{"id":6686,"date":"2017-08-05T17:59:38","date_gmt":"2017-08-05T17:59:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bucksurdu.com\/blog\/?p=6686"},"modified":"2017-08-05T18:00:18","modified_gmt":"2017-08-05T18:00:18","slug":"surdus-visit-england","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bucksurdu.com\/blog\/?p=6686","title":{"rendered":"Surdus Visit England"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Arriving in Paddington Station<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For our family vacation this year, we chose to visit England. \u00a0As many of you know, we first made sure that we got the kids to all 50 states. \u00a0Then we visited Costa Rica last Summer. \u00a0This Summer we visited England, beginning our journey with three days in London.<\/p>\n

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London City Hotel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After arriving in Heathrow, we took the express shuttle and two tube lines to our hotel. \u00a0We rented a “flat” or apartment from the London City Hotel, the entrance of which was right next to the Borough underground stop.<\/p>\n

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A view from London Bridge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Despite feeling quite jet lagged, we determined to “power through” our first day. \u00a0We began by walking past Borough Market and over London Bridge to visit St. Paul’s Cathedral.<\/p>\n

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At St. Paul’s we visited the crypts, the main floor, and climbed to the top of the dome.<\/p>\n

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A view of London from the top of St. Paul's<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From St. Paul’s we went back to our hotel to check in and drop our bags in the room. \u00a0Along the way we stopped in Borough Market for a snack. \u00a0Tom and I split an excellent corned beef (salt beef) sandwich (on which cheese was melted with a blow torch) and some sort of mediterranean pasty thing with potato and onion while Sam and Candy split some kind of 22,000 calorie dessert.<\/p>\n

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An entrance to Borough Market<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After dropping our bags in our hotel, we walked to the London Eye. \u00a0Some think the Eye is a tourist attraction, but we all know it was an antenna used to attack the Earth by aliens whose plot was thwarted by Dr. Who.<\/p>\n

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The London Eye<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A view of London from the Eye<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Another view of London from the Eye, including Big Ben, Parliament, and Whitehall.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After visiting the Eye, we stopped for dinner at the Sherlock Holmes pub. \u00a0This pub features a room made to look like Holme’s study as described in the various stories. \u00a0We ate traditional pub fare. \u00a0The kids had their first (to my knowledge) hard cider.<\/p>\n

We economized a bit at breakfast. \u00a0Since our flat had a full kitchen, we purchased some muffins, Scotch egg, and falafel at a local Sainsbury’s store to heat up in the mornings.<\/p>\n

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Sam, Tom, and Candy in front of the Tower of London<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We began the next day in London with a visit to the Tower of London and the Crown Jewels. \u00a0I had seen the Crown Jewels over 30 years ago. \u00a0The exhibit is MUCH more interesting and well displayed now. \u00a0There is a bit of multimedia, but mostly the jewels and regalia are displayed nicely spaced, and they control access, so you can really see everything.<\/p>\n

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A handsome dude in front of the building housing the crown jewels.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We took in the crown jewels first thing, before the crowds formed. \u00a0Then we latched onto a guided tour by one of the yeoman warders.<\/p>\n

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Our "Beefeater"<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Beefeater was very entertaining, and did a nice job of explaining elements of the Tower’s storied past.<\/p>\n

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My little Barbie at Harrods<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After leaving the Tower we met my friend Simon and headed off to Knightsbridge. \u00a0Candy, Sam, and Tom needed to see a “shopping palace,” like Harrods, which is in Knightsbridge. \u00a0Before going into Harrods we stopped to have an old time photo taken. \u00a0We spent about 45 minutes walking around Harrods. \u00a0Then Simon took us to a pub, called the Grenadier, which we never would have found on our own. \u00a0It was at one time the Mess of the Duke of Wellington. \u00a0We then walked around Hyde Park for an hour or so and took a double-decker bus to Covent Garden.<\/p>\n

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Inside the Covent Garden market<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There we met Simon’s football buddy for a light snack. \u00a0We parted ways, so that Simon and his buddy could get to the ballet, and we walked around Covent Garden. \u00a0While doing so, we ran into Julie Horton, who is Tommy’s unofficial sponsor at West Point. \u00a0What a coincidence that we should run into her in a city of 5 million people 3000 miles from home.<\/p>\n

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Sam, Tom, Julie, and Candy in the Covent Garden market<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After a short time shopping, we went to see showing number 26978 of The Mousetrap, the longest running play in history. \u00a0This is an Agatha Christie story. \u00a0I have seen it any times, but I wanted the family to see it. \u00a0The kids, whose only theater experience is in high school productions, only went to humor me and thought they would be bored, but everyone enjoyed the play — and no one guessed whodunnit.<\/p>\n

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The Mousetrap<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The next morning began with a tour of Buckingham Palace. \u00a0The tour was quite good, and we all learned a great deal. \u00a0It is self guided, but the audio guide is very easy to use and is informative.<\/p>\n

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The rear of Buckingham Palace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The tour exits into the palace garden — and a gift shop.<\/p>\n

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The "garden" at Buckingham Palace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our next stop was to Baker Street to see the Sherlock Holmes museum. \u00a0I have read all the Conan Doyle stories and enjoyed them. \u00a0The “museum” is essentially a building made to look like Holmes’ and Watson’s quarters as described in the stories. \u00a0It also has a nice gift shop.<\/p>\n

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Holme's study<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Samlock Holmes -- elementary!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Dr. Tom Watson stupefied by Holme's deductions...<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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... while Candy consorts with Dr. Moriarty<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At this point we split up. \u00a0Everyone wanted to see the Cabinet War Rooms, but I had just seen them a year ago. \u00a0I wanted to see the National Army Museum, which was under renovation last time I was in London, and I hadn’t seen in 30 years. \u00a0The family enjoyed the War Rooms; however, I was strongly disappointed in the National Army Museum.<\/p>\n

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Weapons displayed at the National Army Museum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Last time I was there, I found this museum to have more history and artifacts than the Imperial War Museum. \u00a0I learned a great deal about the evolution of the British Army. \u00a0After the renovation, much of the history has been replaced by political correctness. \u00a0Displays ask questions like “should Britain have an Army,” “how should POWs be treated,” “should snipers be considered war criminals?” \u00a0There were displays that emphasized the “diversity” of the soldiers \u00a0in the British Army, talked about how the British Army has been an instrument of subjugating foreign populaces, etc. \u00a0I don’t need more PC BS. \u00a0I went there to learn history, and I was sorely disappointed. \u00a0It is even worse than the military section of Smithsonian! \u00a0If you have a chance, give this one a pass.<\/p>\n

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Churchill tank in the National Army Museum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Even this cool WWII tank simulator was broken. \u00a0It was a very disappointing visit.<\/p>\n

I linked back up with the family at Picadilly Circus for a leisurely walk up Regent Street and back to look at overpriced clothing. \u00a0The high point along Regent Street for me is Hamley’s toy store, which makes FAO Schwartz look like a dimestore.<\/p>\n

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We were able to meet the queen at Hamley's<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From Regent Street we took a combination of tube and walking to get to Ivory House at St. Catherine’s Docks for a mediaeval feast.<\/p>\n

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Awaiting dinner...<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Candy makes friends with horse-head woman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Between courses, we were entertained by singing, juggling, acrobatics, and swordplay.<\/p>\n

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A balancing act during our feast<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Everyone felt that the feast was a little underwhelming. \u00a0I enjoyed the food quite a bit. \u00a0The food here is mostly familiar, but often has an interesting twist that I quite like. \u00a0The food was served family style at ten-person tables. \u00a0We had an interesting charcuterie tray, broccoli soup, and roasted check.<\/p>\n

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A short but very intense sword battle...<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the walk back to the hotel we passed the Tower lit up at night.<\/p>\n

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The Tower of London at night<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our final morning in London we checked out of our hotel and got on the water bus to Greenwich.<\/p>\n

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Sam and Candy on the water bus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The Greenwich Observatory<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Sam, some handsome guy, and Tom standing in two time zones with both feet on either side of the prime meridian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On our return from Greenwich we walked across Tower Bridge and back to our hotel.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>We grabbed our bags from the hotel, tubed it to Paddington Station, took a train to Reading, and hired a car. \u00a0My adventure driving on the wrong side of road began in stressful way with navigatrix Candy sending me the wrong way down a one-way street during rush hour. \u00a0The car we hired form Enterprise was a Ford Kuga. \u00a0At the rental office we thought they were saying “cougar” with a British accent.<\/p>\n

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Half way to Swindon for the night we had a puncture (flat tire) along the motorway (interstate) and had to have the automobile club tow us off the highway and replace the tire. \u00a0We eventually made it to our hotel in Swindon, ate dinner in a nice pub, and got to bed about 2330.<\/p>\n