applehi

Fodorites were really helpful to me during the planning stage of my trip that I just wanted to post how things went in London on my own with husband, before we joined a tour with my three sisters, aunt, sister in law and her husband.

Hampton Court Palace. I had asked for help here regarding getting to Hampton Court from London and the info provided came in handy. As suggested I bought the weekly zone 1-2 travelcard and antitipated no problem with the supplement when I went to Victoria Station that morning. However after waiting in a long line at the ticket counter for the underground, I was told to go upstairs to the rail station to get the supplement. The station was still rather crowded with morning passengers and we really didn’t want to walk anywhere and wait in another long line.. Luckily I had printed out and given the information about Hampton to my husband who asked can we take the Victoria line to Vauxhall and get the train supplement there? The answer was yes. So that’s what we did. Vauxhall had a smaller station and two ticket windows and the nice man there simply took my weekly card and told me how much I owed and that was that. I believe the supplement was 6 pounds. We caught the 9:10 a.m. train to Hampton. Very simple.

I had printed out the two for one vouchers National Rail was offering for Hampton Court Palace and had no problem using them. In fact they didn’t ask for rail tickets at all. We were probably one of the first people there that day. In fact the palace didn’t open for ten minutes so we went around to look at the gardens. We had perfect sunny weather so we enjoyed looking at the gardens a bit. Once in the palace we had a great time, using the audio guides that were furnished free of charge, did three of the walks, and took in the Suffragette rooms…those were the rooms of the grace and favor renters that we walked up a long flight of stairs to see. Good view of the gardens from one of the windows up there.

Going early on a weekday insured that we could take our time and aside from a class of students now and then, we had the place to ourselves. Ate lunch at the Tiltyard Gardens and then caught an afternoon train back to London, feeling happy and pleased with ourselves.

So pleased that we decided to go and find Berry Brothers and Rudd, 3 St. James St. We got off at Green Park and managed to make our way onto St. James Street and kept walking. My husband was determined to find it and we did. A very nice clerk, Francois, helped him sample a couple of Scotches and we bought a bottle which they bubble wrapped. We were down so far on St James Street that I realized that the guard standing by a building had to be guarding St. James Palace, so we took a picture of him. Then we had to find our way back to our hotel, Victoria Park Plaza.

We ended up following our previous path back to Green park and then walking further until we hit Buckingham Palace and then back to the hotel. Later we realized we had doubled our journey. Ah well…got our exercise that day.

Just some other quick bits on what we did:

British Museum: Quite exceeded any expectations. The great court was wonderful and we shared a quick lunch there before exploring the Egyptian rooms and Parthenon friezes. The Assyrian rooms we saw just before they were going to close at the rather early hour of one thirty. Good thing we decided to go there early. Had to ask a museum worker for instructions to Ludlow Man. After finding him wished I hadn’t.

Lion King Friday evening performance. I’d been wondering whether to catch a cab at rush hour or to go by underground or to walk. By this time my feet were botherin me from days of walking around, so we opted for the underground. Turns out that meant walking too! But we made it early to the Covent Garden area , grabbed a fish and chips dinner at a pub in the area. I think it was the Wellington Pub, then walked around the area, and through the Theatre Museum, where they were having a late Friday and had a special exhibit on the Redgraves. Lion King itself was stellar. Thoroughly enjoyed myself. Getting back to the underground we went back the way we came, i.e. Covent Garden, and that entailed getting into a lift crammed with people. We made it back to our hotel around eleven or so and felt very happy to be back.

The Turner Whistler Monet exhibit: Glorious! It was in its last week and luckily I had gotten tickets ahead of time for the Friday afternoon. Sunday would be its final day. As we walked up to the gallery I saw this long line outside the gallery and I thought oh my goodness is that the line for the Turner Whistler? I went in and the info desk told me to go downstairs and get my tickets there so I followed instructions, carrying my email confirmation on the tickets. Downstairs people were queuing for the 12:00 admission. I got my tickets and was told to come back about ten to 1 p.m. but seeing all the people in line I decided to hang around there. Grabbed some coffee and a bite to eat and my husband and I ate yet another sandwich lunch and waited to be let in at 1 p.m. Actually they let us in earlier, at about 12:50 and perhaps they should have waited because it was very crowded in the rooms. But my goodness what a wonderful show. People far more knowledgeable about art than I am have commented on this exhbit. It really was well put together. The only problem of course since it was the day before the exhibit closed it was crowded and couldn’t linger over the paintings the way I wanted to. I did go into the gift shop and since they were discounting some of the items, bought a portfolio of prints.

Greenwich: Caught the one of the river cruises to Thames and it was lovely to sit and let time drift by. Unfortunately we had come on a Sunday and there were a horde of people at the National Maritime Museum and at the Royal Observatory. No one was minding the queue at the Prime Meridien line and people were jumping on ahead of others waiting to take their shots. Finally I spoke up and then people became aware that there was a queue. Would do this again but on a weekday.

V&A followed by tea at the Orangerie: Instead of going to Brighton on my last day in England, we dcided to stay in London. So we went to the Courtauld Gallery in the morning and since it was Monday it was free. Then we followed that by going to the V&A. I was mainly interested in the British Galleries, so we browsed through them, enjoyed the Regency period as I have a particular interest in that, then just fell in love with the Raphael Room…or at least the ones with the Raphael cartoons. And no, they weren’t comic strips! Just sat there, absorbing and watching guards admonish visitors not to take pictures.

After emerging from the V&A we had intended to walk to the Kensington Gardens for tea at the Orangerie. It was pouring rain. Luckily we had umbrellas and instructions on how to get to the Orangerie from two people at the V&A. It took about twenty minutes, walking in the rain and by the time we reached the Orangerie the hot tea was welcome. The scone was stunning, soft and sweet. Less exciting were the cake and sandwiches. But there was no beating the scone. From KG we made our way back to High Street and caught the underground though got on the wrong train, discovered mistake quickly and got off again and onto the right one.

Restaurants: Ate too many fish and chip meals in pubs. Also tried Indian restaurant on Wilton Rd. Had Saffron rice, chicken and lamb karma and naan bread. Very good.
Also had take out delivery from the Chinese Restaurant on Wilton, close to our hotel. It came without chopsticks so had to call for chopsticks. No problem getting them except each phone call from hotel room cost a pound and a half…so that was three pounds added on to cost of meal.

Pubs: Duke of York was fun and I enjoyed the Pimm’s I had there. Had it a number of other places but it hasn’t tasted the same.
Prince of Wales: Sad to say my husband and I were harassed at this pub. We left immediately. We went back to Duke of York but the bad feeling lingered with me so I was glad when we finally got back to our hotel room.

Hotel Victoria Park Plaza, is a businessman’s type of hotel with very nice public rooms. Enjoyed the breakfast room and very efficient and friendly wait staff. The hotel rooms themselves were large enough to suit us, but the shower door didn’t reach the bottom and so had to put towels under it so it wouldn’t flood the floor. Changed the room once and the people were very accommodating. The hotel rooms had thin walls however. Could hear the 3 a.m. conversation from the person next door calling home.

All in all a good week and I was glad to join up with my sisters, aunt, and sister in law and her husband as we continued on to Paris and Italy.

cmcfong

Hi. Your report was very interesting. Thank you for posting it. When you say you were harassed at the Prince of Wales, what did the offender do?
I hate that it happened to you and hope it did little to take away from your adventure.

yk

Thanks for the report.

Glad you enjoyed T/W/M exhibit also. I saw it back in March, wasn't as crowded, thank goodness.

It took me 3 tries walking around the room before I found the Lindow Man at the British Museum. I thought he looked more like an alien life form...

SandyBrit

applehi

I have fond memories of Hampton Court Palance where we often walked with our then two small children when we lived in the area. Going early was an excellent idea. It never ceased to amaze me how even on a cold day on a short winter day how many tourist were about.

Your writing style is lovely. I enjoyed your report and attention to detail. It is obvious you have a very positive approach to life. Sorry about the Prince of Wales incident and also am curious as to what happened.

Sandy

applehi

cmcfong and Sandy, Re: Prince of Wales Pub... Perhaps it was a racial thing since we are non-white, Asian. We had had dinner elsewhere and were just wandering about and thought we'd get a drink there. It was about eight thirty and a Friday and perhaps there had been a lot of drinking at the pub. Honestly, we just walked in and stood for a moment, trying to figure out what to order and were confronted by a man who laughed at us, called out Thomas and placed his hands inches from my husband's body and started wiggling them in a curving pattern. Don't know what that was about. Perhaps harassed was not the right word to use, but it was enough for us to feel uncomfortable and get out of there.

It happened toward the end of the week and we had had many positive experiences in London so it didn't stop us from enjoying the city.

yk, I remember reading your report or others about the Turner/Whistler/Monet and that helped convince me to get the tickets ahead of time. Glad I did.

One other thing that I forgot to mention. Londonwalks Marleybone tour. The tour guide had a disconcerting habit of closing her eyes while talking to us. Perhaps she did it to concentrate and at first I thought she was squinting but no, she was closing her eyes. Others on the tour began laughing. It didn't bother me that much, however the walk itself was disappointing since it wasn't as Regency as I thought it would be. I would not have done this walk if I hadn't read that word Regency in the flyer. I did get a chance to see the Wallace Collection, but a 20 minute stop hardly qualifies as seeing. I'd do that on my own on another trip.

Scarlett

You did all my favorite things!!
My Yankee loves Berry Bros and could spend the day there..they have one in the airport too if you forget something.
The Tate, sigh. I could not decide if we should name our Pup after the museum or Turner ((&amp)
I love the Wallace also We had lunch at the little pub down the block from there , my first pub lunch in London, so many years ago ~
What happened to you at the Pub could happen anywhere, there is always an a** in every crowd. We had the same sort of thing happen once because of the way my husband ordered wine in a restaurant..it is not the place, just the lout that was in the place!
Tell us more! I miss London

cmcfong

Goodness, Applehi. That behavior would have unsettled me, as well. I don't blame you for feeling uncomfortable.
I really enjoyed your trip report. Thank you for taking the time to post.

oldie

I doubt that the pub thing was racial, London is a pretty multiracial city.
It was probably a drunken idiot who thought that he knew your husband.
If you'd gone up to the bar, the barman would have sorted him out.

applehi

Scarlett, More on London? Well, not much else...except maybe...

Hop On/Hop Off bus: I didn’t anticipate taking this tour but wouldn’t you know, did so on our first day. Since we took the Big Bus tour at four p.m. it was good for the next day and that worked out well enough. It was an impulsive thing and turned out okay though it was expensive. Kept us awake for two hours that first day. The red tour with the live guide is much better than the blue with the tape recordings. We also went to the Brit Museum on the Green line. We did the transfer at the National Gallery stop and it was very cold that day so my teeth literally chattered as we waited. I was wearing at the time, tank top, longsleeved mock turtleneck T shirt, sweater and a windbreaker over that. Dark black trousers, socks and walking shoes. The guys working for Big Bus tour were very nice. Saw a lot of Marble Arch on the bus routes.

Harrods. I wasn’t that eager to go to that store however my husband said he wanted to see it. Bought souvenirs and went to food halls and bought some take out food and then went to Hyde Park and ate it. This was a nice quiet moment…we were having a minor tiff at the time, mainly because we were tired. My Harrods experience pales when compared with a sister who upon entering the store set off the security alarm. The guard made her take off her jacket and money belt! The culprit was a label in her jacket that said Remove label and she hadn’t. It was an old jacket from Macy’s.

Oldie, thanks for the tip.