London

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This morning was my favorite moment of the trip. I woke up in Paris, the Eiffel Tower in view from the window. Showered, then before the crack of dawn, was on the cobble stone streets of Rue Cler, with the locals. Walking to the Boulangerie to get the best croissants in the world. The only other people were the staff of the hotels doing the same thing, getting the croissants and baguettes for the morning breakfast, including the staff of our hotel. “A quick on Jour Deux Croissants si vous plait.” Two fresh croissants handed to you for 2.80 Euros about $3 (would pay 8 in NY). “Merci, au voire.” Walking back in the crisp Paris fall air, I stopped, took a deep breath, and truly savored the moment, I am in Paris, I truly belong here. Now if I could just learn French.

Back in the room, I finished yesterday’s blog. The croissant melted in my mouth as I looked out my small window at the top of the Eiffel Tower. I do not need a beach in Tahiti to relax, this moment is all I need, everything else no longer matters.

It was time to say au voire to Paris and we were the taxi to Gard du Nord, for our trip back to London and our last official stop of this trip. The taxi ride was the most expensive we have ever had in Paris. We have taken this exact route from the hotel to the train station several times, and it never cost more than 30 euros, this 50 euros. He charged each back as an extra person. If my French was better, I would have disputed the charge, but just wasn’t in the mood for any drama.

When you go from the UK to Paris and vice versa, you have to go through both French and UK border patrol, thank you Brexit. For some reason the UK does not seem to like my passport, so instead of the quick automated line I always have to go through the old in person method. Jerry breezed through, took me an extra 20 minutes. Would have been far less if they British Border Patrol official did feel the need to literally grill the two Asian travelers ahead of me. They were students visiting their parents that lived in Paris, they treated them like terrorists. Ask questions that were none of their business and had nothing to do with seditious behavior.

The Chunnel ride home was smooth. Two and a half hours later your in London. The trip involved about 20 minutes in the tunnel under the English Channel. I will admit the very first time we made this trip I was a bit nervous, but now, it doesn’t bother me at all.

The taxi que was quite short, and traffic was so much better than when we were her in May, so it was a short trip to the hotel. It was eleven am, so to early to check in, so we just stored our luggage and were off to our first stop. Lunch at the Royal Opera House. We had wanted to take a tour, but it is the middle of Opera season, so tours were few and far between. The Royal Opera house is a very modern building, it isn’t like the Opera Houses on the continent, it is sleek in design. It is, however, a very multi-purpose facility. Restaurants and bars throughout, both the Opera and Ballet are performed here, and meeting rooms throughout. It was about a 20-minute walk from our hotel to the Royal Opera house, down the Strand, through the West End, all streets we have walked before. It is London, so naturally there was a nice drizzle as we walked.

We were a bit early, but unlike Spain (I say with nothing but love) we were seated early. We were basically having lunch with all the “Woman that Lunch” (yes Sondheim reference again.) While lunch was good, we wouldn’t do it again. We can say we have dined at the Royal Opera house, but there are far more interesting places to have lunch or Tea in London. I am perfectly happy with some traditional fish and chips. A quick list of what we did have for lunch:

· Cornish Crab Croquettes

· Smoked Salmon, horseradish cream sauce (more horseradish please)

· Cod, Tarragon Fennel

· Aged Sirloin Steak (ok in Spain it would have been old cow)

· Chocolate, tonka Cream & Fig

· Hazelnut Choux Buns

After lunch it was to the Tube, Piccadilly line, to our West End matinee performance of Moulin Rouge. I had somewhat low expectations, the movie was ok, but not great so while I am always up for a musical, I was prepared for just a so-so experience. How wrong I was, the staging alone was worth the price of admission. The show itself was great, what they paid in royalties must have cost a fortune. The music is mostly current music, with maybe three originally songs written for the show. The stage production updated the music even more than what was in the movie. Yes, of course Elton John’s This is your Song was a center piece, but then the so was We almost had it all by Adele, or Bad Romance by Lady Gaga. It was highly entertaining, a third of the price you would pay for the same show in New York, and we had great seats. The place was packed, for a Wednesday afternoon, there wasn’t a seat to be had. Whatever you think of the Brits, they clearly love a good Broadway show. When the Adele song was done, we thought they were going to rush the stage. The Champagne was also flowing, you can order it delivered right to your seat, no waiting in the long lines at the small bars.

Seeing a show in London, is becoming a tradition for us now, we try to see one every time we are here. We really can’t afford them in New York, you pay $300 each for bad seats. It was a short walk (rain had stopped) back to our hotel.

When we stored our luggage, we also did most of the check-in, all we needed to do was pick up our key. The best thing about this hotel, other than the perfect location in Trafalgar Square, is we used Hilton points, so it was free. In addition, even with using points, as Diamond members we still received an upgrade to a sweet and breakfast included. This is a huge difference between service in Europe and the U.S. When we stay at a Hilton in the U.S., we almost never get an upgrade, in fact we barely get a bottle of war, its like they have no concept of their own rewards program. Example, in Boston we are staying at a comparable Hilton to this one, in both Paris and London we were upgraded before we ever got there. In Boston, they just try to get us to pay for what is supposed to be a free upgrade. The IHG brand is pretty much the same, at the Kimpton in Barcelona we were upgrade a week before arriving, in the U.S. we barely get a thank you for being a member.

But I digress. The room is fantastic, spacious, a step-up living area and huge bathroom with both shower and tub. Even on the second floor we have a view of Trafalgar Square. Comfortably in our room, Jerry unpacks, I set up the music and blogging area, unfortunately check work e-mails (no stress today). We have a bit of wine and begin to dress for our final dinner of this trip. As is our custom the last dinner of any trip is usually at a very nice restaurant that we would otherwise not eat at because of the cost. But you only live once, and the last meal of any trip should always be memorable. We naturally want to end on a high note. Tonight’s dinner definitely met the standard.

Wiltons

This is one of the oldest restaurants in London, not Rules old, but still been around for over 200 years. It is primarily a seafood restaurant, but there are several meat and even vegetarian options on the menu. The is a jacket night, opted out of the tie, seems no one really does the jacket and tie thing much anymore, even if stuffy old London Town.

We could have walked, but I had to wear what I affectionately call my “shoes of pain,” they look great but are not great for walking more than about 20 feet. So, we took a quick taxi instead. The restaurant is very posh, waiters dressed in their black and whites, long waste aprons on. The service is beyond reproach, you might as well be eating at Downton Abbey. The pace was perfect, never felt rushed and were able to enjoy each and every course at a nice leisurely pace.

It was very clear we were dining among the upper crust of London. The conversations were of nothing but their investments, the market, a touch of politics, to the extent that it would impact how much money they had. There were two American lawyers/financial advisors wining and dining a table of three obvious wealthy widows, talking nothing but their finances. Yes, they of course did the small talk, if you call talking about dressage and grouse hunting small talk.

When we first sat down and were looking at the menu, Jerry was interested in the pumpkin soup as a starter. The woman at the table that was just finishing up, leaned over an in her wonderful British voice, said “it was divine,” who says that? He ended up not ordering it, but it was nice to know. Jerry started with champagne, I had a Martini, I am in London, I like gin, so yes, I am having a Martini. It was perfect, unlike the last time we were in London, when I had to teach them how to make one.

We started with tow hors d’oeuvres, a Stilton Souffle and Marinated Salmon. The souffle was amazing, a perfect souffle light and fluffy inside with a very drips outer shell, sitting in a stilton cheese sauce. Almost heaven on earth. The salmon was also very good, nice lightly marinated Scottish salmon with a really exceptional dill sauce.

Next was a nice simple green leaf salad for both of us. Perfectly dressed and at least five different leafy greens, so much needed after three weeks of almost no raw vegetables. With our meal we had a wonderful white Chateau-Neuf-da-Pape. It went with our mains perfectly.

Speaking of the mains, Jerry had a wonderful grilled halibut fillet, and I had Lobster Newberg (I ordered thermidor which is sauceless). Didn’t mind the mix up on the lobster because it was just sinfully good. We had a couple of sides, butter Brussel sprouts, and potatoes dauphinois (waiter said it was just a must, and he was right.) We just had a very lovely leisurely dinner.

Dessert was in order, again the waiter highly recommended the Bread & Butter pudding, stating it is “very good and very traditional.” Well of course it is traditional, you cannot be in England and not have pudding for dessert, what would Mrs. Patmore say? It was very good, not sweet like bread pudding made in the south. I went with three scopes of ice cream, gingerbread, salted caramel and vanilla.

Dinner was just a perfect end to a wonderful trip.

Tired after a very long trip, we secured a late check out, and drifted off to sleep.

Tomorrow the flight home, well almost home, we get to Boston at 11 pm and aren’t really up for an expensive taxi back to Providence, so we will spend the night in Boston, then Amtrak home the next day.

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Photos

Cheers
A proper Martini

Duo of appetirzers
Stilton Souffle, Scottish Salmon

Lobster Newburg
Dish of the Day