Off We Go

London, November 17 — 24, 2007

The trip starts off on a bit of a sour note (of course it does: we’re flying). Three times within the past 24 hours we have checked our seat assignments online and, great, Rich, Jane, and I are in a more spacious cabin, sitting windiow-aisle-aisle. Checking the Web site about three hours before take-off, the BA Web site tells us that that is indeed how we are sitting. We board and somehow yet another aisle seat has popped up between Jane and me. And there is another row behind us. I call the stew over and with the type of answer that ensures impotent rage, casually says, “Oh, this plane has a different configuration.” And for this she went to school? I steam in my seat for a bit. I mean, really, does this idiot chick really think that’s an answer? All I have to do is look around me and see that it is a different configuration. Jane, then, is enisled off the aisle, so to speak, and our first trip together is now spent apart. This is most specifically what I wanted to avoid.
So Rich and I spend some time ruing the disaster that air travel has become. Service in general has gotten to the point where a customer has no recourse, no way to redress the problems one encounters. “It is this or nothing” has become a business model; “Nothing I can do” the company motto; “This too shall pass,” the customer’s lament.

So there. I am going to try to sleep a bit and will hopefully awake a bit less cranky. (Oops, Rich just spilled my wine on me.)

November 18, 2007

Ultimately, I slept little but felt that once we arrived in London I would be revivified by being back in the place I think I love above all others. I was half-right: there was still the walk from the gate to Customs (surprisingly long at Heathrow) and the serpentine line to be found while awaiting getting our passports stamped. The people manning the desks have always been pleasant and welcoming (unlike Canada, or even upon returning to the US). Bags collected, we hopped in a cab as we figured that the price of three tickets on Heathrow Express would roughly equal cab fare to the hotel. London cabs, of course, are famous for their roominess and their drivers’ possession of “the Knowledge,” — i.e., knowing the absolute shortest route between two points and being honor-bound to taking it. Still, the fare was a breathtaking $110.

Well, there was not much else to do except get ourselves out and moving. Our first stop was a natural, Buckingham Palace: Jane & Rich play the Palace

It was cold and gray, but perfect weather for walking about. We girded St. James’s Park, rounding up to the Horse Guards Parade Ground. (The locations mentioned can be confusing, so here is a good map of the general areas we frequented.) We headed to the National Portrait Gallery, a museum that makes no bones about its intent on displaying portraits of famous Britons, regardless of the artistic merit of any individual work. A refreshing view, since you are then able to concentrate almost exclusively on the subjects themselves. We spent a lot of time on the rooms looking at the Tudors and the Stuarts. Almost exhausted to the point of blindness, we headed back to the hotel to rejuvenate (i.e., nap).

After we relaxed, the hotel called offering us another room; a bit larger with more open space between the beds. We ended up on the 7th/8th floor, with a nice view over Green Park and beyond to the South Bank.

From Room 711

You can see how the great, great London Eye dominates the landscape; that’s Big Ben to the right.

We took the subway to Russell Square, and in pouring rain, walked around Bloomsbury Square, ending up at a nice café across from the British Museum that we have frequented in the past. This was also the site of a heated debate during my period at Oxford; we were such über-students. True, I mostly listened then, slightly amused at the vehemence of the others, but I understood how heady the atmosphere was and I truly admired their convictions. It was not self-conscious posturing and I recall it fondly. If you ever are on your way in or out of the British Museum, take a break at the comfortable and charming Forum Cafe, directly across Great Russell St. from the Museum. On our way out, I couldn't’t resist the temptation: Joe and a Beefeater

We ended up taking a very long way home, via the Kingsway, Aldwych, and Trafalgar Square. We had dinner at a favorite Tex-Mex place (best in London, sure, but the competition is notoriously skimpy) and the three of us collapsed almost immediately upon getting back to the hotel.

Monday, November 19, 2007

A refreshing $30 pot of coffee (yeah, thirty bucks for a pot of coffee that I practically had to beg for; Christ!), we headed out once again. This time we were armed individually with our own umbrellas rather than reverting to the ridiculous site of the three of us seeking protection under Jane’s. We took the bus to Pont St., off Sloane St., into Belgrave Square, home of embassies, Oscar winners, and past Prime Ministers (respectively, Germany, Spain, and Norway; Luise Rainer; and Margaret Thatcher). Walking into the area of Victoria Station was a challenge as it was rush hour and there is probably nothing more chaotic and less visitor-friendly than a transport hub in London during the morning rush hour. Being mindful not to get in the way of people trying to get to work is not always possible, at least in a graceful fashion. If you say “Sorry” once you say it a hundred times. After the hundredth time, you realize that no one else is saying it, so carrying on as forthrightly as possible is the only way to go. Here is a nice little alley off Victoria St. that I found intriguing:
An alley off Victoria Street

Up at the top of Victoria St. Westminster Abbey hove into view, and what do you know? It was about 10:45, with the arrival of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh imminent. The occasion was their Diamond Wedding Anniversary (the 60th), a remarkable achievement for which they were giving thanks. Who wouldn’t? Though it was on my mind, we did not specifically plan on being there, fearing the crowds. November in London, however, has by far fewer tourists than the last time we tried to see any royal action (the Queen Mother’s 99th birthday walkabout). So we took up our positions and we rewarded fairly quickly and painlessly. You had to be sharp-eyed and listen to those in the crowd, for many could easily point out the Duke of Kent, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and their offspring. I was able to see Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall (England’s own Hillary Clinton in the love-her-or-hate-her sweepstakes), and Prince Harry. Prince William was there, and though I missed him, Jane and Rich got a good glimpse. The unmistakably regal maroon Rolls Royce then came along and there was no doubt as to its occupants. A nice reception from the crowd, and damn if the sky didn’t dry up and allow the sun to come out. Here are some photos:
Waiting on the Queen
That is the forecourt to the West Door of the Abbey.

That's her in white
The happy couple, sixty years on. Prince Philip is immediately to the right of the Queen.

Well, that was fun, but lasted about two minutes so on we went. Coming into Parliament Square, there are statues abounding of great leaders of the past. Jane and Churchill

We crossed Westminster Bridge and walked east along the South Bank, past the Eye which I just cannot refrain from photographing, dammit: The Eye

Though the National Theatre is hideous in the extreme we have always enjoyed ourselves here, though on this outing we found nothing we wanted to see and were not in the mood of paying high prices for the sake of seeing anything. We made it all the way to the Tate Modern. Swarming with school groups, we decided that we would come back another day. We never did, unfortunately, but we had been before so not a great loss on our part and Jane was alright with giving it a pass. We crossed the Millennium Bridge, leading up to St. Paul’s Cathedral, Wren’s masterpiece. It is an imposing site coming across the river.

Jane and St. Paul's

Going across any bridge across the Thames gives you a chance for some spectacular vistas:
The River Thames
Looking down river (east) towards the City, the Tower, and Greenwich.

After a quick lunch, we took a bus from outside St. Paul’s to Oxford Street. Like any major shopping thoroughfare it is much less than you hope. Dirty, crowded, filled with tourists and obnoxious kids. Everyone bumps into you, no one displays the slightest courtesy. There are the two great department stores here, Selfridge’s and Marks & Spencer, and you occasionally see the ladies for whom this was a grand day out, but it seems mostly a haven for crappy storefronts and mobile phone come-ons. On the other hand, you will see just about every culture of the world here, and you can catch snatches of just about every language spoken in the world so it is worth a stroll, no matter how nerve-wracking.

We headed down Regent St., taking time to stop and look at more Christmas windows. As at Debenhams, Selfridge’s and Marks & Spencer, the shops along Regent St. still know how to decorate for the holiday, especially Hamley’s Toy Store, and Ted Baker. Great windows and it all really can make you quite nostalgic. We came into Piccadilly Circus Piccadilly Circus
which is always a bit of a head-turning experience. We walked down to Jermyn St., the site of which will make any world-weary shopper gasp. Here are some of the most exquisite shops anywhere, selling quintessentially British goods. Paxton & Whitfield, Floris, Thomas Pink, John Lobb, Hackett, Harvie and Hudson. . ., well, you can go broke just mentioning the names.

In short order after a quick rest at the hotel, we took a bus to Victoria for dinner (ka-ching!), headed back, had a nightcap, and a blackout. No, no, I don’t mean a blackout from the nightcap, but an actual power outage that left Jane down in the lounge and the awful fate of walking up to the eighth floor. Fortunately for me I had gone up earlier. I do not mind the endless walking that happens in London, but climbing stairs after a full day? No thanks.
Joe at the hotel

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

We began a nice ritual of having coffee and breakfast at the Lido Café in Hyde Park, a much more civilized way to start the day than acting all angry over the $30 (Christ!) pot of coffee. So, off we went through Hyde Park Corner, along Rotten Row to the Lido.
Jane at Hyde Park

Rain defined the first three days of the trip, though being inveterate walkers about town, nothing will deter us from reaching our stated goals. Rich is particularly strong in this regard, and Jane was a good soldier. I can get prickly with all that dampness, but I managed to maintain some humor about it. We headed through the park to the Albert Memorial, past the closed memorial to Diana, Princess of Wales.
Jane and Rich in Hyde Park

Coming up on the Albert Memorial is fascinating. There are so many constituent elements to it that you are almost unable to see anything about it except the massive gold statue of Albert himself.
Rich and the Albert Memorial

It is easy to get lost amid all the parts of the statue, located on the grounds of Albert’s greatest accomplishment, the Great Exhibition of 1851.
Jane at the Albert Memorial

Walking along the elegant section of Knightsbridge between the memorial and Museumland is always a treat. The area just seems so peaceful; a perfect place to live (er, provided you have the wherewithal). We went to the incredible, overwhelming, and extraordinary Victoria and Albert Museum. Impossible to encapsulate, even more difficult to take in in one visit, we spent most of the time looking at textiles, furniture, silver, and statuary. There are always great special exhibits here (the works of Lee Miller, a history of couture, among others) but they always take a lot of planning. We do not usually make time for these exhibits for some reason. We just like to go where the wind takes us, I guess. Such free spirits.

We went to Harrod’s — for what, I do not exactly know. To do it? Probably. With the dollar so low, making any sort of purchase in this outrageously expensive store did not seem to be in the cards. Oh, wait. Jane and Rich bought something. Me? Could not wait to get out of there. We took the subway to Covent Garden, bothered those people a bit, stopped into a nice pub (the White Lion) and had a beer. We did see the menswear designer Paul Smith having his picture taken in front of his eponymous (I have always wanted to use that word) shop and then back to the hotel. Piccadilly really picks up in the late afternoon with traffic: Piccadilly
Up to the left is Piccadilly Circus, to the right is Hyde Park Corner, and across is Green Park.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Off we started to the Tower of London, of particular interest to Jane. We had been of course, but not in many years so it was quite enjoyable. Again, though — criminy, $100 for the three of us to get in? Ouch. And we hadn’t even hit the gift shop! The Tower is great, great, great, great, great. And it is great. Here are some snaps:
Jane in an arch
Jane in an archway; I forget the name of the building (it is the one with all the armaments).

Gin and Beer
These two fellows are nicknamed “ Gin and Beer” though no one knows its provenance.

Jane and Rich outside the White Tower
Jane and Rich outside the White Tower, the oldest part of the Tower of London, begun by William the Conqueror.

St John's Chapel
The beautiful Chapel of St. John, decidedly peaceful.

Joe with Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge makes a dramatic backdrop and a great vantage point as well.

Rich and the birds
There is a legend that states that should the ravens ever leave the grounds of the Tower, the monarchy will fall. Their wings, predictably, have been clipped.

Jane and Beefeater
When the Beefeater meets the wine drinker.

On Tower Bridge
An obliging passerby took this photo from Tower Bridge. Nice to see some sunshine as well.

St. Paul's from the Thames Clipper
We took the Thames Clipper (a new service) from the Tower to Westminster Bridge. Quite fast, but it would have been equally enjoyable to take a more leisurely ride up the river. In the immortal words of an elderly Scotswoman answering her phone, “Halloo, Halloo.. . . I’m crrrrruising doon the Thames.” This gave us immeasurable joy to repeat endlessly throughout the rest of the trip.

Whitehall
We ended up once again in Whitehall, looking up past the statue of the Duke of Cambridge to Trafalgar Square.

We stopped into the Clarence for a beer and found ourselves in the middle of a massive group of Crotia supporters in their red-and-white striped shirts. Interesting to see up close how vehement soccer fans can be, ever mindful of course that things have been known to get out of hand. Later, at Piccadilly Circus, there was a massive rally of the whole of Croatians-in-London contingent. Not as bad or obnoxious as some would have you believe. We went to the National Gallery, surely one of the great museums of the world. I really go for one reason only: to see one of my two favorite paintings in the world — Whistlejacket.:

Whistlejacket, by George Stubbs
I love that painting as if it were a person. (Um, please note my inclusion of the copyright infortmation.)

The day ended with a bit of snacking and some wine, kept in our own refrigerator case, courtesy of the double windows facing Piccadilly:
Fridge

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Thanksgiving Day saw us off to Oxford, via Paddington Station. Our trip there was not that easy, as the Circle and District Lines on the subway have a way of confusing me. Nothing that cannot be fixed, but a wrong turn is not unexpected.
High Street Kensington

We arrived at Oxford after a leisurely ride and made our way into the center of town. We visited some old haunts, and made it as far as the Magdalen Bridge at one of the High Street. Rich and Jane

Joe and Jane

Archway into the Physic Garden
The archway entrance into the Oxford Physic Garden, the oldest in England. A bit colorless at this time of year, it is always interesting as physic gardens concern themselves chiefly with medicinal plants.

Bikes on Broad Street
Bikes parked along the length of Broad Street. It is best to get around the center of Oxford either by foot or on a bike.

Wadham College

Wadham Green
Top is Wadham College, where I went. The bottom photo is the unbelievably green Quad, still as bright as it was during my own time there. The train ride from Oxford gave us a chance to nap in the sun pouring through the windows of the train. Very warming, as Oxford had been rather damp and chilly. We headed for the British Museum. There is nothing left to say about this museum, and I can only add that it practically defines the term, “must-see.” Here are some photos we took:

Parthenon

A Greek lad

In motion

Lying down

Horse's head
It is amazing to me that they let you take photos here, but I am always grateful for it. Unlike the Crown Jewels Tower, where I took a photo and was made to delete it immediately. “State property, sir, you understand,” said the impossibly polite young man who watched me until he witnessed me deleting the offending photo.

Friday, November 23, 2007

Our last full day saw us tyring to catch up on things we had missed, revisiting favorite spots, and taking sentimental journeys. We started out at the Lido once again, taking a coffee break, watching people with their dogs, and even seeing people swimming. In the Serpentine. In November. Insane.
Jane and Rich at the Lido

Jane and Rich at the Albert Memorial
Our walk took us from the Lido to the Albert Memorial once again, Knightsbridge, where we took this photo of kids on the way to the museums:
Schoolchildren in Knightsbridge
Really,what is more English?

We were back in Green Park on our way to St. James’s Park
Jane and Rich in Green Park
when we came upon the very moving, elegantly designed memorial to the Canadian soldiers who gave their lives during the two world wars. Very touching.

Canada War Memorial

Later on, in the evening, was time for a valedictory walk of sorts. They have opened an new international train terminal at St. Pancras. Now, I am a bit of a trainspotter, but by any standard the new station is a genuine marvel, bringing much elegance and spaciousness to a relic of Victorian architecture.
St. Pancras International

After much staring skyward with mouths open (it really is that impressive), we took the subway to Blackfriars for a walk along the Victoria Embankment, a favorite last night walk for me and Rich. Again, different passersby obliged us and took these photos.

Us three at the Eye

Us three along the Embankment

We headed through the pitch black St. James’s Park, which is still perfectly saft even at 10:00 at night, though it was comforting to see two policemen about thirty feet ahead of us, courtesy of their glowing jackets. Walking across the small bridge that crosses the lake, I took this last photo, which really captures a lot of the charm of London for me.
Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Memorial from St. James's Park

And so, as Pepys (a fellow Wadhamite) said, to bed.