This was probably our last visit to London, so we were out to make the most of our time.
On Saturday we visited St Paul’s Cathedral. I have probably mentioned this before, but each cathedral we visit we never think we can better it, but this one is just breathtakingly beautiful and well worth viewing. It dominates the city with a dome second in size only to St Peter’s in Rome. It was built between 1675 and 1710 by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of 1666. Four other cathedrals on this site, the first dating from 604, preceded it. Somehow it dodged the bombs of WW11. It was the only cathedral in England to be completed in an architect’s lifetime. The whispering gallery is the first of three domes and if you talk close to the wall it can be heard 32 metres away. We forgot about this and when Ian saw a woman talking to the wall he wondered if she was OK!!!!!
We climbed the 530 steps to the Golden Gallery at the very top and had an awesome view of London – lucky for us it was a clear day!
As we hadn’t been to a musical show we chose “We Will Rock You” as the one. All the reports from people who had seen it (including Sara 5 years ago) said it was the best. We also thoroughly enjoyed it. Mind you, we would just go to them all really if we could only win the lottery!
While we were out enjoying ourselves, Hugh was dealing with a break in to our car. Apparently it must have happened the previous night and we didn’t notice anything untoward when we left the house that morning, as it was on the driver’s side of the car. Anyway there was nothing in there to steal, but we had left the satellite navigator cradle on the windscreen and that must have been the attraction as many people then leave the navigator in the glove box. We have never made a habit of this thank goodness. However it was an added expense to have the window replaced which we could have done without. In saying this we were most grateful to Hugh for ringing around and finding a company to come and replace it at 7 pm in the evening.
On Saturday evening we watched the AB’s v France game and we all know the result of that!!
On Sunday, back into the city again and this time around Westminster. We strolled around the Abby, Parliament Buildings with Big Ben, St James Park, Downing Street and over Westminster Bridge. We took the Queen’s walk on the south bank of the Thames passed the Fashion & Textile Museum, Shakespeare’s Globe, Aquarium, Florence Nightingale Museum and then to Tate Modern. This was formerly a power station and is now the home to Europe’s most contemporary art gallery – a different gallery to any other.
We completed our day with a walk over the millennium bridge, tube to Oxford Street and then back to Tottenham, before driving home!
Thursday, 11 October 2007
Sandringham House
Sandringham was a casual Sunday afternoon drive from Gorleston, on a fine autumn day! When we arrived, there was a country market in full swing as well. It was the first time this had taken place and it will be a monthly event if successful. For people who are staying longer than the 2 months we have left, it would be a great place to 'stock up'.
This royal family residence in set in 25 hectares of landscaped gardens and lakes, and is open to the public when it is unoccupied by the owners!!
Queen Victoria bought the house and an 8000 hectare estate in 1862 so as to give her son the Prince of Wales (later Edward V11) somewhere to call his official residence.
The park-like gardens are very well laid out and it was a very pleasant place to leisurely stroll around.
The house itself is home to a museum that contains a collection of vintage cars, photographs from the last 100 years and other royal memorabilia. When you enter the house you see the sunroom where the Queen reads the morning paper, the room for pre dinner snacks, the dining room and lounge. Prince Philip is an accomplished painter and some of his work was also on display.
About 8000 hectacres is leased out to farm tenants while the remaining hectares are managed by the Crown Estate as forestry.
It was a place where many people picnic and take walks through the forest (this is outside the house & gardens) with their dogs and family. A popular spot for everyone.
This royal family residence in set in 25 hectares of landscaped gardens and lakes, and is open to the public when it is unoccupied by the owners!!
Queen Victoria bought the house and an 8000 hectare estate in 1862 so as to give her son the Prince of Wales (later Edward V11) somewhere to call his official residence.
The park-like gardens are very well laid out and it was a very pleasant place to leisurely stroll around.
The house itself is home to a museum that contains a collection of vintage cars, photographs from the last 100 years and other royal memorabilia. When you enter the house you see the sunroom where the Queen reads the morning paper, the room for pre dinner snacks, the dining room and lounge. Prince Philip is an accomplished painter and some of his work was also on display.
About 8000 hectacres is leased out to farm tenants while the remaining hectares are managed by the Crown Estate as forestry.
It was a place where many people picnic and take walks through the forest (this is outside the house & gardens) with their dogs and family. A popular spot for everyone.
Monday, 1 October 2007
London & Edinburgh
This was the weekend Ian was heading up to Edinburgh to see the All Blacks play Scotland. We headed to London for Friday night and he left for Kings Cross Station on Saturday morning to meet the Lascelle contingent! I was going to have time in London with Hugh and Santanu before returning on Sunday.
Hugh and Santanu have just moved into a new house in Tottenham and we were looking forward to staying there and viewing their new purchase. It is much bigger than Hugh’s Islington house; downstairs is a spacious kitchen, dining room and living area plus a conservatory and delightful, private little garden outside. First floor has two bedrooms, an office and a bathroom and an attic room and bathroom on the second floor. The previous owner has altered and maintained it using wood and fittings to match the original so it is a very attractive house, requiring very little immediate interior work. An excellent buy!
I caught the tube into Oxford Street on Saturday to visit the much loved Marks and Spencers!! What will I do when I return home – unless they have opened one since I have left!!! Anyway I didn’t give the credit card too much of a nudge but enjoyed looking around to see what was available! From here it was easy to go to the Wallace collection (Hugh’s suggestion) which is one of London’s finest, small galleries and comprises a wealth of 17th & 18th Century European artefacts and art including works by Rubens, Titian, Rembrandt and Gainsborough. All these are housed in this restored mansion in Manchester Square and well worth a visit, especially since it is free! In the evening Hugh, Santanu and I went to see the film “Yetta” – a German movie with sub titles. It wasn’t the best choice but the meal before hand made up for it. That was at an Asian restaurant, very cheap but very tasty with huge servings. On Sunday, Hugh and I went to a morning coffee concert at Wigmore Hall. This hall is in West London, just near Cavendish Square. They have recitals or concerts most lunch times (just an hour long) and every evening there are a variety of performances to choose from. The hall itself is just beautiful and quite small in comparison to others around. Our recital was a trio playing the clarinet, viola and piano. From here we enjoyed a Thai lunch and then a quick flick through more shops in Oxford Street before returning home. I wanted to leave at a reasonable time before darkness set in. I’m not keen on driving home from London on my own, in the dark.
I:an’s account of events!
The train pulled out at 9.30am and by 9.45 one of Guy’s travelling mates produced two bottles of Moet and those, along with many cans and 6 hours on the train, it was some trip. Pre dinner drinks were at Dirty Dicks and following dinner they hit the night club scene. On Sunday two of the travelling party visited Edinburgh Castle while the other 4 wandered the streets and met up with Wendy & Colin Young at Starbucks. All arrived at the ground in plenty of time for pre game drinks and this time met up with Tim & Julie Paterson. The game fever seemed to be really building and there appeared to be 2 to 1 supporters in the Kiwi’s favour. By the time the game began, the atmosphere was electric. Unfortunately the 80min wasn’t total excitement although it was great to secure another win for the AB’s. The post game continued at the back of the stand and then many more stops on the way before they hit the city again close to midnight. A visit to two more night clubs before the two ‘old salts’ arrived home, the last of the touring party to crash. The next couple of days were for recovery.
Hugh and Santanu have just moved into a new house in Tottenham and we were looking forward to staying there and viewing their new purchase. It is much bigger than Hugh’s Islington house; downstairs is a spacious kitchen, dining room and living area plus a conservatory and delightful, private little garden outside. First floor has two bedrooms, an office and a bathroom and an attic room and bathroom on the second floor. The previous owner has altered and maintained it using wood and fittings to match the original so it is a very attractive house, requiring very little immediate interior work. An excellent buy!
I caught the tube into Oxford Street on Saturday to visit the much loved Marks and Spencers!! What will I do when I return home – unless they have opened one since I have left!!! Anyway I didn’t give the credit card too much of a nudge but enjoyed looking around to see what was available! From here it was easy to go to the Wallace collection (Hugh’s suggestion) which is one of London’s finest, small galleries and comprises a wealth of 17th & 18th Century European artefacts and art including works by Rubens, Titian, Rembrandt and Gainsborough. All these are housed in this restored mansion in Manchester Square and well worth a visit, especially since it is free! In the evening Hugh, Santanu and I went to see the film “Yetta” – a German movie with sub titles. It wasn’t the best choice but the meal before hand made up for it. That was at an Asian restaurant, very cheap but very tasty with huge servings. On Sunday, Hugh and I went to a morning coffee concert at Wigmore Hall. This hall is in West London, just near Cavendish Square. They have recitals or concerts most lunch times (just an hour long) and every evening there are a variety of performances to choose from. The hall itself is just beautiful and quite small in comparison to others around. Our recital was a trio playing the clarinet, viola and piano. From here we enjoyed a Thai lunch and then a quick flick through more shops in Oxford Street before returning home. I wanted to leave at a reasonable time before darkness set in. I’m not keen on driving home from London on my own, in the dark.
I:an’s account of events!
The train pulled out at 9.30am and by 9.45 one of Guy’s travelling mates produced two bottles of Moet and those, along with many cans and 6 hours on the train, it was some trip. Pre dinner drinks were at Dirty Dicks and following dinner they hit the night club scene. On Sunday two of the travelling party visited Edinburgh Castle while the other 4 wandered the streets and met up with Wendy & Colin Young at Starbucks. All arrived at the ground in plenty of time for pre game drinks and this time met up with Tim & Julie Paterson. The game fever seemed to be really building and there appeared to be 2 to 1 supporters in the Kiwi’s favour. By the time the game began, the atmosphere was electric. Unfortunately the 80min wasn’t total excitement although it was great to secure another win for the AB’s. The post game continued at the back of the stand and then many more stops on the way before they hit the city again close to midnight. A visit to two more night clubs before the two ‘old salts’ arrived home, the last of the touring party to crash. The next couple of days were for recovery.
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is about 3hours from Gorleston, so once again we left early Saturday morning. Apart from the Shakespeare attraction, it is a very pretty town, full of historic buildings, half-timbered houses and thatched roofs. On arrival, we purchased a combination ticket to all five Shakespeare properties. The main attraction, Shakespeare’s birthplace has a modern exterior, but inside it is very much ‘olde’. Family rooms have been recreated in the style of Shakespeare’s time plus there is also an adjacent exhibition which give the low down on their most famous son. The Nash house was where Shakespeare’s granddaughter Elizabeth lived and this describes the town’s history, together with 17th century furniture and tapastries. Next door are the grounds of a (now demolished) house Shakespeare bought when he retired. Shakespeare’s daughter Susanna married the eminent doctor John Hall, and their fine Elizabethan town house, Hall’s Croft now contains a fascinating insight into medical practice in Shakespeare’s time. Before their marriage, Shakespeare’s wife lived in Shottery, a mile west of the centre, in a thatched farmhouse now known as Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. This is a beautiful, picturesque house and garden. Mary Arden was Shakespeare’s mother, and a house at Wilmcote was her childhood home. This has exhibits tracing local country life over the past four centuries and was really interesting, especially for Ian. There were women dressed appropriately for the time, cooking a mid day meal over an open fire. We left this for Sunday morning as we realized it would take longer to visit than the other properties.
Our friends had advised us to visit Warwick Castle which was just a few miles north of Stratford-upon-Avon. By now we are reaching the stage of ‘oh not another castle’ but if you have never seen very many this would be a must to visit. For a start it is incredibly well preserved. The castle is owned by Tussauds, and that influence is evident in the waxwork figures throughout the rooms. Their displays are so life-like that it makes it so much easier to visualize what life was like back then. We left there at 4pm and headed for home.
Our friends had advised us to visit Warwick Castle which was just a few miles north of Stratford-upon-Avon. By now we are reaching the stage of ‘oh not another castle’ but if you have never seen very many this would be a must to visit. For a start it is incredibly well preserved. The castle is owned by Tussauds, and that influence is evident in the waxwork figures throughout the rooms. Their displays are so life-like that it makes it so much easier to visualize what life was like back then. We left there at 4pm and headed for home.
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