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Published: June 26th 2017
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Geo: 51.5002, -0.126236
Friday was a travelling day. We left the ship at Civitavecchia and had a transfer from the port to Rome Airport. We had 5 hours to wait once there, the last 3 were spent in the British Airways Lounge. We left Rome at 3-20pm and arrived in London at 5pm local time(back one hour). Got the Heathrow Express into Paddington and a taxi from there to our hotel in Hyde Park, not far at all.
The Thistle is in an old Victorian house and has chandeliers in the bedrooms and gilded taps in the bathrooms. All rather classy.It is on Bayswater road just opposite Hyde Park and 5 minutes walk to Lancaster Gate Underground. We are happy here.
This morning after a lazy start to the day we caught the train to Marble Arch and then proceeded to do our usual walk but this time in reverse. We walked the length of Oxford Street stopping for a quick breakfast along the way and whenever there was a seat for Fletcher to rest his knees. We then turned into Charing Cross Road. There is so much building going on here, particularly around Tube stations where there is major upgrading of the aging
stations for the 150th anniversary of its inception. We also noticed that there are fewer Bookstores in evidence which was our major target in walking this way. However, Foyles is still there and soon moving to a bigger and better store just a little further along. Blackwells is now half its size and Waterstones is still huge. All in all we visited about four or five and finished up with at least 14 new books! They are so inexpensive her without VAT whereas the Howard Government did not exclude books from the GST, an utter disgrace in my opinion. Good on Natasha for trying her best to oppose that.
We walked into Soho on our way and investigated some drumming in China Town. There was a parade for the Buddha's Birthday. This led us to the excellent Haozhan Restaurant for a delicious Chinese lunch. After finishing our book shopping in Picadilly we returned to the hotel to deposit the books and after a short rest and a drink at The Swan Hotel nearby (this was the last pub before Tyburn where prisoners were hanged. There has been a pub here since before 1670) we caught the train headed for Stratford and
the 2012 Olympic Precinct. Fletcher wanted to see this as we did not come for the Games. After a 20 minute trip and a change of trains at Liverpool St. we arrived to find that instead of the precinct what we saw was a huge Westfield Shopping Mall, the most modern Mall I have seen anywhere in the UK. We were told by one of the security guards whom we asked that the Olympic area, now calles The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is closed at the moment being adapted and will reopen in Summer. We caught a glimpse of the main stadium through the fence surrounding the construction etc. So that was a disappointment but we have at least ""been there done that" (just for you, Tracey!)
We journeyed back and went to The Spice of India Restaurant a couple of streets away fro the hotel for dinner. Again, great food and only 30 pounds for the meal ( add on a bit for the wine) . Things seem to be more affordable here at the present!
Our first day in London, two must dos are ticked off. Tomorrow morning we plan to visit Lords Cricket Ground for a tour.
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