Just got back from an enjoyable week in London. Day One: I went to Fortnum & Mason's to buy all the tea I'll be drinking in the next year, plus tea for everyone who knew I was going. (One of these day's, customs is going to bust me as a tea importer). Then I went to the Webcam located near the London Eye to wave at all my relatives who were having Thanksgiving dinner and then to a phone booth to give them an audio postcard of Big Ben striking the hour. In the evening, I went to see Judi Dench in "The Royal Family". Day Two included a wonderful trip to Leeds Castle, Canterbury Cathedral & the white cliffs of Dover (took the tour through Evan Evans). The woman in the gift shop at Leeds Castle stiffed me 80p (I gave her 3 pounds but she said it was 2.20.) I had to laugh when I took the tour and the guide said that they were trying to find new sources of income. Day Three was shopping around town for Christmas presents (Selfridges, Debenhams, etc). Day Four (Sunday) was a wonderful trip to Greenwich where they had their Sunday market set up. Also a climb up that huge hill to see the point where time is marked and where the earth is split into eastern & western hemisphere.

Day Five found me trying to locate Shakespeare's Globe theatre. They have a wonderful exhibit there with a nice tour of the theatre. Also went to the Britain at War museum. Quite an interesting museum, but sadly not many tourists inside. In the evening took in the show "Humble Boy" at the National with Diana Rigg. Day Six I took a trip to the Geffrye Museum where they have a wonderful exhibit of rooms decorated for Christmas as they would have been decorated in different time periods (1600's to present). That was a festive exhibit. And of course, a bit more shopping before returning home to 60 degree weather in NYC.<BR><BR>Sad to say that during the week, there are not many tourists. You could walk right up to the London Eye and get on. And Phantom of the Opera was on the half price ticket line in Leicester Square. Wish I could have stayed longer!!

Philip--- I love the type of travel reports that talks about the highlights and leaves you wanting more....just like yours!! Could you talk about the British War Museum and what did you enjoy? Did you get a London metro travelcard/pass? Where did your stayed? Have you been to London before? Where is the Geffrye Museum? Details, please!!

Philip, nice trip report. <BR>Love those off season trips.....how was the weather? Did your family see you on the webcam? How fun.<BR>Judy

Philip,<BR>I am glad you enjoyed the Evan Evans trip to Leeds Castle, Canterbury and Dover - we did the same trip in September and enjoyed it very much.<BR>We thought the Castle was absolutely beautiful - specially as it was a lovely fine day and reflection on the water was magic.

So many wonderful things to think about!! This was my sixth trip to London and I still enjoy it. While I was there the weather was excellent. It did rain a little bit, but we had more beautiful days than rainy. When I went to Leeds Castle, one of the guides remarked that the leaves were staying on the trees much longer than usual. That was a treat!<BR><BR>My goal this trip was to keep the entire trip (not including my Christmas shopping) under $1,000 (and I did it). I stayed at Travel Inn County Hall which is a very "bare bones" hotel, but I don't care because I'm never in my room anyway. The hotel has a decent restaurant and there is a great bagel shop just across the street (and for Americans that need a bit of home there is a Starbucks across the street and a McDonald's around the corner). I thought I would be cut-off by staying South of the Thames but about two blocks up the street (at Shell Centre) there is an underground station with 3 lines (Northern, Bakerloo, Jubilee) or if you cross Westerminster Bridge you can pick up the Circle & District Lines. Five underground lines within a 3 minute walk is not bad at all!! Each day I bought a daily travelcard for Zones 1&2 (weekend card for Saturday & Sunday). I took the wonderful boat trip down to Greenwich (it leaves from Tower of London) and came back at night using Docklands Light Rail (if you have an underground ticket for zones 1&2, you can use it to get to Greenwich with no extra charge, but the boat is more scenic). The boat lets you off near the Cutty Sark and the Docklands Light Rail station (Cutty Sark) is only a few yards away.<BR><BR>I visited the Britain at War museum after seeing Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. The two are fairly close, although I suggest taking a map because that area of London can be confusing. The museum is on Tooley Street (although I can't give the exact address because I was working off of a brochure which I threw away before coming home). The Britain at War museum tells about Britain during World War 2. There are exhibits about rationing (not only food but also clothing), about children being shipped out of London, about women going to work and so many more details which my jet lagged brain can't bring forth at the moment. The final room you walk through is a re-creation of a London street that has been recently bombed. <BR><BR>I learned about the Geffrye Museum in the events magazine Time Out. It is a museum based on British interior design. The Christmas exhibit is up until the end of the year. Catch one of the underground trains to Liverpool Street, then in front of Liverpool Station on Bishopgate take a #243 bus which runs right in front of the museum (both available using the daily travelcard zones 1&2). I forgot to mention that this museum is free!! They have a website at www.geffrye-museum.org.uk<BR><BR>Any other questions, I'll be happy to rack my brain and see what it spits out.<BR>

PS: Yes Judy my family & friends did see me on the webcam. I had set a specific time that I would be there so that they could "tune in". The webcam is not sophisticated enough to make out the details of faces, so I told them I would wear a red sweater and wave. And they were able to see me and print out my picture.<BR><BR>The live webcam at www.camvista.com has several locations (London Eye, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square) and I love watching it when I'm home and missing my travels.

The Britain at War Musreum (http://www.britainatwar.co.uk/page1.html) is a commercial venture of moderate size on Tooley Street near London Bridge station. The Imperial War Museum (http://www.iwm.org.uk/) would take a day to see fully. It gives good cover to London at war, and to many other topics. It is is a free public museum, next to Lambeth North tube station. Lastly, the Cabinet War Rooms (http://www.iwm.org.uk/cabinet/index.htm) off Whitehall, fairly near Westminster tube station, are a small but atmospheric museum made up of the bomb-proof rooms Churchill and his government used in the war: they have global meaning rather than local.<BR><BR>Welcome to London<BR><BR>Ben Haines<BR>