MaineGG

Thanks so much for your report. It was nice to share your and your daughter's joy at discovering London.

pdx

Good for you for not dwelling on your lack of direction! I''m feeling better about navigating London. On my own I don't mind being lost and wandering (heck, I expect it!) but my husband is a point A to point B person and I stress about knowing what's next and how to get there because of him. But I'll take a cue from you and let it happen.
Congratulations on a pleasant and memorable trip!

kovsie

hi latedaytraveler, yes, I loved the gift shop at 221 Baker street! Somebody wrote to me about an interesting potholder they bought there. I had both girls who work there in period costume looking for it, but it was sold out. Hence the red post box! The place is quaint and creative - even a 'bobby' at the door. Anybody who loved stories like the tale of 'the dog that did not bark' should make an effort to visit.

pdx: I have a friend who travels regularly, and she says that she enjoys getting lost. That is not true for me. I get tired and prefer not to walk down long streets when I don't know where I am going (like I did last night in the pouring rain because I misunderstood directions to a bus stop). So my wanderings are mostly vaguely planned (e.g. I will start out in Regent's Street and see if I can find Trafalgar Square from there and if there is time I will try to go to Westminster Abby also this morning). I just can't say: I have to be at Westminster at 10.43 and take so many minutes to take photos of Big Ben and then take so many minutes to do the inside tour and then arrive at the next destination at this time ... this does not feel like a holiday to me. I have had one tour like that, and afterwards I could remember individual locations, but I had not distinct recollection of the personality of the city. But of course, this is a very personal thing - I just do what suits me.

TPAYT

kovsie--all the details are what make a TR interesting.

Tulips--where is Topshop? We will have a teenage girl with us and not a lot of time. Would like some shops that you can't find in the US so no chain stores.

jamikins

Topshop is most definitely a chain store but you can find locations here
http://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/categ...K_STORE_FINDER

You may also want to look into Next (another uk chain) http://www.next.co.uk

sfmurphys

Delightful trip report! Your spirit shines through your writing. Now I want to hop on a plane for London, even though I was just there in June.

stokebailey

Oh, fun report, kovsie! You two would be fun to hang out with.

I love how your daughter loves the London theater.
and
Thanks for the heads up on British Library coffee.

ElendilPickle

What a lovely trip report! Thanks so much, kovsie.

Lee Ann

KL467

Great trip report!

bendigo

Great shopping at discount stores TK Maxx. They stock remainder and prior season (and some slighly faulty - ie ties with spots that aren't symetrical) at incredibly reduced prices.
There is one between the London Monument and Leadenhall Market, and another in the West End. Worth a look if you are in the neighbourhood and are happy to browse for a while.

http://www.tkmaxx.com/

Grindeldoo

I really enjoyed your reporting kovsie. I'm a Londoner and frequently have foreign visitors staying with me -reports like yours help me to remember what it is like for first-time visitors and point them in the right direction, rather than just sending them off or taking them to my favourites! For anyone else reading this and planning a London visit with a trip to Windsor, you can also go by train from Waterloo, just south of the Thames, which is on the Bakerloo, Northern and Jubilee tube lines and may be more convenient from your accommodation. The journey is a little slower, but no change is involved. The downside if you don't like walking is that the Waterloo connection takes you to a station that is a little further from Windsor Castle: the upside is that you will have to walk past Bel & The Dragon, which is an excellent place to eat!

kovsie

Thanks to everybody for such positive feedback on this TR. I have enjoyed writing it. Those of you who regularly do it will know: it is a good discipline - it helps you (forces you) to think through what you have experienced.

When I woke up in Dubai this morning I could not believe how bright, almost harsh, the colours seem in the sunlight. Where London is soft grey and black, Dubai is brown and cream and bright. What a contrast!

I will write another short post about practical stuff and hindsight. Just have to get the 149 e-mails out of the way first!

Tulips

TPAYT - the largest Topshop is on Oxford Circus. A favorite with my teens. There's a branch of 'Eat' there as well, so you can have a coffee while she shops.

taconictraveler

Kovsie: Thank you for a marvelous report. I guess I have been in London more times than I can count, but you've made me long to be there again.

In fact, I'd be happy doing your trip, just as you did, with such a marvelous attitude and such aptitude for writing!!

You've done us all a great favor by writing it.

We might just stay in London next June, instead of going to the countryside, or a bit of both!

pdx

I'm so looking forward to your 'practical' post. Your trip report makes for a great guide book and is much more enjoyable. I'm going glean my itinerary from your trip report.

latedaytraveler

PDX, a good site for planning your stroll around London is walkit.com. You will learn the length of the journey from Point A to Point B and be shown the most direct route.

I always buy a small map of the city which I refer to all the time. Hey, I am a tourist and I need it!

Kosvie, I look forward to your reflextions/suggestions about your London adventures when you settle in back home. Thanks again for a great trip report...

MellisaTurner

Wow ! Your dedication and love for London is simply awesome. It is really lovely.

pdx

Thank you late day. I have run into that site before but I haven't thought about it for a while. I'll check it out again.

forgottenlife

As a fan of maritime history, my favourite place to visit in London is Greenwich.

Not only visiting the Cutty Sark, but also the Old Royal Navel College, as well as the National Maritime Museum.

Heaven, can't be that much better.

MissPrism

My dad was a pupil at the Greenwich Hospital School