Family of 4 in London- Trip Report
Aug 5th, 2008, 01:30 AM
#21
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Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.
Maggie T. tried to introduce a poll-tax.
The Archbishop of Canterbury survived but there were serious riots and it brought down Maggie.
We are now taking part in a repeat of a Nineteenth Century colonial adventure in Iraq and Afghanistan, only this time the US is the imperial power.
Maggie T. tried to introduce a poll-tax.
The Archbishop of Canterbury survived but there were serious riots and it brought down Maggie.
We are now taking part in a repeat of a Nineteenth Century colonial adventure in Iraq and Afghanistan, only this time the US is the imperial power.
Aug 5th, 2008, 01:48 AM
#22
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needsnow:
Please replace those "pretty dismal sandwiches" - you can do better. Get some decent rolls, fillings and your children would love some crisps (potatoe chips) different flavours. Add some Branston pickle if you are still doing cheese. Sausage rolls are lovely and make a nice change.
You can also pick up ready make stuff from Marks & Spencer etc. and it should be within your budget.
Looking forward to your car adventures. This is a great read and so honest. Thanks for sharing.
Sandy
Please replace those "pretty dismal sandwiches" - you can do better. Get some decent rolls, fillings and your children would love some crisps (potatoe chips) different flavours. Add some Branston pickle if you are still doing cheese. Sausage rolls are lovely and make a nice change.
You can also pick up ready make stuff from Marks & Spencer etc. and it should be within your budget.
Looking forward to your car adventures. This is a great read and so honest. Thanks for sharing.
Sandy
Aug 5th, 2008, 05:01 AM
#23
Definitely no need for dismal sandwiches in England! M&S is good, but see if your budget will stretch to Pret a Manger (www.pret.com/menu) - I make a point of getting at least one crayfish and avocado salad or crayfish and rocket sandwich every time I'm in London. How about fish and chips or take-out Indian? And I second the sausage roll suggestion.
Aug 11th, 2008, 08:25 AM
#24
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Thanks to everyone for your encouraging words and advice - and for filling in the blank spaces on my posts.
We are home in Miami after an awful 12-hour layover in Newark. I was not able to post while in London our last few nights but I was smart enough to keep a daily journal, so will transmit everything here.
Boo-hoo we're home. We miss London terribly - all of us.
Day 5: Tuesday, August 5th. Our fist day-night away from London in Bath.
Left Nunhead at 7:30 am in our little rented Prius - going toward Stonehenge. Lots of traffic getting out of the city. Thank God for our hosts' SatNav (GPS) or we'd still be going around in circles so many days later. I will pay homage to this little device throughout my posts because "she" (she has a female voice activation I am sure my husband has fallen in love with her) is the only reason we survived driving in England.
Once we got out out of city traffic the drive out to Stonehenge was pleasant. Lots of patchwork fields dotted with sheep. Very picturesque. And then all of a sudden, Stonehnge came upon us - not far in the distance and it was stunning. We had a light misty rain that just added to the experience. We arrived around 10 am and there were crowds but it was managed nicely. Our Great British Heritage Pass meant we didn't have to queue up to buy tickets so we just walked right in. You walk through this walkway with forgettable murals along either side of how Stonehenge originally looked, and then you come out to the green, with ropes up t keep you from getting too close. I went to Stonehenge in 1968 - I was 8 - and remember climbing on the rocks and jumping off them, but of course now you can't do that. You can arrange for a private session however, that allows you access to the stones accompanied by a guide - but you must arrange for that weeks in advance - and we hadn't.
As we walked around the stones and followed the ropes, it looked different from every angle. Though there were lots of people there, no one obstructed your view - you really felt alone, in a nice way.
I asked one of the guards about the lichen that was visible on some of the stones, and he told me it was managed and protected and never removed by the foundation, and also that some of the lichen species are so rare, that they are only found elsewhere below the sea. Some of the species also only grow where the air is very pure,and so they acts as a measure of air quality around the stones. Those same species do not grow a few hundred yards out - could it be there is an energy right around the stones that is pure enough to provide an environment for these very rare species? Hmmm, only adds to the mystery and goose-bump experience of being there.
It really was thrilling to be that close to the structure, even given the ropes. This was a highlight for all of us.
As we left, we called the Manor House - our accommodation right outside of Bath, to let them know we were on our way (they asked us to do this so they could be available when we arrived). They told us to use thier directions on their website, instead of our very beloved SatNav - named Missy by the kids - because SatNavs often make mistakes, but by then the husband was too smitten with the SatNav girl and refused to veer from her directions, so of course we got a little lost close to the lodging and found ourselves behind a beautiful school in an almost non-existant village (Monkton Combe)and were taking our little Prius on footpaths behind the dormitories.
FIndng a way out, we called the lodging and they directed us to the house. The Manor House has a beautiful facade - the oldest part of the structure, @ 11th century. In subsequent years, the house was added to so there are portions dating from every century which makes it interesting. We were greeted byt he gracious owners, Elizabeth and Norman, offered tea and coffee and shown to our rooms. We had adjoining rooms with plenty of space in both and both had ensuite bathrooms. The celing beam in our room apparently was so old and unique that it was used to date that portion of the house by local historians.
I must say that we were very comfortable in the Manor House, and we enjoyed the history. The owners were very generous with their time and gave us little impromptu tours of this room and that. However, some visitors may find the accommodations too quirky for their tastes. Unevern floors, uneven decor, bathrooms created in little corners with pastic shower stalls, etc. We enjoy that though - houses that "grow" - and so we didn't mind.
If you choose to stay there, make sure you ask about the finding of the ancient fireplace in the sitting room. They even have a stack of photographs showing the deconstruction of layers and layers of subsquent building that surrounded the original fireplace. what they discovered is a huge structure, very detailed and complicated, that had a bread-baking oven, a salt-keep, two small fireplaces and a built-in bench for the servant boy that would have been minding the fire. Really fascinating.
Anyway, after settling in we walked to the pub right up the street and had a very nice lunch before heading out to discover Bath, only 2 miles away from the Manor House. The pub is called the Wheelwright Arms, and it was very old, but refurbished. The food was more upscale than what you usually find in pubs. I had fish and chips - which was really wonderful - very light batter and a whole piece of fish. Kids had burgers and goats' cheese sandwiches and husband had a smoked salmon sandwich, which turned out to be not what he wanted - but isn't that always the way. A delicious and frothy pint for the husband and a delcious and frothy cappucino for me followed the meal and the bill came to GBP 41.52.
Wtih food in our stomachs we drove to Bath. By that time the weather had become truly horrible. Sheets of cold heavy rain remained until after dinner and of course we were unprepared having only brought one change of clothes each for our overnights. Our umbrellas crumpled from the weight of the rain and the wind - even with raincoats and ponchos we were soaked through. Still Bath was beautiful. We did the Roman Baths and Pump Rooms first with the audio guides they provided and found everything fascinating. There were lots of people there but not so much crowding that you couldn't experience fully the rooms. Our GBH Pass allowed us again to skip the queus and to go right in. We all tasted the waters in the gracious dining room and though I had a hard time getting even a few sips down, the 14-year-old, he of the picky taste buds, drank a full glass and asked for mine. For those uninitiated - the waters taste as if you left a glass overnight with a few old coins soaking in it. It was warm and minerally - and probably good for you but hard to swallow, I thought.
We walked around to the Circus and the Crescent and window-shopped and got completely lost, our street maps disintegrating under the heavy rains. We actaully lost our car, not being able to get back to the car park where we parked and walked in circles for quite a while, soaking wet like little urchins, fighting with eachother and asking passersby for directions - each one sending us in a different direction. By this time it became a comedy of errors. We came to a big Sainsbyry's looking to purchase some new umbrellas and the manager took such pity on us that she gave us a big surdy umbrella that had been in the lost and found area of the store. She said, "Well, I usually save these to give to charity but this seems to be as a good a charity as any!" That gave us a laugh and we used that umbrella - nice and sturdy - throughout the rest of the trip.We decided to buy sandwiches for dinner since once we got home to the Manor House we just wanted to get dry and warm and stay in - we miraculously found our car park and headed home. We ate on towels in our bedroom and the kids immediately crashed. Husband and I took a walk around the grounds, found a windy and mysterious foot path behind the house and came home and crashed too - after hanging up our clothes to dry on the towel warmers and radiators.
We are home in Miami after an awful 12-hour layover in Newark. I was not able to post while in London our last few nights but I was smart enough to keep a daily journal, so will transmit everything here.
Boo-hoo we're home. We miss London terribly - all of us.
Day 5: Tuesday, August 5th. Our fist day-night away from London in Bath.
Left Nunhead at 7:30 am in our little rented Prius - going toward Stonehenge. Lots of traffic getting out of the city. Thank God for our hosts' SatNav (GPS) or we'd still be going around in circles so many days later. I will pay homage to this little device throughout my posts because "she" (she has a female voice activation I am sure my husband has fallen in love with her) is the only reason we survived driving in England.
Once we got out out of city traffic the drive out to Stonehenge was pleasant. Lots of patchwork fields dotted with sheep. Very picturesque. And then all of a sudden, Stonehnge came upon us - not far in the distance and it was stunning. We had a light misty rain that just added to the experience. We arrived around 10 am and there were crowds but it was managed nicely. Our Great British Heritage Pass meant we didn't have to queue up to buy tickets so we just walked right in. You walk through this walkway with forgettable murals along either side of how Stonehenge originally looked, and then you come out to the green, with ropes up t keep you from getting too close. I went to Stonehenge in 1968 - I was 8 - and remember climbing on the rocks and jumping off them, but of course now you can't do that. You can arrange for a private session however, that allows you access to the stones accompanied by a guide - but you must arrange for that weeks in advance - and we hadn't.
As we walked around the stones and followed the ropes, it looked different from every angle. Though there were lots of people there, no one obstructed your view - you really felt alone, in a nice way.
I asked one of the guards about the lichen that was visible on some of the stones, and he told me it was managed and protected and never removed by the foundation, and also that some of the lichen species are so rare, that they are only found elsewhere below the sea. Some of the species also only grow where the air is very pure,and so they acts as a measure of air quality around the stones. Those same species do not grow a few hundred yards out - could it be there is an energy right around the stones that is pure enough to provide an environment for these very rare species? Hmmm, only adds to the mystery and goose-bump experience of being there.
It really was thrilling to be that close to the structure, even given the ropes. This was a highlight for all of us.
As we left, we called the Manor House - our accommodation right outside of Bath, to let them know we were on our way (they asked us to do this so they could be available when we arrived). They told us to use thier directions on their website, instead of our very beloved SatNav - named Missy by the kids - because SatNavs often make mistakes, but by then the husband was too smitten with the SatNav girl and refused to veer from her directions, so of course we got a little lost close to the lodging and found ourselves behind a beautiful school in an almost non-existant village (Monkton Combe)and were taking our little Prius on footpaths behind the dormitories.
FIndng a way out, we called the lodging and they directed us to the house. The Manor House has a beautiful facade - the oldest part of the structure, @ 11th century. In subsequent years, the house was added to so there are portions dating from every century which makes it interesting. We were greeted byt he gracious owners, Elizabeth and Norman, offered tea and coffee and shown to our rooms. We had adjoining rooms with plenty of space in both and both had ensuite bathrooms. The celing beam in our room apparently was so old and unique that it was used to date that portion of the house by local historians.
I must say that we were very comfortable in the Manor House, and we enjoyed the history. The owners were very generous with their time and gave us little impromptu tours of this room and that. However, some visitors may find the accommodations too quirky for their tastes. Unevern floors, uneven decor, bathrooms created in little corners with pastic shower stalls, etc. We enjoy that though - houses that "grow" - and so we didn't mind.
If you choose to stay there, make sure you ask about the finding of the ancient fireplace in the sitting room. They even have a stack of photographs showing the deconstruction of layers and layers of subsquent building that surrounded the original fireplace. what they discovered is a huge structure, very detailed and complicated, that had a bread-baking oven, a salt-keep, two small fireplaces and a built-in bench for the servant boy that would have been minding the fire. Really fascinating.
Anyway, after settling in we walked to the pub right up the street and had a very nice lunch before heading out to discover Bath, only 2 miles away from the Manor House. The pub is called the Wheelwright Arms, and it was very old, but refurbished. The food was more upscale than what you usually find in pubs. I had fish and chips - which was really wonderful - very light batter and a whole piece of fish. Kids had burgers and goats' cheese sandwiches and husband had a smoked salmon sandwich, which turned out to be not what he wanted - but isn't that always the way. A delicious and frothy pint for the husband and a delcious and frothy cappucino for me followed the meal and the bill came to GBP 41.52.
Wtih food in our stomachs we drove to Bath. By that time the weather had become truly horrible. Sheets of cold heavy rain remained until after dinner and of course we were unprepared having only brought one change of clothes each for our overnights. Our umbrellas crumpled from the weight of the rain and the wind - even with raincoats and ponchos we were soaked through. Still Bath was beautiful. We did the Roman Baths and Pump Rooms first with the audio guides they provided and found everything fascinating. There were lots of people there but not so much crowding that you couldn't experience fully the rooms. Our GBH Pass allowed us again to skip the queus and to go right in. We all tasted the waters in the gracious dining room and though I had a hard time getting even a few sips down, the 14-year-old, he of the picky taste buds, drank a full glass and asked for mine. For those uninitiated - the waters taste as if you left a glass overnight with a few old coins soaking in it. It was warm and minerally - and probably good for you but hard to swallow, I thought.
We walked around to the Circus and the Crescent and window-shopped and got completely lost, our street maps disintegrating under the heavy rains. We actaully lost our car, not being able to get back to the car park where we parked and walked in circles for quite a while, soaking wet like little urchins, fighting with eachother and asking passersby for directions - each one sending us in a different direction. By this time it became a comedy of errors. We came to a big Sainsbyry's looking to purchase some new umbrellas and the manager took such pity on us that she gave us a big surdy umbrella that had been in the lost and found area of the store. She said, "Well, I usually save these to give to charity but this seems to be as a good a charity as any!" That gave us a laugh and we used that umbrella - nice and sturdy - throughout the rest of the trip.We decided to buy sandwiches for dinner since once we got home to the Manor House we just wanted to get dry and warm and stay in - we miraculously found our car park and headed home. We ate on towels in our bedroom and the kids immediately crashed. Husband and I took a walk around the grounds, found a windy and mysterious foot path behind the house and came home and crashed too - after hanging up our clothes to dry on the towel warmers and radiators.
Aug 11th, 2008, 08:38 AM
#25
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This got left out of the last post:
Only diasppointments of the day, aside from the wet and the family squabbles, were that we didn't have time to see the Fashion Museum or the Jane Austen Center or some of the other sites in town. We arrived in Bath too late and it took too long to make our way past the things we did get to see. This too ia a theme of our trip -that you don't really have enough time to see everything you want to. Next time, I would plan to spend more time in each area, as I had been advised. Travelers think they are supermen I think. Time moves quickly and kids move slowly and crowds and driving - all that gets in the way.
Also, just a little aside: the people in Bath were not that friendly we noticed - especially in the town center - could be that all the crowds finally wear on the locals' nerves.
Will report later on the rest.
Only diasppointments of the day, aside from the wet and the family squabbles, were that we didn't have time to see the Fashion Museum or the Jane Austen Center or some of the other sites in town. We arrived in Bath too late and it took too long to make our way past the things we did get to see. This too ia a theme of our trip -that you don't really have enough time to see everything you want to. Next time, I would plan to spend more time in each area, as I had been advised. Travelers think they are supermen I think. Time moves quickly and kids move slowly and crowds and driving - all that gets in the way.
Also, just a little aside: the people in Bath were not that friendly we noticed - especially in the town center - could be that all the crowds finally wear on the locals' nerves.
Will report later on the rest.
Aug 11th, 2008, 11:53 AM
#27
Ain't it the way? A guy gets smitten by a cute new love (SatNavgirl) and all common sense flies out the window. 
(I'd personally trust the directions from the folks who own the place)
What a nice story about the Sainsbury manager/umbrella . . . . .
(I'd personally trust the directions from the folks who own the place)What a nice story about the Sainsbury manager/umbrella . . . . .
Aug 11th, 2008, 01:10 PM
#28
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Just a guess but most of those 'unfriendly people' you met in the centre of Bath were likely to be disgruntled tourists. Locals know what it's like and stay clear or learn to accept the summer crowds (it's pretty busy year round)...
Aug 11th, 2008, 04:15 PM
#29
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Day 6, Wednesday, August 6.
We woke up in the Manor House and prepared for their early seating of breakfast. We had been given the choice of 8:30, 9;30 or 10:30 seating. Took the time to use the blow dryer provided to get some of our clothes and things dry that didn't dry overnight. I was sitting on the floor, with the blow dryer in those hateful Converse sneakers that had been soaked the day before, trying in vain to get them dry. The whole room smelled like old sneakers after a while and the kids just had to wear the damp shoes throughout the day.
Breakfast was in their big beautiful and airy Georgian breakfast room, in front of french doors that overlooked their garden. The resident goose Lucy walked back and forth in the garden, and provided a nice touch. Breakfast was cereals and fresh baked bread
(a big country loaf) and then your choice of English breakfast. We all had eggs and some had sausage and others ham and others tomatoes and mushrooms and it was all wonderful and very filling. Afterwards we had a nice walk in the garden, took a few pictures of the resident animals (a dog and a cat too) and left for Stratford.
The driving was harrowing - for us. We were told we'd be going through old Roman roads to get there - but we really had no idea what that meant. Tiny little paths through woods and sometimes bordered on both sides by ancient stone walls - the roads seemed no more than 3-feet wide in parts. When cars came from the opposite direction one of us had to dive into the bushes to get out of the way. My husband kept insisting this must be wrong - that we must surely be on foot paths instead of real roads used for cars, but the SatNav girl didn't let us down and we finally reached the motorway that took us to Stratford not long after.
We found our hostel first - a YHA hostel in an old Georgian mansion not far from town. The facade and the grounds were beautiful and well maintained. We breathed a sigh of relief - as this was the only place we could find affordable accommodations and I especially was worried that the hostel would resemble the hostels of my backpacking youth - traveling as a student in Europe in the early '80s.
The reception area was also very nice as was the woman behind the desk. We were told of the rules and were given our sheets in platic packets and we trudged upstairs to find our rooms to put our things down before we headed out to explore Stratford.
Well, the room was disappointing. Smelly and the carpet filthy and stained. Picture a freshman all-male dorm room, whose residents were rowdy guys. The bathroom was tiny - as expected - with the toilet in the shower. When you turned on the sink the floor flooded and remained flooded. All part of traveling! We put down our things - made our beds - and decided to come home very late and very tired so all we do is sleep.
Stratford was no more than 1 mile away and we were advised to walk into town, but we drove in and found such huge crowds it loooked as if Disney created a Shakespearean village. Tour buses and streams and streams of people (incidentally on our drive to Stratford we passed many little Cotswold villages with the same thing - taken over by tour buses and crowds of people). We drove around a bit looking for a car park that was not full and right then made the decision instead to drive to Warwick Castle and return to Stratford later on in late afternoon.
Thankfully we turned on Missy the SatNav girl and she got us there in no time. There was plenty of room to park at the castle and though there were crowds, that place is so big that we never felt crowded in. We spent about 4 hours there, seeing every inch of the castle, asking questions of the costumed docents and the kids posing for pictures with the costumed villagers - each one wittier than the last.
One area of the castle has what is called a Kingmaker - an animated experience (based on the War of the Roses) that consisted of walking up a narrow staircase in one of the turrets, walking through narrow passageways and coming to a series of rooms, where a young fledgling knight was getting ready to serve the man who would be king. It was interesting for the kids but those narrow passageways and narrow stairscases are not for the faint of heart. There are even signs posted warning people of the long waits in claustrophobia-creating spaces.
We saw a trebuchet demonstration while lying on one of the lawns, that was interesting, educational and entertaining. The weather was gorgeous and we had a beautiful day.
Then we drove back down to Stratford. By that time the crowds were gone but all the sights were closed. Still we walked the streets, and saw the outside of Shakespeare's house and found thr Garrick Inn - I believe one of the oldest pubs in England. Had a great meal (vegetarian shepherd's pie for me, burgers again for the kids, lasagna for the husband, finally pleased with his meal, a couple of beers and finally the kids got their shandies)paid about GBP 43 and headed home to the hostel.
Quickly relaized we weren't tired enough for the place, so took a little walk down the street from the hostel and came upon an old cemetery and beautiful church. We listened to the bells, read some of the headstones and walked back to the room trying very hard to be brave and upbeat about the place.
Get this - we stopped at reception to pick up some towels - having been told while we were still in Miami that we could rent the towels and didn't have to bring our own. But they were all out of towels the night we were there and instead handed me a few paper towels and suggested we use those to dry ourselves. Okay, so we wouldn't shower we would just wash up. But as we were getting ready to wash up for the night, we realized we left our toiletry bag back at the Manor House in Bath. So we didn't even have our soap or our toothbrushes or toothpaste or mouthwash. Reception had none to sell us so now we felt really icky, slept in our clothes and prayed quickly for sleep to come upon us!
Thankfully it did. I must say though, the bunk beds were comfortable (though a little short for the guys)and the sheets were clean. Not so bad afterall.
We woke up in the Manor House and prepared for their early seating of breakfast. We had been given the choice of 8:30, 9;30 or 10:30 seating. Took the time to use the blow dryer provided to get some of our clothes and things dry that didn't dry overnight. I was sitting on the floor, with the blow dryer in those hateful Converse sneakers that had been soaked the day before, trying in vain to get them dry. The whole room smelled like old sneakers after a while and the kids just had to wear the damp shoes throughout the day.
Breakfast was in their big beautiful and airy Georgian breakfast room, in front of french doors that overlooked their garden. The resident goose Lucy walked back and forth in the garden, and provided a nice touch. Breakfast was cereals and fresh baked bread
(a big country loaf) and then your choice of English breakfast. We all had eggs and some had sausage and others ham and others tomatoes and mushrooms and it was all wonderful and very filling. Afterwards we had a nice walk in the garden, took a few pictures of the resident animals (a dog and a cat too) and left for Stratford.
The driving was harrowing - for us. We were told we'd be going through old Roman roads to get there - but we really had no idea what that meant. Tiny little paths through woods and sometimes bordered on both sides by ancient stone walls - the roads seemed no more than 3-feet wide in parts. When cars came from the opposite direction one of us had to dive into the bushes to get out of the way. My husband kept insisting this must be wrong - that we must surely be on foot paths instead of real roads used for cars, but the SatNav girl didn't let us down and we finally reached the motorway that took us to Stratford not long after.
We found our hostel first - a YHA hostel in an old Georgian mansion not far from town. The facade and the grounds were beautiful and well maintained. We breathed a sigh of relief - as this was the only place we could find affordable accommodations and I especially was worried that the hostel would resemble the hostels of my backpacking youth - traveling as a student in Europe in the early '80s.
The reception area was also very nice as was the woman behind the desk. We were told of the rules and were given our sheets in platic packets and we trudged upstairs to find our rooms to put our things down before we headed out to explore Stratford.
Well, the room was disappointing. Smelly and the carpet filthy and stained. Picture a freshman all-male dorm room, whose residents were rowdy guys. The bathroom was tiny - as expected - with the toilet in the shower. When you turned on the sink the floor flooded and remained flooded. All part of traveling! We put down our things - made our beds - and decided to come home very late and very tired so all we do is sleep.
Stratford was no more than 1 mile away and we were advised to walk into town, but we drove in and found such huge crowds it loooked as if Disney created a Shakespearean village. Tour buses and streams and streams of people (incidentally on our drive to Stratford we passed many little Cotswold villages with the same thing - taken over by tour buses and crowds of people). We drove around a bit looking for a car park that was not full and right then made the decision instead to drive to Warwick Castle and return to Stratford later on in late afternoon.
Thankfully we turned on Missy the SatNav girl and she got us there in no time. There was plenty of room to park at the castle and though there were crowds, that place is so big that we never felt crowded in. We spent about 4 hours there, seeing every inch of the castle, asking questions of the costumed docents and the kids posing for pictures with the costumed villagers - each one wittier than the last.
One area of the castle has what is called a Kingmaker - an animated experience (based on the War of the Roses) that consisted of walking up a narrow staircase in one of the turrets, walking through narrow passageways and coming to a series of rooms, where a young fledgling knight was getting ready to serve the man who would be king. It was interesting for the kids but those narrow passageways and narrow stairscases are not for the faint of heart. There are even signs posted warning people of the long waits in claustrophobia-creating spaces.
We saw a trebuchet demonstration while lying on one of the lawns, that was interesting, educational and entertaining. The weather was gorgeous and we had a beautiful day.
Then we drove back down to Stratford. By that time the crowds were gone but all the sights were closed. Still we walked the streets, and saw the outside of Shakespeare's house and found thr Garrick Inn - I believe one of the oldest pubs in England. Had a great meal (vegetarian shepherd's pie for me, burgers again for the kids, lasagna for the husband, finally pleased with his meal, a couple of beers and finally the kids got their shandies)paid about GBP 43 and headed home to the hostel.
Quickly relaized we weren't tired enough for the place, so took a little walk down the street from the hostel and came upon an old cemetery and beautiful church. We listened to the bells, read some of the headstones and walked back to the room trying very hard to be brave and upbeat about the place.
Get this - we stopped at reception to pick up some towels - having been told while we were still in Miami that we could rent the towels and didn't have to bring our own. But they were all out of towels the night we were there and instead handed me a few paper towels and suggested we use those to dry ourselves. Okay, so we wouldn't shower we would just wash up. But as we were getting ready to wash up for the night, we realized we left our toiletry bag back at the Manor House in Bath. So we didn't even have our soap or our toothbrushes or toothpaste or mouthwash. Reception had none to sell us so now we felt really icky, slept in our clothes and prayed quickly for sleep to come upon us!
Thankfully it did. I must say though, the bunk beds were comfortable (though a little short for the guys)and the sheets were clean. Not so bad afterall.
Aug 11th, 2008, 04:52 PM
#30
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Oh, dear, I'm sorry your dorm room wasn't nice! Our private ensuite room was great, and we brought our own towels so we didn't have to rent any. Hopefully the rest of your report will have a happier ending!
Lee Ann
Lee Ann
Aug 12th, 2008, 12:56 AM
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Just a word of warning.
I don't know how old your children are, but shandy is alcoholic.
It's a combination of beer and lemonade and is not going to have anyone flat on their back in the gutter.
16 and 17 year olds may have beer, cider or wine if they are having a meal and if an adult buys it for them.
Licensing rules are strict and if a pub landlord allows under-age drinking, he could be fined or lose his licence.
You can read about the regulations at
http://tinyurl.com/5de76p
I don't know how old your children are, but shandy is alcoholic.
It's a combination of beer and lemonade and is not going to have anyone flat on their back in the gutter.
16 and 17 year olds may have beer, cider or wine if they are having a meal and if an adult buys it for them.
Licensing rules are strict and if a pub landlord allows under-age drinking, he could be fined or lose his licence.
You can read about the regulations at
http://tinyurl.com/5de76p
Aug 12th, 2008, 04:01 AM
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Miss Prism - I read the link you sent and I appreciate your sending it. In England our waiter offered that kids age 14 and over can have shandies as long as they are accompanied by a parent and having a meal. My kids are 14 and 16. We were assured the drink is mostly lemonade (what we would call lemon soda)with no more than a small pour or two of beer. They had a half pint each. We tasted them and they were quite sweet and non-beer tasting. We did not think this was anything to worry about, as with my Spanish in-laws at family dinners, they sometimes have a glass of water with a pour of red wine - as is the custom in Spain. The link you sent only mentions children 16 and above, so I am confused why the 14 year old was allowed. Maybe other posters can offer some info.
ElendiP. - I am happy to have stayed at the hostel as you recommended it to me, and I think it was a great experience for all. So we got a bum room, no big deal. That's what enriches the traveling experience. We're all better off for it - and that one night allowed us to recoup some of the GBP we spent elsewhere. No apologies!
Day 7. Thursday, August 7.
We woke up early at the hostel - got packed up, loaded the car and went in the dining room for breakfast. There was a rather large buffet, with toast, cereals, hard boiled eggs, ham, cheese, beans, assortment of danish, coffee and tea. (The hostel willl also prepare a breakfast-to-go for guests, as well as a picnic lunch and dinner for a small fee.) We ate and off we went, to head for London and home. Incidentally, the night at the hostel was GBP 55.95 - non-member. The private ensuite family room was an extra GBP 4 (incl.)
We were making good time so thought to stop at Kew Gardens and Palace before we return the car - as the Palace was included along with our Historic Palaces family membership. We found the post code and plugged it in to the SatNav and were good to go. The SatNav gave us wings - and confidence I must say.
Along the way we stopped at the most beautiful Tesco. It was in a huge old building - the facade looked a bit deco but could also be Victorian too, a white structure with interesting lines and huge green glass windows. I thought it was a museum from the road and was surprised to find it was a supermarket. While there we replaced everything in our toiletry bag that we left in Monkton Combe and we all grabbed the mouthwash first.
Back on the road we came to Kew quite easily. The surrounding town looked cute - clean and interesting. I would have liked to have had the time to walk around a bit. The Kew Palace grounds were beautiful and they have a large car park, pay and display. Though our passes let us in to the Palace we still needed to pay for the Gardens, and that was a little steep we thought. The kids were free and it came to GBP 26 for my husband and I.
There is a reception area that gives a very good background on the palace and its inhabitants. Very stylishly laid out. The Palace was cozy as palaces go. The costumed docents were very informative each one specializing in their own areas. While upstairs we were told that the present queen had had her 80th birthday celebration in the dining room, and then the guests gathered in the sitting room for conversation afterwards. Both rooms were quite small and intimate. Apparently Prince Charles thought it would be nice and different to throw her an intimate dinner for a change so this was his plan. There were only 21 in attendance - and we racked our brains trying to think who the 21 were. We got as far as 12 - starting with the main royals and ending with the young princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. Perhaps someone knows the whole guest list.
This made an inmpression on the kids, thinking that months before the Queen herself was celebrating in those very rooms.
After the palace we walked around te gardens and grounds. We lost ourselves in the conservatory as there was so much to see and the areas were beautifully planned and laid out. We took notes for our own garden back home while in the tropical rooms.
We left Kew at about 2:30pm and it took us roughly 20 minutes to get back to London and Nunhead. At this point my husband was kind of losing it with the car and the rules of the road. Maybe this happened to others when they first drove in England. Your focus wanes, your mind goes blank at the roundabouts, you just want to stop driving and hop on a bus!
Dropped off the kids at the house and then went to return the car. The whole way praying we can make these last 2 miles with the car unscratched! A huge sigh of relief as we drove into the rental agency's car park. We slapped those keys on the counter so fast and asked them to give us a lift home (as is their policy). At home we put our feet up, husband had a beer and finally admitted it was so stressful driving he just needed a while to relax.
First thing we all did was bathe and brush our teeth!
At around 7 pm, blissfully hopped on the South Eastern train from Peckham Rye to Victoria and then walked to the Duke of Wellington Pub in Westminster. The place was packed with locals, but we found a nice little corner where a local, obviously tipsy from a few, gave us tips how to blend in with the crowd. He even brought us our table settings as we didn't know we had to get them ourselves.
We fell into our usual eating patterns: burgers and goats' cheese sandwiches for the kids, fish and chips for me, roast beef and yorkshire pudding for the husband.A beer or two. Bill came to GBP 37.
Walked through a fancy neighborhood on our way to Victoria station. Came home about 9:30 - 10 pm. Kids to bed, us to clean (our hosts were due back the next morning). Made plans for Day 8, and Mme Tussauds the next morning.
ElendiP. - I am happy to have stayed at the hostel as you recommended it to me, and I think it was a great experience for all. So we got a bum room, no big deal. That's what enriches the traveling experience. We're all better off for it - and that one night allowed us to recoup some of the GBP we spent elsewhere. No apologies!
Day 7. Thursday, August 7.
We woke up early at the hostel - got packed up, loaded the car and went in the dining room for breakfast. There was a rather large buffet, with toast, cereals, hard boiled eggs, ham, cheese, beans, assortment of danish, coffee and tea. (The hostel willl also prepare a breakfast-to-go for guests, as well as a picnic lunch and dinner for a small fee.) We ate and off we went, to head for London and home. Incidentally, the night at the hostel was GBP 55.95 - non-member. The private ensuite family room was an extra GBP 4 (incl.)
We were making good time so thought to stop at Kew Gardens and Palace before we return the car - as the Palace was included along with our Historic Palaces family membership. We found the post code and plugged it in to the SatNav and were good to go. The SatNav gave us wings - and confidence I must say.
Along the way we stopped at the most beautiful Tesco. It was in a huge old building - the facade looked a bit deco but could also be Victorian too, a white structure with interesting lines and huge green glass windows. I thought it was a museum from the road and was surprised to find it was a supermarket. While there we replaced everything in our toiletry bag that we left in Monkton Combe and we all grabbed the mouthwash first.
Back on the road we came to Kew quite easily. The surrounding town looked cute - clean and interesting. I would have liked to have had the time to walk around a bit. The Kew Palace grounds were beautiful and they have a large car park, pay and display. Though our passes let us in to the Palace we still needed to pay for the Gardens, and that was a little steep we thought. The kids were free and it came to GBP 26 for my husband and I.
There is a reception area that gives a very good background on the palace and its inhabitants. Very stylishly laid out. The Palace was cozy as palaces go. The costumed docents were very informative each one specializing in their own areas. While upstairs we were told that the present queen had had her 80th birthday celebration in the dining room, and then the guests gathered in the sitting room for conversation afterwards. Both rooms were quite small and intimate. Apparently Prince Charles thought it would be nice and different to throw her an intimate dinner for a change so this was his plan. There were only 21 in attendance - and we racked our brains trying to think who the 21 were. We got as far as 12 - starting with the main royals and ending with the young princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. Perhaps someone knows the whole guest list.
This made an inmpression on the kids, thinking that months before the Queen herself was celebrating in those very rooms.
After the palace we walked around te gardens and grounds. We lost ourselves in the conservatory as there was so much to see and the areas were beautifully planned and laid out. We took notes for our own garden back home while in the tropical rooms.
We left Kew at about 2:30pm and it took us roughly 20 minutes to get back to London and Nunhead. At this point my husband was kind of losing it with the car and the rules of the road. Maybe this happened to others when they first drove in England. Your focus wanes, your mind goes blank at the roundabouts, you just want to stop driving and hop on a bus!
Dropped off the kids at the house and then went to return the car. The whole way praying we can make these last 2 miles with the car unscratched! A huge sigh of relief as we drove into the rental agency's car park. We slapped those keys on the counter so fast and asked them to give us a lift home (as is their policy). At home we put our feet up, husband had a beer and finally admitted it was so stressful driving he just needed a while to relax.
First thing we all did was bathe and brush our teeth!
At around 7 pm, blissfully hopped on the South Eastern train from Peckham Rye to Victoria and then walked to the Duke of Wellington Pub in Westminster. The place was packed with locals, but we found a nice little corner where a local, obviously tipsy from a few, gave us tips how to blend in with the crowd. He even brought us our table settings as we didn't know we had to get them ourselves.
We fell into our usual eating patterns: burgers and goats' cheese sandwiches for the kids, fish and chips for me, roast beef and yorkshire pudding for the husband.A beer or two. Bill came to GBP 37.
Walked through a fancy neighborhood on our way to Victoria station. Came home about 9:30 - 10 pm. Kids to bed, us to clean (our hosts were due back the next morning). Made plans for Day 8, and Mme Tussauds the next morning.
Aug 12th, 2008, 06:03 PM
#33
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Day 8, Friday, August 8.
Determined to appease the kids by hitting Mme. Tussauds early - we wake up at 6:30 am, eat breakfast and are out the door by 8. Arrive at the waxworks well before 9 and the crowds are already around the block. Didn't buy advance tickets because I planned to get the 2-for-1 with my rail tickets and they wouldn't let you take advantage of both discounts. Actually the 2-fers work out cheaper for a family for 4. I crunched the numbers. We paid GBP 50 in total.
The line moved quickly once the place opened but the inside was a mob scene, esp. around the "red carpet" room. Just try getting a picture of your kid with Miley Cyrus or your boy with Angelina.. parents were stepping on toes!
Subsequent rooms were less frenzied and the attraction took about 90 minutes or so, going at a relaxed pace. Kids loved it, we thought it was a lot of money for what it was, but if the kids loved it it was money well-spent. No matter how old they are, no matter how cool they try to act, they become adorable squealing kids again when siding up to Kate Moss, Johnny Depp and Queen Elizabeth. This is clearly not your wax museum. The display of figures is geared to the young kids.
After the waxworks we headed to Kensignton Palace and gardens as I had already paid for them with one of my passes and felt compelled. The grounds themselves were huge. The palace exhibition was just okay. There was a debutante exhibition going on that was not at all interesting to us and was hard to follow. The state rooms were alright, but not a must-see. While outside, we passed by the Orangerie where I had read you can get a very nice high tea, but we were a bit early for that by then. Still it seemed a beautiful atmosphere for sitting and lounging and would like to do that on another visit. The gardens were lovely - lots of geese and roses that actually smelled like roses and locals with their kids using it like a nice park. Very nice outing. You can skip the Palace though in my opinion.
After we walked around the neighborhood and took Fodorites suggestions of ditching the dismal cheese sandwiches for Pret a Manger. They are so ubiquitous these Pret a Manger places , it is easy to find several in every neighborhood. We had nice sandwiches and good coffee and then took the tube to Notting Hill Gate to get to Portobello Road. We window-shopped in Notting Hill and the daughter was thrilled to come across the travel bookstore from the movie Notting Hill.
Portobello Road market was crowded at first, then the crowds let up by late afternnon. There was a vendor selling very good pieces of china and porcelain - he was very knowledgeable, had a great eye for the unusual and rare (some rare Minton and Wedgewood) and I thought his prices were very good for London. Other vendors were more typical.. some with silver rings, some with phony pashminas, a vendor with beads from Tibet(we bought several as a gift for about GBP 25), and of course many more - but these were the ones we stopped at. The stores were open too and many had interesting and unique things and others had wares made to look old but really weren't. The place seemed perfect for pickpockets - crowds, tourists and money to spend - so I would advise caution.
Around 5 or so we headed back to Nunhead to greet our hosts who returned from the US.
Stayed up much too late after a great home-cooked meal (a perk of staying in an actual home)and crashed around 1 am. The next day is our last day in London.
Determined to appease the kids by hitting Mme. Tussauds early - we wake up at 6:30 am, eat breakfast and are out the door by 8. Arrive at the waxworks well before 9 and the crowds are already around the block. Didn't buy advance tickets because I planned to get the 2-for-1 with my rail tickets and they wouldn't let you take advantage of both discounts. Actually the 2-fers work out cheaper for a family for 4. I crunched the numbers. We paid GBP 50 in total.
The line moved quickly once the place opened but the inside was a mob scene, esp. around the "red carpet" room. Just try getting a picture of your kid with Miley Cyrus or your boy with Angelina.. parents were stepping on toes!
Subsequent rooms were less frenzied and the attraction took about 90 minutes or so, going at a relaxed pace. Kids loved it, we thought it was a lot of money for what it was, but if the kids loved it it was money well-spent. No matter how old they are, no matter how cool they try to act, they become adorable squealing kids again when siding up to Kate Moss, Johnny Depp and Queen Elizabeth. This is clearly not your wax museum. The display of figures is geared to the young kids.
After the waxworks we headed to Kensignton Palace and gardens as I had already paid for them with one of my passes and felt compelled. The grounds themselves were huge. The palace exhibition was just okay. There was a debutante exhibition going on that was not at all interesting to us and was hard to follow. The state rooms were alright, but not a must-see. While outside, we passed by the Orangerie where I had read you can get a very nice high tea, but we were a bit early for that by then. Still it seemed a beautiful atmosphere for sitting and lounging and would like to do that on another visit. The gardens were lovely - lots of geese and roses that actually smelled like roses and locals with their kids using it like a nice park. Very nice outing. You can skip the Palace though in my opinion.
After we walked around the neighborhood and took Fodorites suggestions of ditching the dismal cheese sandwiches for Pret a Manger. They are so ubiquitous these Pret a Manger places , it is easy to find several in every neighborhood. We had nice sandwiches and good coffee and then took the tube to Notting Hill Gate to get to Portobello Road. We window-shopped in Notting Hill and the daughter was thrilled to come across the travel bookstore from the movie Notting Hill.
Portobello Road market was crowded at first, then the crowds let up by late afternnon. There was a vendor selling very good pieces of china and porcelain - he was very knowledgeable, had a great eye for the unusual and rare (some rare Minton and Wedgewood) and I thought his prices were very good for London. Other vendors were more typical.. some with silver rings, some with phony pashminas, a vendor with beads from Tibet(we bought several as a gift for about GBP 25), and of course many more - but these were the ones we stopped at. The stores were open too and many had interesting and unique things and others had wares made to look old but really weren't. The place seemed perfect for pickpockets - crowds, tourists and money to spend - so I would advise caution.
Around 5 or so we headed back to Nunhead to greet our hosts who returned from the US.
Stayed up much too late after a great home-cooked meal (a perk of staying in an actual home)and crashed around 1 am. The next day is our last day in London.
Aug 12th, 2008, 10:58 PM
#34
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I'm really enjoying this. I love reading other people's views of the UK.
Re the shandy - it is normally 50% beer 50% lemonade. Although you can buy cans which are suitable for children and MAY be sold in a pub.
I know your trip is almost over but you could order a 'larger top' for your 16 year old. That is a glass of lemonade with a drop of larger on top.
Re the shandy - it is normally 50% beer 50% lemonade. Although you can buy cans which are suitable for children and MAY be sold in a pub.
I know your trip is almost over but you could order a 'larger top' for your 16 year old. That is a glass of lemonade with a drop of larger on top.
Aug 13th, 2008, 12:04 AM
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Sashh,
I think you'll find that a lager top is a pint of lager with a lemonade top:
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question...=1006040401425
I think you'll find that a lager top is a pint of lager with a lemonade top:
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question...=1006040401425
Aug 13th, 2008, 12:43 AM
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with my Spanish in-laws at family dinners, they sometimes have a glass of water with a pour of red wine - as is the custom in Spain.
I'm not criticising you.
I think that children are best introduced to alcohol by their parents. Mine used to have the odd glass of wine or cider.
I just wanted to warn you in case you hadn't realised that shandy was alcoholic.
As I said, half a pint of shandy is not going to have them staggering out of the pub.
I'm not criticising you.
I think that children are best introduced to alcohol by their parents. Mine used to have the odd glass of wine or cider.
I just wanted to warn you in case you hadn't realised that shandy was alcoholic.
As I said, half a pint of shandy is not going to have them staggering out of the pub.
Aug 13th, 2008, 01:34 AM
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I'm reminded of a very sweet elderly New England friend of mine. When it comes to booze, she is in the small sherry at Christmas category.
On her first trip to the UK, she somehow chummed up with some young Australians who took her to a pub.
She had never been to a pub and had no idea what to order, so "They suggested cider, and it was really nice, not at all like the cider we have in Massachusetts"
On her first trip to the UK, she somehow chummed up with some young Australians who took her to a pub.
She had never been to a pub and had no idea what to order, so "They suggested cider, and it was really nice, not at all like the cider we have in Massachusetts"
Aug 13th, 2008, 02:40 AM
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MissPrism - I know you weren't criticizing. My defensive attitude was because I felt slightly reckless about allowing them to have beer in a pub. Their cousin lived in England for school last year and kept extolling the virtues of the shandy. This was on their list of things to do once we got to England- go to a pub and order a shandy. It wasn't until late in the trip that I allowed them to have one. Why did the beer make me more reluctant than the wine they have at family dinners? I don't know. Maybe they liked it too much.
And the cider is better in England, and not just because it is alcoholic and on tap. (Thinking of your Massachusettes friend here). I had a few and it was crisp and slightly effervescent and no cloying aftertaste. I have never found one like that in the States. Perhaps someone can recommend a good cider available here.
And the cider is better in England, and not just because it is alcoholic and on tap. (Thinking of your Massachusettes friend here). I had a few and it was crisp and slightly effervescent and no cloying aftertaste. I have never found one like that in the States. Perhaps someone can recommend a good cider available here.
Aug 13th, 2008, 03:13 AM
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I remember that too - having gone to college in New England. The closest we got to good cider with a kick was buying the half gallon jugs, leaving it outside our dorm room window for a while, and popping the cap when it became fermented. It was nasty and had other 'digestive' effects if I remember correctly.
