London 2004 Part 1 of 3

[Note: Our first big European vacation was a trip to Italy, preceded by three days in London. We managed to do and see a lot in a short time.]

Travel Diary

Day 1: Los Angeles to London

Steve wrote:

We were picked up at 8:00 AM by a limo to drive to LAX. Despite an accident on the 405 we got to the airport in plenty of time for our 11:00 AM flight, and a three-hour layover in New York before going on to London. Once again, hoarding miles to upgrade to business class is the way to go. Having flown coach to MIDEM in January, I can’t even begin to describe the improvement!

We arrived at London/Heathrow about 8:30 local time, about an hour early. A long walk to customs and more walking to claim our baggage, the world’s heaviest suitcase. The main arrival concourse at Heathrow is quite unlike LAX. Money changing booths, lots of ATM machines, lots of signs for various types of transportation and directions to other terminals. We got some British pounds from an ATM and set on our way.

Having decided to try to take the Underground, or "Tube", to our hotel, we followed the signs through a series of pedestrian tunnels to the main Tube station. After a little confusion about how to purchase a ticket (many different types of tickets, different types of machines, some cash, some cash but no change, some take credit cards, etc.), we made our way down to the trains. Clean, well-cared for cars, plenty of room and clearly marked with maps of all the stops in each car. We got on for a 30-35 minute ride.

Upon hitting the streets, we asked for directions and went towards the hotel, the Hilton London Mews, trying to remember to look in the opposite direction when crossing the street. We had asked for early check-in and, fortunately, they could accommodate us. We went up to a charming but very small room. It was about 2:00 AM L.A. time, so we went to sleep for a few hours. We woke about 5:00 PM local time, showered and went for a walk before dinner. We walked back through Shepherd’s Market and saw several restaurants and pubs. We walked to where Green Park and Hyde Park meet and saw some great statues and monuments: the Wellington Arch, with Victory pulled by a chariot of horses on the Wellington Arch, a memorial to Australian soldiers who died fighting alongside the British, and several others. We crossed over to the edge of Hyde Park, then went back to Shepherd’s Market and had dinner at a Turkish restaurant called "Sofra". We shared some mixed appetizers, a lamb stew, some salmon, and finished with some chocolate ice cream. All very good.

Day 2: London!

Steve wrote:

Went to a local place called Piccolo Bar for a "traditional English breakfast": two fried eggs, a "banger" sausage, two slabs of bacon, buttered toast and coffee or tea. I could feel my arteries closing as I ate.

We had purchased tickets for one of the "hop on, hop off" bus tours. A model of efficiency, these folks really knew their business. Detailed maps, clearly marked stops and company representatives working at every stop. A great way to see the city.

We got off at Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery. We only looked at the gift shop, but were impressed to see you could order a print of many of their works and have it printed out while you waited. Aside from the usual statuary and monuments in Trafalgar, there was a bicycle exhibition. Due to the amount of car traffic in the city, the mayor has a program encouraging riding a bike into town. Like L.A., the streets are too narrow for safety. A valiant effort nonetheless.

We walked from Trafalgar to the Queen’s Horse Guard - horses with the same demeanor as their riders. Nothing bothered man or beast - tourists wanting to take pictures, crowds of people, etc. Some streets were blocked off and we saw a small parade of World War II veterans, most in some sort of uniform, or business suits with their medals pinned on their chests. Not too many of the folks are left and it was nice to see them honored some 60 years after D-Day.

As part of the bus ticket, we got a short boat ride on the Thames. Although Rosemary started off a little queasy, we stayed on the boat and got a unique perspective on some of the sights. After a quick lunch of fish & chips from "The Red Lion" pub, we got back on the bus to go to the Tower of London. With parts of it going back to the year 1077, this is historical London at its best. The Tower has some amazing displays of re-created rooms within the original structure, as well as exhibits of weapons, armor and the Crown Jewels. It was crowded and hot in the buildings on an otherwise beautiful day - sunny and in the mid-70s. After the Tower, we got back on the bus and went to Buckingham Palace. The grounds are amazing and the Palace beautiful. We walked through St. James Park back to our hotel to clean up before dinner. Speaking of our hotel, did I mention the room was small? Not much space to maneuver around the bed for one person, much less two. We kept bumping into each other just trying to get dressed, but it did get four stars from The Lollipop Guild.

We went to a local Indian restaurant that was excellent, "Shardam". They opened November 22, 1963, the date of the JFK assassination. Business has improved since then, although the restaurant was empty while we were there. But the food was good and we walked out full and a little tipsy after splitting a full bottle of wine.

These "hop on, hop off" bus tours are a convenient way to visit the major tourist attractions.

The Queen's Horse Guards are always attentive.

We came upon a veteran's parade that included some impressive uniforms.

The traditional red phone booths were still in use.

Big Ben towers over Parliament.

Parliament is well-guarded these days.