TR: solo again in London and Wales - more art, history, & literature
Aug 1st, 2013, 05:21 PM
#143
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Still here too.
It is terrible about Adele.
I remember on our first trip my son got food poisoning and we ended up at University Hospital with him. The doctor said it was good that we brought him in in order to rule out possible appendicitis. Yuk. No fun getting sick and especially when you are so far from home.
It is terrible about Adele.
I remember on our first trip my son got food poisoning and we ended up at University Hospital with him. The doctor said it was good that we brought him in in order to rule out possible appendicitis. Yuk. No fun getting sick and especially when you are so far from home.
Aug 1st, 2013, 06:11 PM
#144
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Janisj, Elendipickle, Ckiskie, wow, you are good sports. Never though this TR would be so long! Thanks.
Europeannovice, thanks for checking in. Yes, that was unfortunate about Adele. When she told me about their itinerary that day in Bath, I thought it was a bit much – two coach tours followed by a cruise. I did email Dave but have not received a reply.
That must have been doubly distressing when your son was ill abroad.
Europeannovice, thanks for checking in. Yes, that was unfortunate about Adele. When she told me about their itinerary that day in Bath, I thought it was a bit much – two coach tours followed by a cruise. I did email Dave but have not received a reply.
That must have been doubly distressing when your son was ill abroad.
Aug 2nd, 2013, 03:50 PM
#145
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Hi LTD. Been away for a few days and accordingly off the board. The Brit boarding school I attended was in colonial Africa where I grew up as a child, 800 students (8-18yo), mainly but not exclusively expat, many of whom rose to fame and fortune including one who is currently the president of a nation and was in the year ahead of me throughout my time there. Beautiful institution reminiscent of Hogwarts, and also on a hill surrounded by former coffee plantations.
Glad that you enjoyed Windsor. The castle and the town are very appealing.
While we were there visiting the castle, they were preparing for a banquet and we got to observe them setting and laying out all the china and silverware meticulously, flowers and crystal, on a long, long table covered in starched white tablecloths. Quite impressive.
The castle had recently been reopened to the public following the disastrous fire and there was a very good exhibition detailing the tragedy and subsequent painstaking restoration which I spent a lot of time at. I like reading about restoration projects.
The town is also interesting and quaint and we too visited the Eton grounds to satisfy my aunt's whim. Your hotel looks wonderful.
Sorry to hear of Adele's misfortune, and quite awful to happen on vacation, let alone one that had so many parts to it and yet to be enjoyed with her family.
On the other hand, glad to hear that Rapunzel's castle adventure ended on a high note, with Windsor being one of the finest to visit, and then with a Royal sighting thrown in just in case that wasn't enough, lol !
Glad that you enjoyed Windsor. The castle and the town are very appealing.
While we were there visiting the castle, they were preparing for a banquet and we got to observe them setting and laying out all the china and silverware meticulously, flowers and crystal, on a long, long table covered in starched white tablecloths. Quite impressive.
The castle had recently been reopened to the public following the disastrous fire and there was a very good exhibition detailing the tragedy and subsequent painstaking restoration which I spent a lot of time at. I like reading about restoration projects.
The town is also interesting and quaint and we too visited the Eton grounds to satisfy my aunt's whim. Your hotel looks wonderful.
Sorry to hear of Adele's misfortune, and quite awful to happen on vacation, let alone one that had so many parts to it and yet to be enjoyed with her family.
On the other hand, glad to hear that Rapunzel's castle adventure ended on a high note, with Windsor being one of the finest to visit, and then with a Royal sighting thrown in just in case that wasn't enough, lol !
Aug 3rd, 2013, 05:18 AM
#146
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Hi Mathieu,
That’s interesting about your “public” school education in Africa some time ago. I really enjoyed wandering through Eton. I wanted to get my grandson a sweat shirt with the Eton logo on it for fun. He is at that age, hoping for prep school in a year from now, probably Governor’s Academy in Byfield, MA. As I said, all the shops were closed so early in the morning. Read recently that the old Eton boat houses on the river may be razed soon to make way for high rise housing. Too bad.
I thought Windsor was fabulous, but did not have the time or energy to investigate completely. The Youtube video I linked to rather told a great deal with dramatic visuals of the Castle.
I appreciate your following the dramatis personae in this adventure. Funny how fellow travelers can be simpatico even though they will never see each other again. It’s a learning experience too.
Have you any travel plans yourself on the horizon?
That’s interesting about your “public” school education in Africa some time ago. I really enjoyed wandering through Eton. I wanted to get my grandson a sweat shirt with the Eton logo on it for fun. He is at that age, hoping for prep school in a year from now, probably Governor’s Academy in Byfield, MA. As I said, all the shops were closed so early in the morning. Read recently that the old Eton boat houses on the river may be razed soon to make way for high rise housing. Too bad.
I thought Windsor was fabulous, but did not have the time or energy to investigate completely. The Youtube video I linked to rather told a great deal with dramatic visuals of the Castle.
I appreciate your following the dramatis personae in this adventure. Funny how fellow travelers can be simpatico even though they will never see each other again. It’s a learning experience too.
Have you any travel plans yourself on the horizon?
Aug 6th, 2013, 02:06 PM
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**************************************************
A few REFLECTIONS …
“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”
Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)
Agreed? Although London now boasts over 8 million residents where more than 300 languages are spoken, its energy, vitality, and heart - as the witty lexicographer Johnson knew it - remain. Of course, I speak only of that part of the city known to tourists like myself who love to soak up the history, art, and literary associations accessible at every turn.
London is a tourist friendly city, prudently preserving its past while often repackaging its heritage in ever new venues. Major museums like the NATIONAL and PORTRAIT GALLERIES, the VICTORIA & ALBERT, and IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM among others dropped admission fees in 2001, increasing their visitor numbers by some 70%. These institutions, and hundreds of lesser associations throughout the nation, benefit from HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND which supports a variety of cultural projects. Given the nation’s present monetary constraints, many politicians are calling for admission fees to be restored in London – time will tell.
For example, the BENJAMIN FRANKLIN MUSEUM near Charing Cross which I described in the above trip report opened in 2006. I asked the curator, “This place is delightful, but how does it sustain itself given its limited space and reasonable admission fee?” She replied, “The Lottery Fund, plus some private support.” I also noticed that the HOUSEHOLD CALVARY MUSEUM (Horseguards) was opened by the Queen in 2007.
These were two existing historical properties developed in recent years into first-rate small museums showcasing London’s cultural heritage. The latter is not to be confused with the ROYAL MEWS at BUCKINGHAM PALACE next to the QUEEN’S GALLERY (sorry I missed it) which contains the royal fairy tale coaches, livery, and limousines used by the royal family on its official business.
http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/royalmews
And let’s not forget the ROYAL COLLECTION, in itself one of the “largest and most important art collections in the world, spread among some thirteen Royal residences and former residences across the UK.” Contains some 7,000 paintings including about 150,000 old master prints, the property of the monarch but held “in trust’ for the nation. Having taken in the QUEEN’S GALLERY and WINDSOR CASTLE on this trip, I can attest to their appeal.
http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection
Nor should we overlook the entrepreneurial dimension of the ROYAL COLLECTION. They are heavily into the souvenir business. After darling Prince George made his appearance on JULY 22, an official range of china celebrating his birth was available on JULY 24. It includes a “limited- edition” pillbox, loving cup, and dessert plate. In addition to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s coronet, “oak leaves, taken from the MIDDLETON COAT OF ARMS, surround the coronet” on each of these delicately etched blue, white, and gold porcelain pieces.
http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/ne...a-goes-on-sale
REGRETS – I had a few that I did not make it to these attractions: the TATE BRITAIN with historic British art from around 1500 on; the SAMUEL JOHNSON MUSUEM, a 300 year old townhouse in the CITY; and SPENCER HOUSE, surviving 18th century aristocratic stately home with Churchill connections - only opened on Sundays. Also didn’t make it to the SILVER VAULTS “in the heart of London's legal district … home to the world's largest retail collection of fine antique silver.” I guess that a disconnect exists between what we plan to see (sitting at home comfortably surfing the web) and what we can actually accomplish on the ground given the constraints of time and energy, eh?
Regardless of the throngs of holidaymakers, full hotels, and high end shopping visible to tourists, England has serious fiscal challenges on its plate. One being the high cost of energy. During my stay, one commentator on Sky News reported that Brits may have to “go without electricity for two hours a day" in the next few years if the situation does not improve. This sounds like a scare tactic to me but who knows? One thing I did observe, particularly in Wales, is that every electrical outlet in the hotels had a switch which had to be turned on before it could be used for a hair dryer, charger, TV and the like. Not so (yet) in the US where we have been accused of being “pigs” in our use of energy. I won’t argue that point.
Emblematic of the need for change in monetary matters is the appointment of Canadian MARK CARNEY as the NEW GOVERNOR of the BANK OF ENGLAND, replacing the aristocratic Sir Mervyn King. The 48 year old Carney, from the western province of Alberta, via Harvard and Oxford, was a Goldman Sax exec and head of the Bank of Canada before coming to Threadneedle Street. Dispensing with privilege, Carney took the Tube to work on July 1, his first day on the job. His mantra of “Forward Guidance” promises to shake things up at the Bank of England. Times, they are a’changin’.
WALES – our seven night tour included only three days there, just enough to get a glimpse of this proud and independent part of Britain. As we approached the capital of CARDIFF (not far from Bath as the crow flies), our guide Brian said that of other major ports – like Liverpool, Glasgow, and Belfast- who had to readjust their economy in the post- industrial era - that Cardiff has fared best. Its center certainly looked revitalized. Our long trek north through BREKON BEACONS and SNOWDONIA NATIONAL PARKS revealed lovely farmland and vistas, with endless sheep, somewhat obscured that day with mists and rain. The majestic castles of CAERNARFON and CONWY evoke its past glories while their tenacious hold on their own language attest to their pride in all things WELSH.
PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY. Flying solo is an acquired taste which many posters on Fodors enjoy. I would only travel that way in a city like London or Paris with so much to see – no lone train journeys into the hinterlands for me. I prefer late spring/early summer when the days are the longest and twilights linger. Friends have asked, “Don’t you get lonely?” Not really for a few days with a full agenda and those wonderful British papers to read daily. And there are so many of them. My Saturday TIMES had 90 pages, tabloid style, with 2 magazine supplements! [Newspapers are not faring so well here in the US – as of today the founder of Amazon is buying the WASHINGTON TIMES while the owner of the Red Sox is rescuing the BOSTON GLOBE – each at a very low price.]
After several days alone, I am always happy to join the tour. The CIE group was especially agreeable. A genuine congeniality developed during the trip, ephemeral as it is, which may be difficult to understand for those who only travel independently. Certainly Rapunzel and Mum added color and pizazz while the illness of our fellow traveler Adele added a somber note. It is the human experience writ large within the confines of a week. And home always looks better after such a trip, don’t you think?
Thanks to all who have followed my journey through London and beyond. I will end with a quote from POPOV, a fellow poster on Fodors who wrote recently, “There are many reasons that we like London [and by extension Britain]. It’s a trip to the MOTHERSHIP for any Anglo… my cultural DNA immediately recognizes home: this is who we are and where we’ve come from.”
Amen…
A few REFLECTIONS …
“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”
Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)
Agreed? Although London now boasts over 8 million residents where more than 300 languages are spoken, its energy, vitality, and heart - as the witty lexicographer Johnson knew it - remain. Of course, I speak only of that part of the city known to tourists like myself who love to soak up the history, art, and literary associations accessible at every turn.
London is a tourist friendly city, prudently preserving its past while often repackaging its heritage in ever new venues. Major museums like the NATIONAL and PORTRAIT GALLERIES, the VICTORIA & ALBERT, and IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM among others dropped admission fees in 2001, increasing their visitor numbers by some 70%. These institutions, and hundreds of lesser associations throughout the nation, benefit from HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND which supports a variety of cultural projects. Given the nation’s present monetary constraints, many politicians are calling for admission fees to be restored in London – time will tell.
For example, the BENJAMIN FRANKLIN MUSEUM near Charing Cross which I described in the above trip report opened in 2006. I asked the curator, “This place is delightful, but how does it sustain itself given its limited space and reasonable admission fee?” She replied, “The Lottery Fund, plus some private support.” I also noticed that the HOUSEHOLD CALVARY MUSEUM (Horseguards) was opened by the Queen in 2007.
These were two existing historical properties developed in recent years into first-rate small museums showcasing London’s cultural heritage. The latter is not to be confused with the ROYAL MEWS at BUCKINGHAM PALACE next to the QUEEN’S GALLERY (sorry I missed it) which contains the royal fairy tale coaches, livery, and limousines used by the royal family on its official business.
http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/royalmews
And let’s not forget the ROYAL COLLECTION, in itself one of the “largest and most important art collections in the world, spread among some thirteen Royal residences and former residences across the UK.” Contains some 7,000 paintings including about 150,000 old master prints, the property of the monarch but held “in trust’ for the nation. Having taken in the QUEEN’S GALLERY and WINDSOR CASTLE on this trip, I can attest to their appeal.
http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection
Nor should we overlook the entrepreneurial dimension of the ROYAL COLLECTION. They are heavily into the souvenir business. After darling Prince George made his appearance on JULY 22, an official range of china celebrating his birth was available on JULY 24. It includes a “limited- edition” pillbox, loving cup, and dessert plate. In addition to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s coronet, “oak leaves, taken from the MIDDLETON COAT OF ARMS, surround the coronet” on each of these delicately etched blue, white, and gold porcelain pieces.
http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/ne...a-goes-on-sale
REGRETS – I had a few that I did not make it to these attractions: the TATE BRITAIN with historic British art from around 1500 on; the SAMUEL JOHNSON MUSUEM, a 300 year old townhouse in the CITY; and SPENCER HOUSE, surviving 18th century aristocratic stately home with Churchill connections - only opened on Sundays. Also didn’t make it to the SILVER VAULTS “in the heart of London's legal district … home to the world's largest retail collection of fine antique silver.” I guess that a disconnect exists between what we plan to see (sitting at home comfortably surfing the web) and what we can actually accomplish on the ground given the constraints of time and energy, eh?
Regardless of the throngs of holidaymakers, full hotels, and high end shopping visible to tourists, England has serious fiscal challenges on its plate. One being the high cost of energy. During my stay, one commentator on Sky News reported that Brits may have to “go without electricity for two hours a day" in the next few years if the situation does not improve. This sounds like a scare tactic to me but who knows? One thing I did observe, particularly in Wales, is that every electrical outlet in the hotels had a switch which had to be turned on before it could be used for a hair dryer, charger, TV and the like. Not so (yet) in the US where we have been accused of being “pigs” in our use of energy. I won’t argue that point.
Emblematic of the need for change in monetary matters is the appointment of Canadian MARK CARNEY as the NEW GOVERNOR of the BANK OF ENGLAND, replacing the aristocratic Sir Mervyn King. The 48 year old Carney, from the western province of Alberta, via Harvard and Oxford, was a Goldman Sax exec and head of the Bank of Canada before coming to Threadneedle Street. Dispensing with privilege, Carney took the Tube to work on July 1, his first day on the job. His mantra of “Forward Guidance” promises to shake things up at the Bank of England. Times, they are a’changin’.
WALES – our seven night tour included only three days there, just enough to get a glimpse of this proud and independent part of Britain. As we approached the capital of CARDIFF (not far from Bath as the crow flies), our guide Brian said that of other major ports – like Liverpool, Glasgow, and Belfast- who had to readjust their economy in the post- industrial era - that Cardiff has fared best. Its center certainly looked revitalized. Our long trek north through BREKON BEACONS and SNOWDONIA NATIONAL PARKS revealed lovely farmland and vistas, with endless sheep, somewhat obscured that day with mists and rain. The majestic castles of CAERNARFON and CONWY evoke its past glories while their tenacious hold on their own language attest to their pride in all things WELSH.
PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY. Flying solo is an acquired taste which many posters on Fodors enjoy. I would only travel that way in a city like London or Paris with so much to see – no lone train journeys into the hinterlands for me. I prefer late spring/early summer when the days are the longest and twilights linger. Friends have asked, “Don’t you get lonely?” Not really for a few days with a full agenda and those wonderful British papers to read daily. And there are so many of them. My Saturday TIMES had 90 pages, tabloid style, with 2 magazine supplements! [Newspapers are not faring so well here in the US – as of today the founder of Amazon is buying the WASHINGTON TIMES while the owner of the Red Sox is rescuing the BOSTON GLOBE – each at a very low price.]
After several days alone, I am always happy to join the tour. The CIE group was especially agreeable. A genuine congeniality developed during the trip, ephemeral as it is, which may be difficult to understand for those who only travel independently. Certainly Rapunzel and Mum added color and pizazz while the illness of our fellow traveler Adele added a somber note. It is the human experience writ large within the confines of a week. And home always looks better after such a trip, don’t you think?
Thanks to all who have followed my journey through London and beyond. I will end with a quote from POPOV, a fellow poster on Fodors who wrote recently, “There are many reasons that we like London [and by extension Britain]. It’s a trip to the MOTHERSHIP for any Anglo… my cultural DNA immediately recognizes home: this is who we are and where we’ve come from.”
Amen…
Aug 6th, 2013, 03:56 PM
#151
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What a wonderful close! Thanks for the added reflection about your travels through London, Wales, England, and travel in general. Yes, it's easy to plan one's daily activities while here at home, but time and energy do get in the way. I'm keeping that in mind as I prepare for my trip to Belgium and France next month.
Aug 6th, 2013, 06:31 PM
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Thank you for a wonderful engaging trip report.
It is easy to list a lot of things down but often hard to accomplish in reality. It gives more reason to return to see those items missed the first or second time around.
It is easy to list a lot of things down but often hard to accomplish in reality. It gives more reason to return to see those items missed the first or second time around.
Aug 6th, 2013, 06:35 PM
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In answer to your question, yes it was pretty scary when my son was sick and we didn't know what was wrong at first. Luckily he began to feel better for the flight home but he did spend a couple of days pretty wretched in the hotel room.
That is why we missed Oxford the first time and wanted to return for another trip. That time Oxford was included for a couple of days at least.
That is why we missed Oxford the first time and wanted to return for another trip. That time Oxford was included for a couple of days at least.
Aug 7th, 2013, 03:37 AM
#156
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Hi Susan,
Glad you agree - "Yes, it's easy to plan one's daily activities while here at home, but time and energy do get in the way. I'm keeping that in mind as I prepare for my trip to Belgium and France next month."
Hope you have a wonderful trip and let us know how it works out.
Glad you agree - "Yes, it's easy to plan one's daily activities while here at home, but time and energy do get in the way. I'm keeping that in mind as I prepare for my trip to Belgium and France next month."
Hope you have a wonderful trip and let us know how it works out.
Aug 7th, 2013, 05:20 PM
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Yes, we did see Oxford last year when we toured Oxford, the Cotswolds and Edinburgh. We went to Oxford first straight from the airport via the bus (we actually stayed in Headington) and took the local bus into Oxford city center.
Looking forward to your next trip report for Belgium and France. Are you taking a tour again or doing it on your own? Or a combination again?
Hopefully you can return to London with your kids and grandkids too.
Looking forward to your next trip report for Belgium and France. Are you taking a tour again or doing it on your own? Or a combination again?
Hopefully you can return to London with your kids and grandkids too.
