I really wanted to walk the glass walkway across the Tower Bridge– we chose the Tower of London.
Tower of London. (Free with the London Pass.) This massive castle and fortress was built by William the Conqueror beginning in 1066 and is an UNESCO World Heritage Centre. I most enjoyed walking the walls of the fortress looking over the property and out at the city around it. While we were there, it started pouring rain so we tried to avoid it as much as possible, which also meant skipping the line to see the Crown Jewels.
At one point we made the decision to climb over 300 stairs which in the end, seemingly led to no where. The only stairs down left us trapped in a crowded basement gift shop. We had to maneuver our way through, only to climb more stairs to get out.
I’m glad I visited the Tower of London but found many of the displays, artifacts and replicas a little too “Disney” and not my cup of tea.
Two of the six “Guardians of the Tower”.
My favorite moment was finding two of the six ravens- the Guardians of the Tower— together. Legend says “If the ravens leave the tower, the Kingdom will fall…” There are actually seven ravens– the required six and one in case one goes missing. This legend and practice goes back to Charles II.
White Tower.
In our attempt to find the nearest Tube station we found Dickens Inn and decided to have dinner before our evening show. There were actually three different restaurant levels and we picked the one that doesn’t get busy until later in the evening– which might have been a good thing; but being early, service ended up being a little slow. Still, we were seated outside on a balcony with a cool breeze and a great view and that made up for the delay.
After dinner, even using the phone app, we got a little turned around in our directions. We got stuck in a maze of wooden walkways in this upscale little condo/boating enclave. Eventually we found our way out, made it to the Tube and back to Covent Garden for our fourth show in London.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. I was pretty stoked to see this play. It had won a lot of praise and awards on both sides of the pond. Michael and I really enjoyed the first act but thought it lost it’s momentum in the second.
Maybe it was just an off night or a problem with the pacing, in either case, we were left a little disappointed.
Piccadilly Circus.
Piccadilly Circus. What Times Square is to NYC, Piccadilly Circus is to London. It’s the center of activity in the West End. We walked through it after the show and took a few minutes to enjoy the vibe and to people watch. I see the comparison but think Piccadilly Circus is quite different and unique unto itself.
Piccadilly Circus.
What a day! Looking back it’s hard to believe we saw so much in a single day. Only one day left in London. Tomorrow? Buckingham Palace and more.
Travel 2016: Day Two – King’s Cross to London’s Camden Market
Marylebone Grammar School.
After a good night’s sleep, we decided to head out on foot with only a tentative itinerary in mind. We had two shows booked and about six hours for exploring before then. We wanted to try and catch a boat ride at 10:30 am so we started walking that direction; up through King’s Cross and Marylebone to Little Venice.
Our friend George, highly recommended the phone app Maps.Me and so I’d downloaded the map of London as soon as we arrived. It’s a life-saver. What’s great is that once you have a map downloaded, you don’t need phone service to use it since it is GPS powered. We used it to get our bearings, locate points of interest and find the nearest Tube stops, never needing to worry when we’d wander off track.
We arrived in Little Venice early, giving us time to explore around the Regent’s Canal and grab breakfast at the Waterside Cafe. The restaurant itself, was a boat on the canal.
Jason’s Original Canal Boat Trip.
After breakfast, we boarded Jason’s Canal Boat Trip using our London Pass for a leisure ride around Regent’s Park (which covers 395 acres) to the Camden Locks. Jason’s has been operating since 1951 using a boat that’s over 100 years old.
The boat ride takes about 45 minutes. In addition to plenty of natural scenery, you glide past old and new estate homes, jogging paths and the London Zoo which flanks both sides of the canal.
Crossing under a bridge on the Regent’s Canal.
There are many bridges crossing the narrow canal allowing only enough width for one boat to pass through at a time.
At the end of the line, we reached the Camden Locks that are still manually operated to this day. The twin locks were originally constructed in 1818 and 1820. They now have Grade II historic designation and protections.
Welcome to Camden Market.
We got off the boat and found ourselves in a wonderland of food and unique treasures. The Camden Market started out open only on weekends but became so wildly popular it is now open daily.
Camden Market is an indoor and outdoor marketplace housed in multiple buildings and connecting streets. It’s a must-visit destination requiring anywhere from a couple hours to a full day of exploration.
Whether you are a treasure hunter, tourist or window shopper –there are multitudes of unexpected gems to taunt the senses. You can find food and trinkets here from all over the world.
Outdoor stalls at London’s Camden Market.
Several sellers exclusively merchandise to the Steampunk crowd.
Exotic textiles at Camden Market.
New and perfect-condition vintage clothing, steampunk accessories, old records, lamps, artwork, new and heirloom jewelry– it’s all here. If you can dream it- you’ll probably find it.
London has a truly first-class zoo. With a little time before our matinee, we used our London Pass for fast-track entry and a rather rushed but enjoyable visit.
Opening in 1828, the London Zoo is the world’s largest scientific zoo. Today, the zoo features 756 species of animals. It’s as much a park as it is a zoo. Large green spaces, well constructed exhibition grounds and something to appeal to all ages.
The carousel at the London Zoo.
Lions at the London Zoo.
Show Time
Matilda the Musical at Cambridge Theatre in Covent Garden.
We headed back to Covent Garden for the matinee performance of the musical, Matilda. Based on the popular children’s book, it made for a colorful and entertaining afternoon. I’m really glad we waited to see it here in London.
We had just enough time between shows to catch a nice dinner at Cote Bistro, in the theatre district.
Our evening performance was what might be considered standard British farce. The Play That Goes Wrong is funny, funny stuff. The plot centers on a community group putting on a play. As the title suggests, everything that can go wrong does so hysterically.
The Play That Goes Wrong at the Duchess Theatre.
For my theatre friends– every single thing that could possibly happen, or you have ever experienced going wrong in a show, is included. I couldn’t think of one possible thing they left out.
After the show, it was back to Shake Shack at Covent Garden Market for a chocolate-peanut butter concrete, then headed underground for our Tube ride back to St. Pancras.
How Do You Measure 525600 Minutes? 