London - Days 3-4

---

The next day we were slept in a bit as our first plan of the day is Sunday roast!! yay! C made us reservations at the Ladbrooke Arms in Notting Hill, a highly recommended place she found. We met K there and enjoyed (well, I did) the delicious meal. It was quite heavy, but I was in heaven with my Yorkshire pudding. I think C and K don't really get Yorkshire pudding, but that just leaves more for me! Takes me back to some of the lovely roasts my grandmother made when we were young and it is the main dish that just really reminds me of England.

After getting our fill, feeling so heavy, we walked through the beautiful streets of Notting Hill, stopping at an organic store, then on to the next spot: a bar called the Princess Royal. We had to wait for a table but enjoyed our time at the bar with the super friendly bar tenders who made us each a delicious drink (K just had iced tea, and named it the best she'd ever had). The wait was worth it as we got a nice table in the courtyard on a beautiful day, with a good vibe from the fellow patrons.

Afterwards, C and I walked to Kensington Gardens which was on C's list. I always love seeing local people out enjoying the public parks and the gardens here were pretty busy - not crowded, but many people enjoying the nice weather. We saw the lake with the city skyline in the background. There is the statue of Queen Victoria, who basically implemented these gardens - she was the longest lived queen until QEII, born in 1819, her reign 1837-1901. Most royalty in Europe is descended through her. She is also known for mourning her husband, Prince Albert for the remainder of her life, dressing only in black. There is a giant memorial to him at the edge of the gardens and directly across from the Prince Albert Hall. We continued on a bit into Hyde Park to see the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain, but it was a just a nice little flow of water down a gentle hill with kids cooling off in the water.

We took a taxi back and had an early night, strangely watching Dirty Dancing which happened to be on tv and took us back to our college days!

Tower of London

The next morning was an early one as we walked down to the Tower of London - I had visited with my cousins as a teenager and loved it, but when I tried to visit again with my sisters years later, the line to get in was insane and we opted out. I did not even try the last time I was in the City. Anyway, I wanted to avoid any lines so we arrived just as it opened and easily got tickets and inside. We made a beeline for the Crown Jewels, which was interesting. Then we toured the rest of the castle, visiting the White Tower and the Bloody Tower, walking by the Traitors Gate. I am a fan of English history and was able to give a bit of background info to C. The central, White Tower, was constructed soon after the Conquest, and was often used as a prison, including housing the unfortunate Princes in the Tower near the end of the Wars of the Roses. Some interesting facts I knew or even remembered from my teenage tour (when we had a fun Yeoman guide): most men were executed outside the castle walls on Tower Hill, but women were typically executed privately within the walls; most people were granted a last request. Anne Boleyn asked for a sword instead of an axe as it was more likely to take off the whole head in one swoop, rather than hacking. Jane Seymour requested to have the chopping block in her room overnight so she could practice. Gruffydd ap Lllewelyn, was a prince of Wales who had been imprisoned in most of his life, and he tried to make a daring escape from the tower using bedsheets, but fell to his death. Anyway, these were the fascinating, morbid tidbits that delighted C. 😉

We then walked over Tower Bridge to the other side of town where we caught an uber.

Westminster Abbey

We were unable to enter a couple days before so we had made a quick tower through the Tower to make it to the Abbey soon after it opened. There was a bit of a line (and it was expensive!), with a lot of people in the cathedral. We did not get a guide, so again, I told C what I knew about the history. The Abbey had been on these grounds for a while, but it was Henry III who made it into mainly what you see today. Henry III, son of infamous King John, became king as a boy and was easily swayed by many in his circle; while an ineffectual king, he was responsible for the construction or expansion of many of the incredible buildings we still see today, including Windsor Castle. He was heavily influenced by St Edward the Confessor, which is a large part of the cathedral. Also buried here is Eleanor of Castile, beloved wife of Edward I as well as King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, whose marriage effectively ended the Wars of the Roses. Other prominent people are buried here and it was interesting to see their names, like Isaac Newton and of course, Charles Darwin.

The Abbey itself is beautiful with soaring arches and sculpting and stained glass windows. It is very imposing and you get a real sense of the history and religious significance. (My favorite cathedral still remains Lincoln though!).

Afternoon and evening

We then got an uber to Borough Market, another item on C's list. I was pleasantly surprised - lots of cute vendors all over a random area of the city - along streets, below a bridge, etc. I had to walk back though because I had a spa appointment; C's was later. The walk was very easy, over the current London Bridge (nothing impressive) and I was able to walk by Leadenhall Market, on my own list. I had requested a Thai massage, but it wasn't, though it was nice and relaxing. After C's massage we then made our way back to the Ned again to meet K for dinner. We went a bit early to have drinks in the main hall where they were playing live jazz music. It was such a nice evening! After K arrived, we made our way to Kaia, inside the Ned on the ground floor, so we still hear the music and felt the overall vibe. The food was delicious! Again, we just took a bunch of different types of plates to share. Soon, it was time to say good bye to K! What a fun four days!

---

Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

Nice photo
Tower Bridge

[D MJ Binkley]

Kensington Gardens
Beautiful gardens always worth a visit.