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Our cruise ship landed in Southampton. We walked to the bus station and took a bus to Victoria station in London, then a cab to the flat we rented through Airbnb. The flat is in Maide Valle, we choose this area because it is near where we lived when we spent a year in London and the flat is near an underground (tube) station. We shop, stock up on breakfast items and food for dinner. We buy a seven day travel card called an Oyster for unlimited travel on the tube and busses, the cost is five pounds per day, what a deal. We head to Camden Market, what a surprise there are so many people here. The market sells clothes, bags, tee shirts with crazy sayings, art, jewelry and stuff young people like. There are blocks and blocks of booths and stalls selling food. Lots of tattoo parlors here. It looks like it may rain so back to the apt we go.
Day 2
Spend all day at the National Gallery. I wrote about this in my London Museums blog.
Day 3
Spend all day at the British Museum. I wrote about this in my London
Museums blog. After our visit to the museum we return to the flat to change then off to dinner and a play. We bought the tickets to the play online from home, the purchase included an option for dinner so we purchased the dinner. We choose a Fench restaurant, two courses for 10.50 pounds. The food was very good at the Palm Court Brassiere which is right across from Coventry Gardens (shops, booths and always street entertainers). The play was called The Play That Went Wrong it was slap stick humor and we laughed and laughed.
Day 4
Westminster Abbey, a must see on any trip to London. The admission price (got the senior discount) includes an audio tour. You can buy tickets on line but we did not, I was worried when we arrived at opening time and saw a long line to get in. The line was so security could check your bag, one old guy for hundreds of people. Once through security there was no line to a buy ticket, I guess most people are on a tour or bought tickets on line. No picture taking allowed here so no pictires taken.
For lunch
we ate at an Italian restaurant called Sirena at 44 St James Street near Selfridges. The food was good and inexpensive. After lunch we walked through Selfridges, I love the food court - they sell prepared food, meat and fish markets, lots of deserts, candy, gelato and food I can't identify. Most people visit Harrods but I like Selfridges.
A short walk from Selfridges is The Wallace Collection, I wrote about the Wallace Collection in my London Museum blog.
Another play tonight Mrs Henderson Presents and dinner at the Palm Court Brassiere again. We bought our tickets online on the Time Out web site. There are so many plays to see in London, you can buy your tickets online or at the half price ticket booth located at Leicester Square.
Day 5
More art, starting our day at the Courtauld Gallery, I wrote about the Courtauld in my London Museum blog.
We attended a free lunchtime concert at at St Martins in the Fields Church. After lunch we walked through Regents Park.
Day 6
More art, OK we love art and there is so much to see. Today we visit the Roak Academy
of Art, I wrote about this my London Museum blog. In the afternoon we walk through Hyde Park.
This evening we attend Evensong at St Pauls Cathedral. It starts at 5:00 and we get there 20 minutes early. Evensong is not a mass it is a 40 minute church service with a choir and two readings. We were sitting on the left side when they anounced that we could sit in the choral stalls. So we got to sit upfront with the choir, it was great. After the mass we went to Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese pub for dinner and beer. Mark Twain, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Charles Dickens all used to hang out here.
Day 7
We took a ride on the London Eye at Westminster Bridge. There was a long line but it moved quickly. In the afternoon we took random bus rides around the city.. We would jump on a bus until we reached the end of the ride then jump on another bus.
This evening we attend a concert at St Martins In The Fields Church, it is a candlelight concert. We bought our tickets on line. This is our last
night in London, now on to the next part of this adventure.
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Marvin Del Chiaro
non-member comment
Great photos/commentary
Hey, looks like you're having a fantastic time; recognized a few places, many I did not; either we've never been there or I've forgotten :) Anyway, I really enjoyed your commentary and the great photos as well. Safe travels!