Bright and early Tuesday morning Kimber, Neha and I headed to Victoria Station to begin our all day total London experience tour. It is light very early here so it didn't seem as early as it was - and it WAS early. Just ask any member of the Visvadia famiy who got up to make sure we had tea before we left. Neha walked us to the bus station which is only about 3 blocks from where we are staying. She rode with us to the Hendon Central tube station and got us on the right line for Victoria. We have Oyster cards, making it so easy to travel. We put money on the cards and then just "tap" the card when we go into the station and again on the way out and the cost of the trip is deducted.
From Victoria Station, we had directions to the headquarters of Golden Tours. We got checked in and loaded into a big bus. There were about 40 people on the tour from all over the world. The most obnoxious were from Canada and New Jersey! Good news is that Kimba and I were calm compared to most of the other travelers.
Our guide was Leslie who didn't seem to mind making up stuff that she didn't know. I am not sure the English history she shared will be found in any history book!
In my previous travels to London, I have always used the tube to get around so I haven't seen much of above-ground London. I made up for that on Tuesday! The traffic is miserable; wall to wall people, cars, buses, bikes, scooters, motorcycles. But, it's LONDON!
We drove by all the main London sights - Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Kensington Palace, 10 Downing Street, etc. etc. then made our first stop at Buckingham Palace where we saw the Changing of the Guard. Kimba and I laughed because it was called a "wet change" because of the rain - making us think about our kids and diapers! Back on the bus, we went to St. Paul's Cathedral. (Sing along now, Feeeeeeed the birrrds...) We traced the steps of Diana Spencer's enormous train and couldn't help but think about what that day was like in this massive, ornate environment. We also laughed at a pair of cheeky young fellows on our tour. When you arrive, everyone reminds you that this is a house of WORSHIP and you must treat it as such. Then once inside, we glanced down through these large, lacy heating grates in the cathedral floor to see ... people eating pie in a restaurant located in the basement CRYPT. Yes, yes, you must not defile our house of WORSHIP the college boys whispered... |Next, we were whisked off to the West End where we had lunch in a pub Kimba is now taking over with a nice couple from Michigan who were living temporarily in Germany. Lots of chatting, laughing and food talk. Afterward, we took a stroll about Covent Gardens, listening to a young string ensemble delight the crowds. Back aboard, we were off to the Tower of London and great views of the Thames River and the Tower Bridge -- so many visual icons in one spot! Lots of information about beheaded queens and traitors and so many levels of history in one spot. We happened to be on hand to observe the changing of the Guard at the Tower, then queued up to see the Royal Jewels, including grand crowns and The Royal Orb, and the Crown of India, which was made up and worn just once by King George for his tour of India. We had to stop and pay homage to the beheaded queens at a square where most of the beheadings took place -- were a little freaked out that there was a public drinking fountain located there that required you to, well, bend over, bow your HEAD and get a drink...
The day was an orgy of ancient architecture -- we soaked in so much and loved the feeling of touching mossy old stones that were older than the city itself. We finally said goodbye to the ravens (a mascot at the Tower, they actually raise them in cages -- it is said that when the ravens leave the Tower of London, it is an awful omen for the city) we sauntered down to the Thames and hopped aboard a boat for a short turn up the River to the London Eye, a massive Ferris Wheel with encapsulated cars that give you a slow, wonderful turn above the city. By this time, it was nearly 6 p.m. and the clouds that had scudded above us all day were breaking, bathing the city in a warm, lovely light. We enjoyed the view, took lots of photos and scouted a path back to the Tube. All over London, we had seen brightly painted statuary of small elephants that were meant to draw attention to the plight of the Indian elephant -- sort of the way that U.S. cities have public art installations or decorated horses/cows all over town. London is such a fun blending of the old and the new -- old traditions, cathedrals, statues, etc... and a young energy and smattering of wild architecture -- a skyscraper painted zebra stripes, a mirrored building that looks approximately like a pickle appropriately dubbed The Gherkin, etc...
We hustled home on the Tube at peak rush hour smelling like goats -- sorry London -- and were warmly welcomed back at the Vasavadia party, which was in full swing. Kanchan made sure we had a warm plate of incredible food -- a potato curry in a tomato sauce, small puffs made of black-eyed peas, great relishes, and an incredible sweet that had pistachios in it -- wow. We hurried in to join the evening singing, which the girls had turned into a game reminiscent of hot potato -- they tossed a pillow about and whoever caught it had to sing a song that began with the same syllable as the last one that was played on the CD player. Much laughter and Sara and I were required to sing Georgie Girl and Home on the Range and the KSU Fight Song. The evening ended with the men being drawn into the fun with a musical throwdown. The ladies would start a song, the men would have to respond with a song that began with the same syllable. Hilarity and friendly competition ensued! Highlight: Grandfather warbling a lovely song that the young girls clearly didn't recognize. 1942 Love Song! He explained.
Sayra back So......Wednesday is Paris and we have to be at the station at 5:45. NO ONE is happy about that. No. One.
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