Seetheworld's Trip Report: Highlights of London & Portugal - Including One very HOT day in Seville, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in Cambridge, and a Bout with Homesickness
 

O-) Although the cobwebs have not entirely left my brain, I will attempt to begin my report before &quot;life&quot;” gets in the way. I wish to express my (ours really, as Mr. STW has come to know Fodorites as very helpful travelers) thankfulness to all the people who have written previous trip reports and answered my various queries. Of course I also send hugs and kisses to my Fodor Friends who gave their support during a couple of hairy moments during the planning of this trip <i>Thank you! </i> :-x :-x

While the guidebooks were helpful, they could never replace the first-hand information received on this forum. Cheers to you all! ((d))

In order to keep this report readable, I will try to organize information as neatly as possible by city. First some general information…

<b>BACKGROUND INFORMATION:</b>

Originally this was to be a family trip, but as life would have it, it turned out a bit differently. Mr. STW and I settled for an adventure for just the two of us. Amazingly we had a fabulous time and are still on speaking terms, lol. ;) England is not foreign to us, but our trip to Portugal was a first. This created not only excitement, but a little angst – however, that did not last long. ((l))

<b>TRAVEL RESOURCES:</b>

<i>London:</i>
DK Eyewitness Travel Guide – London
Streetwise London Map
TimeOut London 2006/07

<i>Portugal:</i>
Fodor’s Exploring Portugal
DK Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides – Top 10 Algarve
DK Eyewitness Travel Guides - Portuguese Phrase Book &amp; CD
Map of the Algarve (borrowed from BIL)

...more to come...

I’m hoping that the sugar boost from the liquorice Allsorts will enable me to wake up and continue. Ahhh, I love Bassett’s Allsorts – I picked up a huge 900g box at Heathrow. I hope I finish this report before I finish the box, LOL…. :-d

<b>Off to London…July 11th – July 15th 2006</b>

<b>FLIGHT INFORMATION:</b>
NYC, JFK to London, Heathrow
British Airways

Since we did not know if our sons would be able to go with us, we pretty much booked our flights the last possible moment. So there were no special deals to be had. In fact, I gently twisted my DH’s arm (well actually I promised him wild passion during the trip) and convinced him that since we were only purchasing two tickets instead of four that we should splurge and travel BA’s World Traveller Plus (at an additional $200 per ticket). :-&quot;It was well worth every penny. The service was wonderful – free drinks and lots of food. However, it was difficult to enjoy eating so late at night, well for some of us at least.

Our flight was to depart at 10:30 p.m. Over the course of the week prior to our trip, I had been tracking our particular flight only to discover that it did not have a very good on-time departure record. Our flight was no exception. We departed about 1 or so hours late, but since we were in the BA lounge we just took the time to stretch our legs and rest. It didn’t hurt that there were plenty of snacks to keep us occupied, which is probably why I wasn’t hungry.

Time passes so slowly...((O))

Why is it that some people can sleep during flights and I cannot? :-? Of course this is purely a rhetorical question.

My DH, as usual, was sound asleep before we took off – I loathed him and poked at him a few times just for good measure (I can be an evil person, on occasion &gt;:-) ). I was told to go to sleep. I donned my sleep mask and tried very hard, all the while thinking that this must be what it feels like when you tell your toddler to go to the bathroom before a car trip and they cry &quot;I can’t!&quot; Well I couldn’t…..that is until somewhere around 3am I started to fade...until the man next to me started to make a commotion. Yes, that man was my husband! =-O

I look up at him and noticed that something was not right. :-B Ahh, he wasn’t wearing his glasses! <i>Hmmm, where are they?? =-oYikes! Don’t move! Too late! </i> Yes, sadly, he stepped on them. Well, this is when you realize that no matter how much room you think you have on a plane, it is never enough! Mind you now that my husband is blind as a bat and it was necessary to retrieve the glasses from the floor (hoping that the damage was minimal and hoping not to inflict more). The little light had to go on (I hang my head in shame) and we found them – the frame came apart and the lenses popped out so he couldn’t wear them. Luckily he packed another pair in the overhead.

I was *this* close to getting some sleep, but it was not meant to be. I will seek revenge, you can be sure! :((

Can't wait to hear more. I'm so excited I don't think I can sleep tonight!! :-d

Hi stw,

I confess, your title hooked me! Great job on that one :-) Also love your writing style and I can't wait to read more! I never get any sleep on planes either... something always interferes :-((

seetheworld, I'm already loving your trip report. And Portugal is on my (very long) list of places I really want to visit so I'm looking forward to the rest!

Tracy

<b>AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION:</b>

Just Airports Chauffeur Service

Because of our luggage, we decided against taking the Tube. We booked a car (online) through justairports.com. We requested an Estate vehicle which came to 31&pound; (cash) to take us to the Ritz London on Piccadilly.

We made it through immigration with remarkable speed. When we arrived at the terminal, the driver was not present. After waiting for 10 minutes, we called the dispatch who stated that the driver would be there shortly. We waited about 20 minutes in total. The driver was young, short on patience, enjoyed tailgating and throwing his arms in the air...often. Welcome to England! :D

As we approached the hotel location, the driver did not know where to drop us off. He stopped in what appeared to be the front of the Ritz where the Rivoli Bar is located on Piccadilly, but could not let us off. At this time, he took out his roadmap and took a glance. This is where the fun begins. He proceeded down Piccadilly trying to circle around to the main entrance (the side street - name escapes me for now), but his efforts were always halted by one-way streets. Traffic on Piccadilly did not help matters – stop and go, stop and go. We did this three times before he finally figured the proper way. This added an additional 30 minutes to our journey. Worse yet, I started to feel a bit green in the face from going ‘round and ‘round. :&amp; My husband still gave him a tip, which the driver refused to accept – we thought that was decent of him.

As hard as I tried, it was near impossible to walk into the Ritz feeling daisy fresh, but thankfully I did not &quot;lose my cookies&quot;, as the saying goes lol.

<b>HOTEL ACCOMODATIONS:</b>

The Ritz London in Piccadilly - 5 Stars
190,000 American Express Points for 3 Nights
Nearest Tube Station: Green Park

Only one word to describe the Ritz…Posh...make that two words...<i>Very Posh</i>. We booked a Superior King Room and were pleasantly surprised with an upgrade to a King Executive Room (quietest room we have ever been in). ((S))

We were escorted to our room by the reservationist who subtlety mentioned that there was a dress code in the formal areas of the hotel. Not to worry, we were well prepared! (they are certain to send you emails stating this as well) I love to dress up and because my DH loves me, he does too (wink, wink). But I will confess, more than three nights would become a bit of a bore, okay...who am I kidding! This was a splurge of points and a very pampering experience. We would do it again, truly. ((f))

Entering the room there is a hallway – extremely large and used to store our luggage. Off the hallway is an enormous bathroom – quite surprising actually. The walls and floors covered with marble, lots of beautiful lighting and comfy warm towels. We find a wonderful soaking tub as well as a shower (a little small but amazing water pressure). Of course the room d&eacute;cor was ornate, beautiful colors and fabrics, antique furniture, 24-carat gold leaf throughout the room – stunning and very British.

Although I was “dead on my feet”, I was able to manage my usual little happy dance. \:D/ We had arrived! We showered, unpacked our “London” suitcase and headed out to Fortnum and Mason for tea...this would become one of my favorite places to visit. :)

Next up...Jetlag and its evil twin...

YIKES, circling the block added 30 minutes to the trip? :-O Thank God it was a flat fee and no meter was running.

I'm glad there was plenty of room to store your luggage. It's possible that they saw your luggage and decided you needed that bigger room. What an ingenious plan!! Hi 5!! =;

WOW, your room sounds amazing! Good for you for pampering yourself (and for writing it about it so the rest of us can enjoy it too :-)) ).

Hi there STW, I have been waiting for your trip report. Feeling &quot;green&quot; is not fun! But having an upgraded room is priceless. More please..

P_M, yes 30 minutes, can you believe it?! Another go around and I would have jumped out the car window, LOL. And regarding the room...I think I said to my DH &quot;Lookie here a little room for all our luggage, how thoughtful!&quot; I just love when things work out. :D

TexasAggie, glad you are enjoying! I will try not to get too wordy -- can't make any promises though. :D

Tracy, I can't wait to write about Portugal! It's truly an amazing place.

Hi LoveItaly! I think you know by now that I turn green very easily, lol. Driving in England is challenging enough (we didn't have to drive ourselves this trip), but being driven around by others is an experience all its own. Speed is the name of the game! :-o

What could be nicer than having a posh room at the Ritz waiting for you at the end of a long trip--sweet! Great report, STW! And I love that you included reference material! Look foward to reading more...

stw~ you ARE my lost twin, even the way you relate to Mr. stw! Can't wait to read more. do tell..

Hey stw, I wrote you a lovely poem on your shameless plug thread. :-D

Is it OK for me to post a shameless for plug for your shameless plug? :-?

PM, you are poetic. :)

My oh my, is there a cure for jetlag people??? I was ready to fall asleep at 4pm, now I'm wide awake! Where's that darn sleep mask?

Wow, the Ritz....ahhh...maybe someday :)

Keep typing, STW and I'll keep reading.

Interesting report. Great thought to use AmEx points for the lodging, as they sure are hard to use for airfare - especially on that last minute type travel.

LOL, my pace for writing this report will most likely resemble the pace of our trip – slow and steady! We kept very late nights (never changed my watch from NY time, tsk, tsk) and had late starts in the morning. It would have been very easy to complain about all the things we did not see, or the time we lost by resting here or there, but instead we decided to peacefully enjoy the things we could.

<b>FORTNUM &amp; MASON</b> – www.fortnumandmason.com
St. James Restaurant (4th floor)
180 Piccadilly
London

Thinking ahead and realizing that we would both probably be famished, I booked a 3pm reservation at F&amp;M on OpenTable.com. As hard as I tried, I could not get a reservation at the Ritz for afternoon tea. I procrastinated too long, not believing their website - indeed they were booking 4-6 weeks out. However, I read very nice things about F&amp;M here, so I wasn’t too concerned.

I will admit, it was quite a chore to drag our tired bodies down the street for tea, but we did. My DH was in better shape than I was as I had already been a bit under the weather and in my mind I was thinking a nap would be a good idea.

I was surprised to discover that F&amp;M was relatively empty and that the reservation was most likely unnecessary. John and I both ordered the Classic tea selection (24&pound;)without the champagne and were both pleased. I could have just scoped the clotted cream up with a spoon …in fact I think I did! The chamomile tea was very soothing and I was glad to see my DH enjoy the tea sandwiches. An hour later we both walked away very full...and tired. Shopping would have to wait for another time.

We headed back to the hotel and decided that we would no longer fight our sleepiness – we took a nap. We set the alarm for 6:30pm but were awaken by sister at around 5:30, laughing at us for taking a nap. It was a short nap, but boy it was the best nap I ever had!!

We decided to get the blood flowing again and took a walk to Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, and then to Piccadilly Circus. It didn’t take long to get our bearings. It was such a lovely stroll and the added daylight in the evening gave us a full day.

Shortly after 9pm, our mobile phone rang...it was our youngest son, sounding upset. Apparently (and this was later confirmed) a F2 tornado came through parts of our area back home, an extremely unusual occurrence – the roads were closed because of down trees and power lines and he was having difficulty maneuvering through the area. Thankfully he found our home in order, but it was unsettling to all of us. He would call a couple more times that evening. It’s nice to know that as parents we were missed. But it makes you feel so very far away. :-&lt;

I think after the call our adrenaline took over, we were no longer tired. So we continued walking and were getting hungry… it was now 10:30pm and thought we would backtrack to a pub we saw along our walk, but found they were closing. So we headed to the Meridian Hotel on Piccadilly and ordered dinner. The restaurant was very nice, empty for that hour. We both started with salads and sparkling water, John had cheeks of monkfish, which he raved about and I had saffron risotto which was very tasty. I believe our bill came to 45&pound;.

Headed back to the Ritz to make a few phone calls and called it an evening. This concludes our very, very long first day in London!

From this point on or until we reach Portugal, I will write only highlights (with some impressions) of our activities and restaurants and spare you every detail. You’ll thank me, I’m sure, lol. :D

seetheworld:

Enjoying your clear and easy to read trip report.

Looking forward to more.

Sandy

Enjoying your report, STW! Looking forward to more. :) Sounds like you had a great time.

:) Thanks for your kind words. I hope to be able to post more tomorrow. It was such a great trip.

noe, we haven't &quot;paid&quot; for hotel accomodations for a very long time. Using Amex points has covered our hotel quite nicely in the past. Everytime I'm ready to complain about my DH's business travel, I remind myself of this perk, lol.

<b>DAY TWO….</b>

<b>BREAKFAST </b>(a bit late in the morning and held us over ‘til dinner. I did mention that we had late starts to the day, didn't I? :D)

We’re not big breakfast eaters, so we headed a couple of blocks on Piccadilly to a French pastry shop. The coffee was very strong, but the chamomile tea was perfect. We picked up a couple of raisin buns and ate them in our room.

<b>THE BRITISH MUSEUM</b>
Holburn Station Tube

During the planning stages of our trip, I posed the question about London museums…“If you had to pick only one to visit…” and received a variety of response from Fodorites. Initially I thought we would end up doing the “Trifecta”, but in actuality we ended up at the British Museum. Wow, what a fabulous space!

We spent most of our time viewing the collections in Egypt, Greece, and the Americas. I was in awe of the Rosetta Stone (and picked up a 1000 piece puzzle in the gift shop so that I could drive the oldest son insane whilst trying to put it together). We also spent time in the Reading Room – Saying that I am naturally drawn to the social sciences is an understatement, I found the collection immediately (a bit of a bore for my DH, but he indulges me). A few hours at this museum can never do it justice.

In July, as an added bonus (and I mean this in a good way), many school children were visiting the museum – they added to the excitement (and memories of my own children when young) as they ran about. :)

<b>DAY TWO CONTINUED...(sorry, had to break it up to fit)</b>

<b>WINE BAR </b>
(I don’t know where this was located)

We met up with our S&amp;BIL before we headed to the theatre. Reunions are so nice, aren’t they? We popped in to this Wine bar - There must be more to the name of this place, although I did not pay close attention as we walked in. I think my BIL mentioned that it was part of a chain, not really certain at this point. But the bar was located close to the Victoria Palace Theatre, so we stepped in for pre-dinner drinks. Well, no one had wine…the fellows had beer and we gals had Pimms – one must always pace themselves when hot and thirsty since you never feel a Pimms until you stand up! :d The place was packed and very smoky (I’m glad we didn’t eat there) – I tried to hold my breath the entire time, lol. I understand that a no-smoking ban will soon be in effect (good).

<b>THE SPAGHETTI HOUSE </b>(chain)
Bressenden Place

This is a very casual place to eat. When we were seated it was early and rather empty, but as we left it was filled. The food (more beer and wine) was decent and tasty and the conversation was delightful. My BIL gave us a synopsis of the time and setting in which the play Billy Elliot took place – we would later find that discussion to be very helpful. We parted ways and headed to the theatre…

<b>BILLY ELLIOT</b> – Victoria Palace Theatre
Victoria Station Tube

I ordered tickets online and had them mailed to us back in the states. We were lucky to get great seats in the Stalls (orchestra). We both loved this play; it was entertaining and touching. The children were especially talented. There was quite a bit of language -- I will say that when the British use the “F” word, it sounds so much more dignified! My BIL kept telling us during dinner that we would cry. I did, twice. ((u))

I recall reading something about whether this play should move to Broadway. It is a British story, so an understanding of the era in which it takes place (as well as English slang/vocabulary) is really a necessary prerequisite for full enjoyment, IMO. I would be surprised to see this show move to the U.S. But if it did, I would highly recommend it!

Some may not be aware, but you must purchase your 'playbill' in London theatres. They are really more like full-size magazines. Also, and this was very surprising, people eat during the show as if they are watching television. =-o In fact, during intermission, they sell ice cream to bring back to your seat. All empty wrappers and cups are left on the floor as we do at the ballpark back in the states. Since this was my fist time in London theatre, I’m not certain if this is typical or just a very sloppy crowd.

<b>RIVOLI BAR</b> – Ritz London
The bar closes at 1am for hotel guests

After the show, we rode the Tube back to Green Park and headed to the Rivoli Bar. Yes it’s true that there is a strict dress code in order to gain access beyond the lobby and through the golden doors, lol. Not to worry, we were prepared. The bar is quite lovely and relaxing; however the bartender was quite “dry”. Since I had reached my “limit”, I had a couple delightfully tart citrus spritzers which the bartender recommended and my husband had a couple more beers. A great assortment of nuts (with loads of pistachios) and crisps were nibbled on. I really had a craving for chocolate cake, but the kitchen was only available for room service. In all the years I have known my husband, I have never seen him have 4 beers in one evening. He must have really wanted to be on vacation fast…we closed the bar and I hoisted my DH over my shoulder and carried him back to the room to have my way with him… 8}

Hi dear sweet STW ((C))

I am SO enjoying this and HAD to stop while reading it to tell you hello and welcome home.

K, I am going to go back up now...
:S-

<b>DAY THREE</b>…Another delightful day weather-wise…blue skies and hot, perfect for a river cruise…It is on this day that I am beginning to think that not moving my watch ahead was a very big mistake. I-|

<b>THAMES RIVER CRUISE TO GREENWICH</b>
Departs at Westminster (single or return) to Greenwich Pier
Single trip 7&pound; per ticket from City Cruises

We purchased tickets for the noon trip and immediately
queued up to board and embark on our cruise to Greenwich to visit the grounds of the Royal Observatory and the Prime Meridian. We decided, thanks to the good folks on Fodors, to only take the boat one way and return using the Docklands Light Railway. Seemed simple enough.

Once settled on the boat, we headed to the pier near the London Eye to pick up more passengers. We seemed to be sitting there a very long time, when finally the captain came on to tell us the river was closed! <i>Huh?! </i> Yes, closed. It seems that there was a <b><i>scull race</i></b> on the river. The captain lied when he said we would only be waiting 10 minutes! :-? My DH was annoyed…he felt that there is no way that this could have been just an abrupt closure of the river – he swore the cruise operator must have known it was going to happen. In a way I could see his point, we would have taken a later boat and continued touring. Truthfully, I was tired and didn’t mind sitting on the boat – but we did sit for an hour, just waiting. [(

Finally!! The first scull approached! Along side of the oarsman was a motorboat filled with people dressed in all their finery and an Admiral (or someone dress like an Admiral) standing very stoic. It was truly a sight to behold, lol. Then quickly, the second scull, followed by his entourage of similarly clad folks. Lastly, after a bit of a wait (well, let’s just call it for what it really was…a <i>loooong</i> wait), the third and final scull came into sight…he was waaaay back, poor chap! I don’t know why, but this poor fellow only had a couple of people (wearing shorts) in a rubber raft…a dingy. I immediately felt the need to cheer on this underdog and I whooped it up for him. =D&gt; Heck, I wanted him to finish so we could get on our way!

The cruise itself was pleasant enough. It was a great opportunity to take photos, particularly of the London and Tower Bridges. The skyline of Canary Wharf and the Gherkin were interesting. Near the end of our river journey, there was a ship docked with a helicopter on board. Apparently the Queen, (her flag was hoisted) earlier that morning, was making a speech at the Royal Observatory.

So, here we are at Greenwich…it was packed, which was sort of a surprise. I failed to mention that we did not eat breakfast and we were both now very hungry…and cranky (Mr. STW really did not like the boat trip)….so we searched for a spot to eat. ((X)) ...((Z))...

<b>THE BIGGIEST RIP-OFF OF OUR ENTIRE TRIP…</b>

Green Village Restaurant (Greenwich)

This is definitely one of those “avoid at all costs” places…only wish I knew it before we sat down and ordered.

Actually, it wasn’t our first stop. We seated ourselves at a decent looking pub, only to find out that there was only 1 cook and 15 people ahead of us, just to place their orders (estimated time 45 minutes until someone could TAKE our order)…so we moved on, ugh. Is Greenwich always this crowded?

Anyway, the sign on the window of Green Village said “authentic pub food” – a term that was used very loosely indeed. [-X

I’ll cut to the chase, since there is nothing to really say about this place other than “Don’t go!” – the fish and chips were not fit to feed my cat ((@))(well I don’t have a cat), but you get the picture. The bottled sparkling water cost more than the water at Gordon Ramsay – says tourist trap, no? The real kicker was the self-imposed 20% tip (seating charge that was nowhere to be found on the menu). Laughable, but we paid and left.

On this particular day, large tour groups were visiting the Prime Meridian. One person in each group required the other nineteen from the group to snap their picture. Waiting in a “line” was useless. So for us, trying to take pictures of each other was like a game of “Frogger” gone bad (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frogger). We jumped in and then high-tailed it out of there, lol.

The park and grounds were lovely and the view, overlooking Canary Wharf as well as the Thames, were incredible. But we had had enough so we made our way back to the hotel.

<i>Next, our dining experience at Gordon Ramsay’s…</i>

Fantastic trip report, STW! I feel like I was there. Can't wait to read the rest!

Oh yes, this is fun to read!! Do get on with it!

C'mon STW, why, why, why do you make us wait????????????

I'm enjoying your trip report very much! Thanks for writing. Sigh. The Ritz sounds wonderful! :)

Gee whiz, you'd think you guys were paying me or something! ;)

Actually my DH and I were having an interesting dicussion about our dining experience at Gordon Ramsay -- let's say a difference of opinion.

Will post more soon...

stw: Well, of course we're paying you ...in compliments that is!:))

Well, I took a break from writing to try and upload some of my pictures.

Since this process is new to me, it's taking a bit of time, lol. Anyway, here's the link to my &quot;Worldisround&quot; page with photos of the Ritz London.

http://tinyurl.com/qdmrl


If you check them out, please let me know if the link works. Thanks!

OSB, compliments are always nice, but money buys the beer, LOL. :D :S-

The link works. Great pictures! I'm so jealous! Let's see, the Country Hearth Inn and Suites in Bloomington, IN or the Ritz in London...which would I choose?! :-d

Lovely pix STW, I love the coloring of your suite.
:)

Lovely photos indeed STW! I would have dived into that beautiful bed and not come out of it until the next morning.

BTW, the chairs in the room..I have the exact same chair..made in Florence. Exactly the same STW except for the upholstery. Now isn't that an interesting fact, LOL.

People eating in the theater during the play..how odd. Hope Neo or someone can tell us if this is typical.

I can hardly wait for the next installment, love your style of writing, your report is very entertaining.

&quot;this was very surprising, people eat during the show as if they are watching television&quot;

Why wouldn't they? Actually, I've never seen anyone in the Theatre Royal eating a reheated pizza (though I've grabbed a falaffel in pita or an M+S chicken wrap and guzzled it in theatres reasonably often if that's what the evening timetable dictated). But why on earth are you surprised?

They're theatres, for heaven's sake. Not churches.

flanneruk ~

Because in American theaters (not movie, obviously) food and drink are prohibited. Strongly.

LOL, Caph! :)

Tiff, it was a very calming room. I enjoyed it immensely.

LoveItaly, yes, that is interesting. There was also a very comfy chair and table next to the bar, but that picture didn't turn out well (too dark). But the seating was generous and enjoyable.

flanneruk:

As Chele60 so correctly stated, eating and drinking in the U.S. theatre is prohibited. In fact, there have been several threads on the U.S. forum complaining of the eating that takes at the theatre, particularly candy wrapper noises, etc. So I was surprised!

I had a chat with one of my sons, who has been to London theatre, and he jokingly thought that one must pay for the playbill so that there is additional revenue to clean the place after every performance. Maybe there is some truth to that... ;)