Notes from Paris, Honfleur, Bermicourt & London - Sept 10 - Oct 4, 2012
Oct 28th, 2012, 08:06 PM
#61
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Excellent report, 2010. You really made the most of your time.
Noted that you were underwhelmed by Chez Louisette. My husband wants to hear gypsy jazz at a nearby bar in St-Ouen; we'll plan on eating elsewhere.
Noted that you were underwhelmed by Chez Louisette. My husband wants to hear gypsy jazz at a nearby bar in St-Ouen; we'll plan on eating elsewhere.
Oct 29th, 2012, 08:23 AM
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janisj: We must have walked right by the shop - darn! Well, there's a good reason to return to London! ;-)
Sounds like you may have gone in! Any favourites?
stokebailey: I think that's a good plan! By the way, what is 'gypsy jazz' & where will you go to hear this?
Sounds like you may have gone in! Any favourites?
stokebailey: I think that's a good plan! By the way, what is 'gypsy jazz' & where will you go to hear this?
Oct 29th, 2012, 08:44 AM
#63
"<i>Sounds like you may have gone in! Any favourites?</i>"
Every single thing I tried (but then I didn't try <i>Everything</i> )
On my last morning in London I bought a 12 piece box to take home - but after sitting at LHR and the flight home I arrived w/ 1 (ONE!) piece left. Greatly underestimated the need
Every single thing I tried (but then I didn't try <i>Everything</i> )
On my last morning in London I bought a 12 piece box to take home - but after sitting at LHR and the flight home I arrived w/ 1 (ONE!) piece left. Greatly underestimated the need
Oct 29th, 2012, 02:00 PM
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Hi, 2010. La Chope des Puces (Espace Django Reinhardt) in St-Ouen is near where Django lived in a gypsy caravan with his family, I think not long before he teamed up with Quintette de Hot Club de Paris. The style must be named in his honor.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/201...ango-reinhardt
It's fun music and what my husband's band mostly plays these day, so we'll be making some visits to soak it up.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/201...ango-reinhardt
It's fun music and what my husband's band mostly plays these day, so we'll be making some visits to soak it up.
Oct 29th, 2012, 09:33 PM
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Friday, September 28th
Breakfast was served from 7:30-9:30 on Monday to Friday and 8:00-10:00 on weekends. This morning we made our way down to the dining room about 8:00.
We both decided to have the English Breakfast: scrambled eggs, grilled back bacon, Cumberland sausage, baked beans, grilled tomatoes served with juice, toast & coffee. It was a hearty breakfast to be sure! There is a continental option ... maybe tomorrow!
It started out as a decent day - overcast but not too chilly. We took the underground from Victoria Station to Leicester Square Station. We were headed to the <b>TKST</b>, the official discount theatre ticket booth which is located on Leicester Square. We were able to get last-minute, non-discounted tickets for Mousetrap on Saturday at 4:00 pm. We already had theatre tickets for another show. But since we had been talking about wanting to see Mousetrap for so long, we decided it was worth the splurge!
The next stop: the <b>National Gallery</b> on Trafalgar Square. There was too much to see here in just one day. We had to be selective. We focused our visit on 17th century paintings (Rembrandt, Vermeer, Rubens, Caravaggio ...) in the morning and the 18th to early 20th century paintings (the Impressionists and beyond) in the afternoon, with a break in between. Personal highlights: Terrace at Vascony - The Garden and The Lunch, two paintings by Vuillard; The Water Place by Rubens; Gare St Lazare by Monet and The Umbrellas by Renoir. It's funny how some paintings pull you in or have an immediate appeal. Today these did just that for me!
There were many school groups visiting the National Gallery. I was thinking how fortunate they were to have access to such treasures & rich learning opportunities. As a retired teacher, I was a little bit envious. I overheard a young teacher set up a lesson with her 9-year-old students, giving clear instructions and expectations. She made sure that all the children had the materials required to complete their tasks before sending them off to work. Inwardly, I applauded her thoroughness. "A good teacher is a good teacher. There are no borders," I thought to myself. Later, I saw her again and decided I wanted to speak to her. "Are you teacher of these students?" I asked. Her eyes widened. She hestitated for a moment before replying, "Yes, I am." I explained to her that I just wanted to tell her, "Well done!" I suppose she was prepared for a comment about a noisy or an unruly student. But when I had finished sharing my observations & my compliments, she had the biggest smile on her face! I am so glad that I took a moment to talk to this wonderful teacher!
DH & I went for an early lunch in the <b>Crypt Cafe</b> in <b>St Martin-in-the-Field Church</b>. There was a lunch-time concert in the church we wanted to attend. Four young, impressively talented participants in the EPTA UK Piano Competition performed varied and complex pieces beautifully! We were in awe of their poise & confidence. I especially enjoyed two pieces by a Chinese composer, Tan Du. What a wonderful concert it was!
It was late afternoon when we exited the National Gallery. The weather was looking ominous but it was dry ... for now. We decided to walk back to the hotel. Soon the rain began to fall, lightly at first and then with growing velocity. We were caught! Once home, we changed & dried off. I made tea for us. A hot cup of tea seems to be the remedy for many things! It definitely warmed us up!
We had dinner reservations at <b>Oliveto</b> on Elizabeth Street. The place is small, lively, noisy and packed. It's no wonder ... our dinners were very good! We shared a plate of mista verdure - grilled mixed vegetable of sweet pepper, zucchini, eggplant & fennel. DH had tagliatelle with prosciutto & cream sauce and for dessert, chocolate & vanilla gelato. I had pizza salsiccia - tomatoes, mozzarella, minced spiced sausage & onions and for dessert, nougat semi-freddo with chocolate sauce. The delicious Sardinian food might have enticed us to come back if not for the level of noise in the room. It was a deal-breaker ... at least for me.
Breakfast was served from 7:30-9:30 on Monday to Friday and 8:00-10:00 on weekends. This morning we made our way down to the dining room about 8:00.
We both decided to have the English Breakfast: scrambled eggs, grilled back bacon, Cumberland sausage, baked beans, grilled tomatoes served with juice, toast & coffee. It was a hearty breakfast to be sure! There is a continental option ... maybe tomorrow!
It started out as a decent day - overcast but not too chilly. We took the underground from Victoria Station to Leicester Square Station. We were headed to the <b>TKST</b>, the official discount theatre ticket booth which is located on Leicester Square. We were able to get last-minute, non-discounted tickets for Mousetrap on Saturday at 4:00 pm. We already had theatre tickets for another show. But since we had been talking about wanting to see Mousetrap for so long, we decided it was worth the splurge!
The next stop: the <b>National Gallery</b> on Trafalgar Square. There was too much to see here in just one day. We had to be selective. We focused our visit on 17th century paintings (Rembrandt, Vermeer, Rubens, Caravaggio ...) in the morning and the 18th to early 20th century paintings (the Impressionists and beyond) in the afternoon, with a break in between. Personal highlights: Terrace at Vascony - The Garden and The Lunch, two paintings by Vuillard; The Water Place by Rubens; Gare St Lazare by Monet and The Umbrellas by Renoir. It's funny how some paintings pull you in or have an immediate appeal. Today these did just that for me!
There were many school groups visiting the National Gallery. I was thinking how fortunate they were to have access to such treasures & rich learning opportunities. As a retired teacher, I was a little bit envious. I overheard a young teacher set up a lesson with her 9-year-old students, giving clear instructions and expectations. She made sure that all the children had the materials required to complete their tasks before sending them off to work. Inwardly, I applauded her thoroughness. "A good teacher is a good teacher. There are no borders," I thought to myself. Later, I saw her again and decided I wanted to speak to her. "Are you teacher of these students?" I asked. Her eyes widened. She hestitated for a moment before replying, "Yes, I am." I explained to her that I just wanted to tell her, "Well done!" I suppose she was prepared for a comment about a noisy or an unruly student. But when I had finished sharing my observations & my compliments, she had the biggest smile on her face! I am so glad that I took a moment to talk to this wonderful teacher!
DH & I went for an early lunch in the <b>Crypt Cafe</b> in <b>St Martin-in-the-Field Church</b>. There was a lunch-time concert in the church we wanted to attend. Four young, impressively talented participants in the EPTA UK Piano Competition performed varied and complex pieces beautifully! We were in awe of their poise & confidence. I especially enjoyed two pieces by a Chinese composer, Tan Du. What a wonderful concert it was!
It was late afternoon when we exited the National Gallery. The weather was looking ominous but it was dry ... for now. We decided to walk back to the hotel. Soon the rain began to fall, lightly at first and then with growing velocity. We were caught! Once home, we changed & dried off. I made tea for us. A hot cup of tea seems to be the remedy for many things! It definitely warmed us up!
We had dinner reservations at <b>Oliveto</b> on Elizabeth Street. The place is small, lively, noisy and packed. It's no wonder ... our dinners were very good! We shared a plate of mista verdure - grilled mixed vegetable of sweet pepper, zucchini, eggplant & fennel. DH had tagliatelle with prosciutto & cream sauce and for dessert, chocolate & vanilla gelato. I had pizza salsiccia - tomatoes, mozzarella, minced spiced sausage & onions and for dessert, nougat semi-freddo with chocolate sauce. The delicious Sardinian food might have enticed us to come back if not for the level of noise in the room. It was a deal-breaker ... at least for me.
Oct 30th, 2012, 11:06 AM
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Saturday, September 29th
On route to Westminster Abbey, we passed by many restaurants & shops. I was scouting out a place to buy a sweater. It was getting chillier in London and I needed something more than the light layers I packed to keep me warm!
We went in to <b>Westminster Cathedral</b>. It was quite lovely inside! While we were there, mass began in a small, side altar. Music & prayer filled the air.
Long ago on our first trip to London, DH & I visited Westminster Abbey. It was early morning and there didn't seem to be many visitors. We were able to walk freely around the abbey - in and out of rooms to take a close look at names etched on tombs, on walls & floors and to see the beautiful interior. We were in awe of the things we saw. It was free to enter in 1996.
Fast forward to present day ... In front of <b>Westminster Abbey</b>, we joined a long, slow line to go through security & then to purchase entry tickets. We learned that 'consession' price applied to those who are 60+ years of age. That applied to DH. I was a few months short. So, entry to the abbey was 13£ for DH & 16£ for me. There were free audioguides included with admission but we elected not to take them. We knew what we wanted to see.
We had not encountered crowds like we did that day in Westminster Abbey. With most people listening to the audioguides, everyone was following the same route, in the same direction and at the same pace. Of course, each stopped at the same spots being highlighted in the audioguide. We were pushed along with the crowd. There seemed to be no deviating from its path. And then there were the tour guides who stood in front of key places with groups. We couldn't even get close to see. Our visit was neither pleasant nor enjoyable and it was a relief it was to escape this place! Perhaps a timed-entry system would help manage the crowds and make for a more pleasant visit.
I bought a sweater at the <b>House of Fraser</b>, a department store we passed by earlier. I received a mile-long receipt to submit for a tax refund if I was going to do more shopping in the store. I was not!
We had a quick lunch at <b>La Bottega</b>, a deli/bakery which was just down the street from the Lime Tree. My salad & DH's pasta were actually quite good! Looked like a nice spot for coffee.
More to come ...
On route to Westminster Abbey, we passed by many restaurants & shops. I was scouting out a place to buy a sweater. It was getting chillier in London and I needed something more than the light layers I packed to keep me warm!
We went in to <b>Westminster Cathedral</b>. It was quite lovely inside! While we were there, mass began in a small, side altar. Music & prayer filled the air.
Long ago on our first trip to London, DH & I visited Westminster Abbey. It was early morning and there didn't seem to be many visitors. We were able to walk freely around the abbey - in and out of rooms to take a close look at names etched on tombs, on walls & floors and to see the beautiful interior. We were in awe of the things we saw. It was free to enter in 1996.
Fast forward to present day ... In front of <b>Westminster Abbey</b>, we joined a long, slow line to go through security & then to purchase entry tickets. We learned that 'consession' price applied to those who are 60+ years of age. That applied to DH. I was a few months short. So, entry to the abbey was 13£ for DH & 16£ for me. There were free audioguides included with admission but we elected not to take them. We knew what we wanted to see.
We had not encountered crowds like we did that day in Westminster Abbey. With most people listening to the audioguides, everyone was following the same route, in the same direction and at the same pace. Of course, each stopped at the same spots being highlighted in the audioguide. We were pushed along with the crowd. There seemed to be no deviating from its path. And then there were the tour guides who stood in front of key places with groups. We couldn't even get close to see. Our visit was neither pleasant nor enjoyable and it was a relief it was to escape this place! Perhaps a timed-entry system would help manage the crowds and make for a more pleasant visit.
I bought a sweater at the <b>House of Fraser</b>, a department store we passed by earlier. I received a mile-long receipt to submit for a tax refund if I was going to do more shopping in the store. I was not!
We had a quick lunch at <b>La Bottega</b>, a deli/bakery which was just down the street from the Lime Tree. My salad & DH's pasta were actually quite good! Looked like a nice spot for coffee.
More to come ...
Oct 30th, 2012, 02:07 PM
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Hi jane1144,
I agree that Vimy was awesome!!! The memorial and the setting were absolutely breath-taking.
Have you read <i>The Stone Carvers</i> by Jane Urquhart? I read it before our first visit to Vimy. I'm thinking it might be worth reading again now that I've seen the memorial.
I agree that Vimy was awesome!!! The memorial and the setting were absolutely breath-taking.
Have you read <i>The Stone Carvers</i> by Jane Urquhart? I read it before our first visit to Vimy. I'm thinking it might be worth reading again now that I've seen the memorial.
Oct 30th, 2012, 02:34 PM
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Saturday, September 29th continued ...
We attended the 4:00 pm matinee of <b>Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap</b> at <b>St Martin's Theatre</b>. It's the 60th (Diamond) anniversary of the stage play and it is still as popular as ever! It's classic Agatha Christie. Brilliantly acted. We were hooked right from the beginning as any good mystery will do! We enjoyed it thoroughly! Alas, the audience was sworn to secrecy so that is all I can divulge! If you want to know more, you'll just have to see it yourself! ;-)
It didn't take us long to get to South Kensington via the underground. We had a dinner reservation at <b>Shikara</b> (21 Bute Street), an Indian restaurant. Although we arrived early, we received a warm welcome. Instinctively, we knew that we were in for a treat! While we waited for our dinner, we nibbled on papadum with four tasty dips. Then came the main meal: lamb with garlic, butter chicken, cauliflower + potato, butternut squash with ginger & other spices and basmati rice. DH ordered a chilled rose wine that went perfectly with our flavourful meal. Dinner and the wine were very good!
It was a beautiful evening! After sitting in the theatre and eating a big meal, it was nice to be walking home!
We attended the 4:00 pm matinee of <b>Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap</b> at <b>St Martin's Theatre</b>. It's the 60th (Diamond) anniversary of the stage play and it is still as popular as ever! It's classic Agatha Christie. Brilliantly acted. We were hooked right from the beginning as any good mystery will do! We enjoyed it thoroughly! Alas, the audience was sworn to secrecy so that is all I can divulge! If you want to know more, you'll just have to see it yourself! ;-)
It didn't take us long to get to South Kensington via the underground. We had a dinner reservation at <b>Shikara</b> (21 Bute Street), an Indian restaurant. Although we arrived early, we received a warm welcome. Instinctively, we knew that we were in for a treat! While we waited for our dinner, we nibbled on papadum with four tasty dips. Then came the main meal: lamb with garlic, butter chicken, cauliflower + potato, butternut squash with ginger & other spices and basmati rice. DH ordered a chilled rose wine that went perfectly with our flavourful meal. Dinner and the wine were very good!
It was a beautiful evening! After sitting in the theatre and eating a big meal, it was nice to be walking home!
Oct 30th, 2012, 03:40 PM
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Sunday, September 30th
I wore my new sweater under my jacket and wrapped a scarf around my neck. I was going to be cozy warm for our day at <b>Kew Royal Botanical Gardens</b>.
There was a partical closure of the underground for maintanence today. So, our trip to Kew required a couple of connections instead of one direct train from Sloane Square Station.
Kew Garden covers 300 acres and is more park-like than garden. It's a place to wander, to marvel at nature's beauty and man's ability to put together such marvelous collections of plants & trees. It's also a place for people to sit quietly on benches facing a lovely garden and for families to be together having a picnic or out for a walk. There were art installations by <b>David Nash</b> placed throughout the gardens providing another, sometimes contrasting visual element.
Here are some highlights of what we saw:
... <b>Palm House</b> which holds exotic tropical palms. When we entered, our spectacles & camera lense steamed up because of the humidity!
... <b>Temperate House</b> which is the largest surviving Victorian glasshouse. It houses semi-hardy and temperate plants.
... <b>Water Lily House</b> is the hottest & most humid glasshouse. The water lilies were gorgeous.
... <b>Palm House Parterre</b> was filled with flowers of orange, yellow & purple. Beautiful colours! I would love to have a miniature version in my front yard!
... <b>Syon Vista</b> lined with enormous trees
... <b>Japanese Gateway</b> with the formal gardens in front
... <b>Pagoda Vista</b>
... <b>Mediterranean Garden</b> and the charming small house that overlooked the garden
... <b>Redwood Grove</b> that made us feel very small when we stood amongst the trees!
We thought of all our gardening friends and those who are into photography. They should have been here, too!
Tonight, for a change of pace, we went to <b>Wagamama</b> (Cardinal Place, roof garden level off Victoria Street) for dinner. A salad, yaki udon, tendon + beer actually hit the spot!
Early evening. Busy day planned for tomorrow.
I wore my new sweater under my jacket and wrapped a scarf around my neck. I was going to be cozy warm for our day at <b>Kew Royal Botanical Gardens</b>.
There was a partical closure of the underground for maintanence today. So, our trip to Kew required a couple of connections instead of one direct train from Sloane Square Station.
Kew Garden covers 300 acres and is more park-like than garden. It's a place to wander, to marvel at nature's beauty and man's ability to put together such marvelous collections of plants & trees. It's also a place for people to sit quietly on benches facing a lovely garden and for families to be together having a picnic or out for a walk. There were art installations by <b>David Nash</b> placed throughout the gardens providing another, sometimes contrasting visual element.
Here are some highlights of what we saw:
... <b>Palm House</b> which holds exotic tropical palms. When we entered, our spectacles & camera lense steamed up because of the humidity!
... <b>Temperate House</b> which is the largest surviving Victorian glasshouse. It houses semi-hardy and temperate plants.
... <b>Water Lily House</b> is the hottest & most humid glasshouse. The water lilies were gorgeous.
... <b>Palm House Parterre</b> was filled with flowers of orange, yellow & purple. Beautiful colours! I would love to have a miniature version in my front yard!
... <b>Syon Vista</b> lined with enormous trees
... <b>Japanese Gateway</b> with the formal gardens in front
... <b>Pagoda Vista</b>
... <b>Mediterranean Garden</b> and the charming small house that overlooked the garden
... <b>Redwood Grove</b> that made us feel very small when we stood amongst the trees!
We thought of all our gardening friends and those who are into photography. They should have been here, too!
Tonight, for a change of pace, we went to <b>Wagamama</b> (Cardinal Place, roof garden level off Victoria Street) for dinner. A salad, yaki udon, tendon + beer actually hit the spot!
Early evening. Busy day planned for tomorrow.
Oct 31st, 2012, 05:49 AM
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I am back(power outage courtesy of Sandy) following your wonderful report.
Thanks for taking the time to compliment the teacher. It always feels good to know that your work is appreciated and that your students are living up to your expectations. I was always glad to be able to tell my students that their good behavior was noted and commented on. I think that it helped keep them on their best behavior for the next outing.
I remember seeing "Mousetrap" 43 years ago and being pledged to secrecy then. I would enjoy seeing it again, so I am glad to know that it still fascinates and gives pleasure.
Thanks for taking the time to compliment the teacher. It always feels good to know that your work is appreciated and that your students are living up to your expectations. I was always glad to be able to tell my students that their good behavior was noted and commented on. I think that it helped keep them on their best behavior for the next outing.
I remember seeing "Mousetrap" 43 years ago and being pledged to secrecy then. I would enjoy seeing it again, so I am glad to know that it still fascinates and gives pleasure.
Oct 31st, 2012, 12:32 PM
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Monday, October 1st
Rainy day ... good day for museums!
We first visited the <b>British Library</b> when it was located in the circular British Museum Reading Room (1996). The following year it moved to its current location at St Pancras. We viewed its treasures in the Sir John Ritblat Gallery - beautifully displayed and organized. Highlights: literature - Jane Austen, Wordsworth; music - Elgar, Beethoven, The Beatles; science - botanical paintings; and religion - Gutenburg Bible, St Cuthbert's story. It was all very impressive!
Next, we took the underground to <b>St Paul's Cathedral</b>. Christopher Wren's design was visually appealing, especially the interior where it felt open, spacious, simple & bright. With the exception of the stained-glass in the American Memorial chapel, all the windows are clear. There is a beautiful dome. The altar piece is reminiscent of Bernini's altar in St Peter's Basilica in Rome, only smaller. There are monuments, statues, tombs & plaques throughout the cathedral to see. Several groups formed a long queue to climb up to the Whispering Gallery (257 steps), the Stone Gallery (376 steps) or the Golden Gallery (528 steps). We decided not to go up.
Instead, we went down ... down to the Crypt Cafe where we had surprisingly good plates of mac & cheese!
The rain let up to a fine drizzle. We walked to the <b>Millennium Bridge</b> and crossed over it. In one direction, we saw the Tower Bridge & the City Hall and the Tate Modern at the south end of the bridge.
It may be because we are nearing the end of our holiday but I seem to get quite tired by mid-afternoon. Time to head back to the Lime Tree. Time for a rest.
We walked over to <b>The Thomas Cubitt</b> (44 Elizabeth Street) to have an early dinner in the pub. It was no problem to get a table at 6:00 pm. DH ordered an Adams pint served at room temperature. Later, he switched to a London Lager. It came chilled - much better! I had burger & chips and DH had lamb shanks + a side of kale. For dessert, we shared a most delicious bread & butter apricot pudding! This was no ordinary 'pub grub'. This was 'gastro-pub' grub! Liked the food! Enjoyed the lively atmosphere!
We took a short walk down Ebury Street to Pimlico. It looked like a pretty shopping street.
Rainy day ... good day for museums!
We first visited the <b>British Library</b> when it was located in the circular British Museum Reading Room (1996). The following year it moved to its current location at St Pancras. We viewed its treasures in the Sir John Ritblat Gallery - beautifully displayed and organized. Highlights: literature - Jane Austen, Wordsworth; music - Elgar, Beethoven, The Beatles; science - botanical paintings; and religion - Gutenburg Bible, St Cuthbert's story. It was all very impressive!
Next, we took the underground to <b>St Paul's Cathedral</b>. Christopher Wren's design was visually appealing, especially the interior where it felt open, spacious, simple & bright. With the exception of the stained-glass in the American Memorial chapel, all the windows are clear. There is a beautiful dome. The altar piece is reminiscent of Bernini's altar in St Peter's Basilica in Rome, only smaller. There are monuments, statues, tombs & plaques throughout the cathedral to see. Several groups formed a long queue to climb up to the Whispering Gallery (257 steps), the Stone Gallery (376 steps) or the Golden Gallery (528 steps). We decided not to go up.
Instead, we went down ... down to the Crypt Cafe where we had surprisingly good plates of mac & cheese!
The rain let up to a fine drizzle. We walked to the <b>Millennium Bridge</b> and crossed over it. In one direction, we saw the Tower Bridge & the City Hall and the Tate Modern at the south end of the bridge.
It may be because we are nearing the end of our holiday but I seem to get quite tired by mid-afternoon. Time to head back to the Lime Tree. Time for a rest.
We walked over to <b>The Thomas Cubitt</b> (44 Elizabeth Street) to have an early dinner in the pub. It was no problem to get a table at 6:00 pm. DH ordered an Adams pint served at room temperature. Later, he switched to a London Lager. It came chilled - much better! I had burger & chips and DH had lamb shanks + a side of kale. For dessert, we shared a most delicious bread & butter apricot pudding! This was no ordinary 'pub grub'. This was 'gastro-pub' grub! Liked the food! Enjoyed the lively atmosphere!
We took a short walk down Ebury Street to Pimlico. It looked like a pretty shopping street.
Nov 1st, 2012, 08:58 AM
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Tuesday, October 2nd
For the first time, we traveled with our laptop. We had wifi in our Paris apartment & each hotel we stayed. It was handy for checking schedules, for searching information about various sights and for looking at up-coming weather forecasts. Although yesterday was rainy, it was predicted to be cool but dry today for our walk to Green Park and St James' Park.
In June, DH & I watched a TV news broadcast about the unveiling of a memorial to 55,573 men of the RAF Bomber Command who gave their lives in WW2. The memorial was in <b>Green Park</b> and we would have an opportunity to see it. Men whose average age was 22 served voluntarily knowing that they faced odds worse than any other Allied unit. Because thousands of civilians were killed as a result of their participation against the Nazis, there was controversy about recognizing the Bomber Command's contribution to the fight. But at last, these brave men were given the recognition they deserved. This fitting memorial depicts a bomber crew in bronze. On the stone base is written: <i>Freedom is the sure possession of those who have the courage to defend it. Pericles</i>
From far away, we caught a glimpse of the changing of the guard at <b>Buckingham Palace</b>. We could just see the two lines of red coats march towards the palace gates! We crossed the Mall and walked through the lovely <b>St James' Park</b>.
We stopped for an early lunch of paninis + chips. On our walk back to the hotel, we passed <b>Big Ben</b> and the <b>Houses of Parliament</b>. What a pleasant day it turned out to be!
Stay tuned for more ...
For the first time, we traveled with our laptop. We had wifi in our Paris apartment & each hotel we stayed. It was handy for checking schedules, for searching information about various sights and for looking at up-coming weather forecasts. Although yesterday was rainy, it was predicted to be cool but dry today for our walk to Green Park and St James' Park.
In June, DH & I watched a TV news broadcast about the unveiling of a memorial to 55,573 men of the RAF Bomber Command who gave their lives in WW2. The memorial was in <b>Green Park</b> and we would have an opportunity to see it. Men whose average age was 22 served voluntarily knowing that they faced odds worse than any other Allied unit. Because thousands of civilians were killed as a result of their participation against the Nazis, there was controversy about recognizing the Bomber Command's contribution to the fight. But at last, these brave men were given the recognition they deserved. This fitting memorial depicts a bomber crew in bronze. On the stone base is written: <i>Freedom is the sure possession of those who have the courage to defend it. Pericles</i>
From far away, we caught a glimpse of the changing of the guard at <b>Buckingham Palace</b>. We could just see the two lines of red coats march towards the palace gates! We crossed the Mall and walked through the lovely <b>St James' Park</b>.
We stopped for an early lunch of paninis + chips. On our walk back to the hotel, we passed <b>Big Ben</b> and the <b>Houses of Parliament</b>. What a pleasant day it turned out to be!
Stay tuned for more ...
