Keith,

The photos along with the story really make it a richer experience! I am going to London and Paris for the first time in September and will look forward to seeing these sights!

Thanks for all the kind comments. Although this forum is giving me a reason to prepare the report, I am ultimately doing it so have something I can look at years from now.

Next photos at http://www.mightymac.org/04uk11.htm


Day 6 Wednesday April 7

My last full day in London?

This day I had no advance commitments. I returned to Leicester Square to the TKTS booth, just before 10 AM. It took 25 minutes to get through the line for evening performances. Then I stepped over to the matinee line, which took only a minute.

Since I was next to Charring Cross Road again, I checked a couple of the biggest bookstores for bibles, but couldn't find one that I liked.

The I returned to the Piccadilly Line and rode out to Knightsbridge Station to finally visit Harrods Department Store. Harrods had a nice book department and I found a bible to satisfy me. Then I stopped for lunch at a Santi Thai restaurant on the same floor. The food didn't impress me and the servings were small. I would say that it was overpriced, but I thought that about all the food in London. Still is was a nice setting and I enjoyed the Thai iced tea ($6 for iced tea!).

Then down the beautiful central staircases to the first floor to the men's department. After checking a few prices (socks $60/pair) I moved on to the famous food court. I enjoyed exploring it, but made no purchases

Back to the Underground and back to the West End and Covent Garden. I liked the large flea market with its many street entertainers. It is a great place to wander and people watch. I was still hungry and had an inexpensive serving of Jamaican jerked chicken with rice from a vendor on the upper floor balcony at the east end of the Market. Better food than I had at Harrods.

My matinee was almost across the street from the Fortune Theatre - Anything Goes at the Theatre Royal Catherine Street. My seat was in the front row and it was a bit hard seeing over the high stage. But still not that bad a seat, at least there was lots of leg room and I was close enough to occasionally catch a performer's eye. I liked the show, particularly some of the minor characters, but the people around me seem to like it more. This was my least favorite of the six shows I saw this trip.

For supper, I visited Indian Brasserie Limited on Rupert Street next to Café Fish. The flavors were good, but my chicken dish was too mild, not the hot that I ordered. I took a discrete photo of the interior. My waiter saw me and asked me to take a photo of him.

My evening show was When Harry Met Sally staring Alyson Hannigan and Luke Perry at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. The small theatre was full and the seats were crammed in too close together. Fortunately the seats sat a bit higher than the other theatres or I would have been miserable. The stage was set up like a shadow box, all white and about the proportions of a shoe box laying on its side. Props were rather minimal but fit the production

The play keeps the comments by older couples, that framed portions of the movie, by projecting them on a screen slid briefly in front of the stage between scenes. The play also keeps the famous orgasm scene, though this time the "I'll have what she is having" line is delivered by a gay man. I didn't think Hannigan did that scene very convincingly.

Over all I liked this show more than I expected. Perry did a good job, but Hannigan still seemed like a kid even at the end when she is supposed to be in her 30s.

Perry got a loud response from women in the audience for his brief flash of naked rump.

Keith

The tables were very crowded and I started to think that it was going to be a miserable night, but there was a empty chair on my side of the long table and after getting rid of it, things were much more comfortable. The servers brought 4 bottles of wine and 4 pitchers of beer for the 11 of us at our table and things started to loosen up. The food was all you can eat served on platters, including vegetables, pork chops, BBQ ribs and very good roast chicken. Not very Medieval, but we had a very good time.

The original entertainment for the evening had fallen through. The substitute accordion band was a bit corny, but entertaining. They did a number of things to get people involved and having fun. They did everything but the chicken dance (thank god!).

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Day 8 Friday April 9

I'm not a breakfast eater, but decided to try the Full English Breakfast that came with my room. I did tell them to hold the baked beans but had bacon, sausage, egg, toast and fried tomato. It turned out that I had been the only guest in the hotel that night, though the rest of the weekend they would be full. The first guests arrived while I was having breakfast.

Then out to see Blackpool. I have only found one person from the US who admitted to having heard of Blackpool. That one had seen it in the 1995 movie Funny Bones, staring Peter Chelsom, Oliver Platt & Jerry Lewis. It is the largest tourist destination in the UK, but is rarely visited by foreigners. A blue collar shore resort that developed in the 19th century, it reminds me of many New Jersey shore communities.

In stead of a boardwalk, there is a promenade that extends several miles along the shore, much of that area filled with arcades, snack shops, shows, bars and other amusements. There are three piers and a 110 year old tower inspired by the Eiffel Tour. There are 3,500 hotels and guest houses.

I spent the morning exploring. Visited the sincere but disappointing Sea-Life Centre, walked to the end of the Central Pier and stepped in and out of several arcades. I would have loved this community when I was 10 years old, and for different reasons, maybe when I was 20, but it doesn't have much to offer me at age 50.

Not finding anyplace interesting for lunch, I stopped at the food court in the Marks & Spencer across from the Winter Gardens and bought some very good fresh cookies and milk for lunch, making it to the convention in time for opening ceremonies at 1 PM.

The rest of my day was spent at convention programming and the bar at the convention, except for a so-so diner at one of the best reviewed restaurants in town, the nearby Il Corsaro. The Il Corsaro decor reminded me of the kitsch of many of the Italian chain restaurants in the US. The food was OK, but nothing special and calamari appetizer, chicken cacciatore, garlic bread and one glass of house wine ran £26 with modest tip ($47).

Compared to the US convention I normally attend: the programing and dealers room were similar, the art show was tiny and I really missed the parties. The convention had two cash bars and there was a lot more alcohol being consumed at programing (panels, readings, presentations) than I normally see. From my stand point, this convention was better organized than the previous Eastercon I attended.

It was odd being almost invisible at the convention. After 20 years and 150 conventions, I spend much of the time with friends. I met only 3 people at the convention whom I already knew. I could have made more contacts by volunteering to help at the convention, but with a rather short time at the con, decided not to go that route.

Going back to the hotel late at night, the streets of Blackpool were filled with young people visiting the bars and discos, with the 18 year old girls wearing mini skirts and no jackets despite the cold temperature. The overall crowd was rather rough, but not enough to make me uncomfortable.

Back at the hotel, things were quiet inside, but high school soccer teams from around Europe were staying in nearby hotels and some of the kids played in the street for most of the night.

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Day 9 Saturday April 9

After breakfast I walked down to the shore and took one of the double decker trams to the south end of the promenade, then walked a few blocks to the Blackpool airport to pick up a rental car from Hertz.

This was the most challenging part of my trip. As I sat in the new Peugeot, I thought "they never should have let me have this vehicle."

Although it was a four door, it had very little room, and I had trouble getting into the car. I sat and got used to the right hand side controls with the left hand side stick shift. The short drive to my hotel was miserable. Not just driving on the left, but the reversed controls, narrow streets, one way streets, pedestrians, bicyclists and poor signage. It was a relief to finally get to the hotel. The nearby parking was £6.75 for 24 hours (ouch!).

I stopped for lunch at a chippie on the way back to the Winter Gardens. It was the best fish and chips of the trip (and the least expensive), but still not something I would repeat.

I also stopped back at the hotel, planning to quickly settle up for the room since I would leave early the next morning. Phil & Gill bought me a hard cider and we ended up talking for about 90 minutes. One of my best times in Blackpool, we talked about the similarities and differences between the US and UK. They moved to Blackpool and took over the hotel only 8 weeks before, following an injury that Phil took in a fall at the convenience store they used to own. It turned out that I was the first foreign customer that they have had. I enjoyed getting to know them and Phil gave me directions that made it easy to find the Manchester Airport the next morning.

The rest of the day was at the convention, except for dinner at an Indian Restaurant next to Il Corsaro, Terry's Balti House. It was a little better and less expensive than the night before, but again, not a meal I would try to repeat.

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Day 10 Easter Sunday April 11

I was on the road by 7 AM. Traffic was light and the 4-6 lane divided highways were well maintained and well marked. Driving wasn't too bad, though I did tend to gradually drift to the left. The 60 mile drive to the Manchester airport took about an hour.

The flights back were uneventful, though I did appreciate having empty seats next to me on both flights.

MSC comments?

Telephoning home: I bought a Pay Peanuts telephone card at a candy shop on the second day for £5. It was good for 100 minutes to the US and I called my parents several times, pus making a couple of other calls. The card is good for only 90 days. A £10 card would give MUCH more time.

Money: I bought a few pounds in the Chicago airport on my way out of the country. All other cash was obtained at ATMs with no problems. When possible, I used my credit card. I kept a few pounds at the end for next year's trip to Glasgow. Particularly with the current exchange rate, prices were high. I could also see some inflation of the prices in pounds in the last two years. Even some people from New York City commented on how expensive everything was.

People: I find the people in the UK very much like those in the US. Unlike France, I never felt like I stood out as a foreigner. In fact, several times people (usually from he UK) stopped me for directions. I heard no negative comments about Americans, though several people voiced concerns about the current US government.

Keith

excellent report - I really enjoyed reading it :)

Keith...I agree, excellent report. I love all of your pictures! It really is made very personal with all of the pictures along with what you wrote to go along with the picture. Thanks for sharing them with us.

Keith, will we see Part Two soon?

Keith,
Thank you for posting the details of your trip. I am heading to London in a month or so, for the first time, and am copying bits and pieces of your report into my London file. I want to take the Salisbury/Stonehenge Tuesday trip you took, and want to go to Oxford, so your information has been very useful.

I have copied and pasted quite a bit of helpful info from this board into my file.

I thought your journal was excellent in detail and attitude. I'm in London on a home exchange. I've sent the following to friends and family and would like to share with you.
As some of you know every time I travel I am pulled aside by the security people and given a long serious inspection. What is it about me that makes them suspicious?. Also, I have developed this tremor in my hands which makes me look nervous all the time. Was that what triggered another search, scanned by a spatula device and, of course, they didn't find anything.I'm a 76 year old gentleman which some of you might disagree

I'm fuming that suddenly I get an epiphany. What if I were a Muslim or Arab who didn't look much like an Arab or Muslin, and my sons and friends came up to me and said 'look they'll never think that you are a human bomb, an old gentleman going on a trip. We can fix you shoes to go off and when they do you'll go to heaven and 77 virgins will be yours. It an offer I couldn't refuse although I remember the trouble I had with one virgin--but that's a story for another time. Seriously, I think anybody could be a suspect.

Waiting to board the plane I went into a pseudo Italian place and I saw a chicken Parmesan and macaroni and cheese...comfort food for me. I said I would like it...she said oh the Mac and Chick. They gave it to me in one of those plastic containers common to fast food places. I sat at the the table and I could not open the container, I couldn't figure how it came apart until a young man opened it for me.

I thought how the hell could I be a terrorist if I can't open a plastic container.

I love British Airways, but when there a strong north western wind and the plane is racing down the runway and gets airborne and suddenly it's the wind hits. The plane was buffeted and it was close to the ground...bad combination. I thought Hell we don't need a bomb the wind will do it. We took off (DUH). And the wind made a flight a very short one.

There were two women, both in their early twenties, very attractive, very much like Friends kind of women, sitting in front of me, During the trip they were reading something and giggling about it. I sneaked a peek and I thought the title was Scientology (sp?) They read and giggled and read and giggled. Why the giggles? I looked again and I realize the tome is Sexological something.

One of the male attendants came over and talked to them, took the book back into the kitchen. I had to see what was going on. I went back to the kitchen pretending I needed some water. They were passing the book back and forth like some teenagers with a nudity magazine. And they wrote the book title and author. It humanized air attendants for me.

I just got here, the neighborhood is not so great. The house is lovely. More on that later.

Keith, Thanks so much for sharing the illustrated version of your London & UK trip report. Very interesting, helpful and well-written, with excellent photos, too. I sure have enjoyed your trip!

I read and complimented your report on your other thread, Uncle Art. It's very enjoyable, too.