Emily and Linda’s Travel Blog

We started our day a little later than intended (apparently we needed more sleep after yesterday's treks), but finally got out of the house and onto the City Cruise boat to Greenwich ( on the recommendation of Heather Gibson). Beautiful day for a cruise. The sky was clear and blue, the temperature was cool and pleasant, and there was only a light breeze on the water. Thirty minutes later we were in Greenwich where we wandered  the Maritime College, watched the ball drop at the Greenwich Mean Time meridian observatory (indicating EXACTLY 1:00) and later had a tasty, if somewhat delayed pub lunch at the Mitre Inn, just beside the church where Henry the 8th was baptized and Thomas Tallis was the choirmaster. Along the way I had a Qi Energy session with Amelia in a booth at the Greenwich Mall which did make me feel a bit lighter and ready to go on to our next round.

We took the cruise back to the Tower Bridge landing where Chris and Margaret got maximum value out of their London Passes while Linda and Em opted for some couch time.

We finished off the day with a stroll along the waterfront and around our warehouse neighborhood, which they tell us was the site for filming  Oliver, part of Bridget Jones' Diary, and a number of other films. Dinner at a decent, but not spectacular restaurant on the quayside. The service was even slower than the lunchtime pub, but the view was spectacular and we made the acquaintance of a couple at the next table who were similarly frustrated with no food. They were lovely and planning a trip to NYC soon so we filled the time chatting and in the end had a more interesting time than we might have otherwise. 

Today we got up and out early to different destinations. Margaret and Chris went to the Tower of London and the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery. Linda headed out to explore our local neighborhood and to walk the Tower Bridge. I made my way to Queen Mary University where my childhood friend, Peggy Stone works. It was sweet to see each other (we think the last time was about 15 years ago) and to catch up and reminisce as only two friends who've known each other their whole lives can - about the old days in the Bronx, our summers at a family camp on the Saint Lawrence, and the challenges we face as we turn toward our seventh decades.  It was also interesting to compare notes about working in a London vs. a NYC public university.  We had to stop talking after three hours because Peggy had to get back to work, but we'll have some time together again before I leave. We had lunch at a pub called The Greedy Cow - why can't American eating places have such creative names?

My next stop was the London Eye (giagunda ferris wheel  on the bank of the Thames) where the four intrepid travelers had agreed to meet. We said we'd meet at the ticket line - when I arrived, I realized that would be no simple business since the place was mobbed and there were two ticket lines and two queues to get on the Eye. Once again I was grateful for Linda's height in a crowd and by some miracle we also found Chris and Marg. The Eye was as spectacular as promised. The views were amazing. Well worth the madness below. 

Next it was time to get on the river itself so we took a cruise from The Westminster area back to Tower Bridge.

Now back at our flat after a Tesco's prepared dinner of soup, salad and bread and ready to rest up for our next foray. 

Hi folks, 

 It's Tuesday night and we are sitting around discussing our plans for tomorrow which will include a boat ride to greenwich in the morning, followed by either the Tate Modern & Globe theater or a canal ride up thru Regents Park. We will see what we are up for. 

 To bring you up to date, I'll describe today.  

 Em made a tasty breakfast of eggs and Marg  and I headed out early.  We had different agendas today. Emily was having lunch with a childhood friend from her early days in the Bronx. Linda walked around the south bank and took photos and visited the Design Museum. Our plan was to meet up at 4:30 to ride the London Eye, currently the largest Ferris wheel in the world. Larger ones are being built in Las Vegas and Dubai. 

Marg and I walked over the Tower bridge, a 5 minute walk from our apartment, to the Tower of London. Margaret had never been there and you all know what a sucker she is for that kind of stuff. I, on the other hand, had been there several times. The first was with my father on a cold, winter day in 1978. I had been quite moved by the drama of all that history.  As for today, Aside from it being jammed packed with people, we enjoyed the audio tour and Margaret loved the whole deal. She has done a lot of research on English history so enjoyed seeing this spot of which she has read so much.   I might mention that the weather has been spectacular. 

After the Tower, we took the tube over to the embankment and walked up to Trafalgar Square. Little did I know that at the National Portrait Gallery there was a special exhibit on WW1. That was a treat. After seeing that exhibit, we had a bite to eat in the museum cafe and Marg returned to the gallery and I moseyed next door to the National Gallery. There, amidst the thousands of paintings, I enjoyed the lovely bevy of Impressionists masterpieces. 

By now, it time to meet Em and Linda so we hurried over to the river to meet them at the "Eye". The line was way too long to stand on so we paid some exorbitant fee to skip the line. They wouldn't tell me how much because they know me. It was breathtaking and I think  my companions got some great shots. 

Finally, we took a boat back to our neighborhood, picked up some soup, bread, and wine, and returned to our apartment. All In all a terrific day in London. 

Yesterday began with breakfast of coffee, tea, and hot cross buns in our flat, looking out on the sunlit courtyard. Then off to Leicester Square to pick up our London Passes. From there we walked down Charing Cross Road to the Westminster area, passing Trafalgar Square. The Town is hopping this week, full of tourists and locals soaking up sun and sights. Lord Nelson is joined now by a large blue rooster off to one side of the Square. It's called Hahn Cock. Need to do some further research to understand what it's about.

We fortified ouselves with ale and pies at a pub along the way. Chris and I had a flight of ales and a trio of small pies. Steak and mushroom pronounced the best, though the sweet potato and spinach was interesting. Best name was the cockaleekie pie, but it wasn't as tasty.  Once fed, we headed off to the Churchill War Rooms which were a fascinating glimpse into war time life in London - at least for one group of committed people working and living underground.

Afterwards, we had another of our "Thank God for honest people" moments when we were trying to save time by getting into a cab to get to the Westminster Abbey evensong service and the cabbie said "You know the Abbey is just over there?" Out we got, thanking him for his honesty. We can all imagine some NY cab drivers who might have taken us for a spin on the way. After dwelling on war time life, the peacefulness of the evensong service was welcome. My favorite points were the first processional entry of the choir, initially our of sight and then emerging as the voices swelled, and the Byrd Anthem at the end. Both made excellent use of the high vaulted ceiling to let the music hang in the air and blend with the next notes sung. 

We finished the evening with a See London by Night bus tour which was a lovely way to get oriented and afforded Linda some great shots (to follow in the next post). 

Our trip went very smoothly. Easy check-in, smooth flight, breezed through Customs, connected with the car service from the apartment rental company and then....THE LONDON MARATHON Yikes! Our driver was determined, employing the concentric circle school of navigation for another 30 minutes, but the wall of runners just couldn't be breached and our apartment was on the other side of that wall. 

In the end, after firmly insisting to the driver that we needed to get out, and after a consultation with a helpful member of the London Constabulary, we grabbed our wheeling bags, took a deep breath, and plunged into the crowd on the Tower Bridge with Chris at the head of our party, urging the rest of us on  as we made our way through the crowd, hugging the wall until we uncovered the promised, but previously hidden, stairwell that allowed us to go under the bridge and circle around to the warehouse district where our apartment is. A challenging task was made lighter by the goodness of strangers who picked up some of our bags and carried them down the stairs for us. 

In the end it all worked out and the location is great. We can see one of the Tower Bridge stanchions from our window as well as a charming courtyard in the middle of the block of converted warehouses. It's a two bedroom apartment with great common space for meals and lounging. 

Yesterday we wandered the south bank of the Thames and came upon a festival with music and food stalls and blessedly had perfect Spring weather - sunny and warm without being too hot. Linda made the acquaintance of the famed bacon butty sandwich (frequently featured in the British mysteries I love) while I had paella from a truck - possibly the best I've tasted.  For dinner we made a trip to the Marks and Spencer for pizzas and salad making it budget friendly as well as tasty and simple.

Today we're off to Leicester Square and the Westminster area followed by the London by Night bus tour.