Wednesday, July 18, 2012

LONDON June 2012

Assistance on the trip by Travel Pavillion in NJ.  Gladys Rappoport at 732-812-0173


DAY 1
Travel Wed / Thur  After landing, Paddington Express Subway Train to Paddington Station.
Heavy Rain, took a cab to Hotel Indigo two blocks away.  Cab ride is circuitous due to one ways.  Easy walk when no deluge.  Arrive at noon Thurs.

I LOVE Hotel Indigo.  It is insane in these days of dumbing down and emotional culture that you see wall paintings of Math related Fibonacci rules and Golden Equations.  Stunning celebration to intelligence and provable concepts as opposed to emotional crap so pervasive.

Room not ready.  Eat lunch at hotel.  Arthur Treacher Fish & Chips is better in the US.  Sorry, the Brit's can't do food.  Their INDIAN food is superb!

Boarded the BIG BUS TOUR to get the "lay of the land."  Rain mostly and poor photo opportunities.  Bus Schedule changed and had to learn the street map well.

Dinner at RYATH Indian Restaurant near the hotel  -  Shrimp & Lamb served with a dry Muscadet.  Management very attentive and caring.


DAY 2
Rain.  Breakfast.  Le Bistro.  Good Breakfast.

Purchase Underground OYSTER CARD.  Take Underground to Westminster Abbey, spend the morning there.  Saw the graves of Charles Darwin and Isaac Newton.  Literally standing on history.

LUNCH at Fullers Ales & Pies.  Had lamb pie.  And a Fullers ESB beer.  It is SO GOOD there.  Rarely found here in good condition.

Citi River Cruise Tour from Near Big Ben, up and down the River.

DINNER  Frontline Restaurant  Terrific.  Steak Tartare, Fish Cake, Shiraz.


DAY 3  Forecast, first day of no rain.  HEAVY DUTY DAY.  PERHAPS A WORLD RECORD OF ACTIVITY.
Tour of Stonehenge, Oxford and Windsor Castle.
6 am Breakfast at McDonalds.  No one else open until 7am.
7 am on the Underground to Victoria Station.  It is a walk from the Underground.
8:45am on the Bus for the Evan Evans Tour arranged by Gladys
10:00 am At Windsor Castle. Buy box lunch in the neighborhood at the Castle.
12:00 Noon back to the bus for the drive to Stonehenge.
1:45 - 2:10 at Stonehenge
2:10 drive to Oxford
3pm - 5pm tour Oxford.
DINNER Indian very very near Paddington Station Indigo Hotel. Staff falling asleep.
8pm LONDON EYE ferris Wheel for photos & shoot Parliament & Big Ben at dusk


DAY 4 - No rain in forecast
Kew Gardens - 250 year old Botanical Gardens
LaTaza Kosovo Breakfast.  Noon at Kew gardens
Lunch at Kew
World class Botanical garden.  Out at 4:30 pm

Dinner at Pride of Paddington pub.
Pride of Paddington Scottish brew and T-Bone steak.  Cocktail: Pimms on the Rocks

DAY 5  - RAIN
BREAKFAST Pride of Paddington pub  Eggs Benedict
Museum of Britain
Rosetta Stone, Easter Island
Lunch at Museum.  Blood Pudding.

Dinner: Flavors of INDIA

DAY 6
Breakfast at Le Gourmet - Mediterranean Breakfast
Get on Waterloo W trains to Hampton Court Castle -  Henry the VIII hangout.
Lunch near the castle at Pizza Express.  Gorganzola and Pancetta Pie.  Very good.
Dinner Thai River Restaurant near Paddington Station.  Terrific Authentic Thai.

DAY 7
Transfer to LEICESTER SQUARE
Breakfast at COSTA  - had a koffta at Le Bistro
Went to St apuls and walked around Fleet street.
Check out Hotel Indigo and by cab went to Leicester Sq.  Crazy driver.
Lunch ALL BAR ONE  terrific.

Walk around Trafalgar square.
Dinner at local pub, great Sam Smith beer.
Walk the square and ice cream dessert.

DAY 8
BOMBING RUN
Breakfast at Pompidou Salmon and bagel.
Photos in St James park on the way to Buckminster Palace.
10 Downing St
Churchill War Rooms
Multiple trains to visit Canary Wharf  (former colleagues are here)
Tower of London- Amazing stuff.  WOW.
Lunch at NorthWest Chinese Cuisine Walamuchi in Leichester Sq.  Served SE Thai style.
PORTRAIT Gallery of London
ALL BAR ONE for dinner, Duck, Calamari and Mushrooms as tapas.

DAY 9
Outta here.










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