Monday is Shakespeare

Sue and I start our day with a nice breakfast and then we take the tube down to London Bridge.  We stop a woman to ask directions to the Shakespeare Globe Theatre.  Judging how's she's dressed we thought she would be a good choice.

We wind our way through the streets down by the Thames passing through an amazing market.  The food looked so good.

The Globe Pub.

The Globe theatre.

Showing off some of the costumes and explaining how men portrayed women because women could not participate in the theatre.

The stage.  Replica of the Globe as it was back in 1613.

Then as we head off we come across these two entrepreneurs typing away.  Very clever.

Across the millenium bridge to the other side to make our way to the Tower of London.

London Bridge in the background of a wall within the Tower of London dating back to 1200!

One of the Beefeaters.  Looks like I'm giving his butt a tweak and he's not happy!

Back in our neighbourhood of Queensway a cold beer is what the doctor ordered.

This is the pub we were at.  Tomorrow we are heading off on a day long tour and then to Paris the following morning.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sunday in London

This morning we go to Bella Italia for breakfast.  Service is great and the latte is perfect...nothing beats Italian coffee.

We then head out of the Bayswater Metro station after purchasing an Oyster card.  Why does everything seem to be so much more than I remember?  We hop the tube and go to Victoria station where we talk to a fellow selling tours as Sue and I have decided to take the all day tour to Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, Bath and Lacock.  Includes lunch at a 14th century pub.  We will be gone 10 hours.  Long day but should be worth it.  I love giving it up to someone else to arrange things for a change.  That done we head to Buckingham Palace.  

 

It's 10 to 12 so I think we'll see changing of the guards.  Wrong!  Just missed it.  Oh well.

It's a nice day and the gardens around the palace are beautiful.  

We walk to Trafalgar Square where they are setting up for a free concert at 6:30 with the London Symphony Orchestra.  

 

We then head to the River Thames and see the parliament buildings, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye.  

Westminster Abbey

We grab lunch at Tesco and board the boat for a tour down the Thames.  

We go to Grenwich Village and then disembark at Tower of London on the way back.  

The Cutty Sark is at Grenwich Village.

It's closed now so we will come back tomorrow.  We go back to Trafalgar Square to hear the symphony but it's a gong show.  

Too many people so Sue and I decide to take the tube back closer to our hotel.  

We get off at High Street Kensington thinking we will go back to the pub we liked.  When we got there it turns out the kitchen was closed to everyone because they were doing a special party thing.  Ended up going next door to a place called the Spaghetti House.  It was excellent!  Then we walked to the hotel through Kensington Gardens.  Took about 30 minutes.

Another wonderful day!  Off to bed to gear up for another great day tomorrow.

Notting Hill and Kensington

After waking at 3:00 a.m. we thought that was it but then managed to get back to sleep.  We woke up at 09:45!!!  Over 12 hours!  Wow!  Gone is jet lag foggy brain.  We feel great except it's a late start to the day.  

We head up to Bayswater to a restaurant called El Espana for breakfast.  The latte was perfect!  We also had a full English breakfast.

Then down the road we go towards Notting Hill as it is Saturday and they have their famous market.

It's a pretty nice day but rain does get us a few times.  Good excuse to go in to some of the shops.

The street where the market takes place is Portobello Street.

This fellow is playing amazing music on what appears to be a tennis racquet on an inverted plastic hard hat.

Love the English cabbie.

On the way to Kensington Palace after the market we stop for tea and strudel at the Diana Cafe.  This cafe sits outside the gates to Kensington Park and pictures of Princess Diana cover the walls.  She once visited the tea shop.

The gates to Kensington Gardens.

Kensington Palace.

The 'Diana Garden'. Dedicated in her memory.  She spent lots of time here.

Two flowers grace the garden with their presence LOL

The Kensington Metro station.

We finish the day by going to the Goat Tavern for fish and chips and a much needed beer.  Delicious.

Hopefully get an early start tomorrow.  So much to see, so little time!
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 

Off to London!

Sue and I are headed out of Vancouver to London.

The airport at YVR is beautiful. I never get tired of it.

We're flying Air Canada on their 777-300ER which is a new huge plane.  460 passengers!  When it took off it felt effortless...we were cruising at an altitude of 30,000 in no time and when it came to landing it was so quick without the usual feeling of the brakes being applied so hard that you are standing to attention in your seat.  Great flight.

After landing at Heathrow we made our way to the Heathrow Express which is an express train from the airport to Paddington Station.  £22 one way but worth it.  It only takes 15 minutes.  

We then made our way to our hotel with the help of a very nice construction worker who gave us directions.  It was about a 15 min. walk.

We then scouted the neighbourhood out.  Lots of shops, restaurants and pubs.  Trying to stay awake.  We go to an Italian restaurant called Bella Italia for pizza and beer.  There was a downpour while we ate dinner but cleared up nicely for the walk back.  It's time for bed...big day tomorrow starting with Kensington Palace.

 

Sail Past

Last weekend I attended the Sail Past at the Deep Cove Marina.  This is a tradition that has taken place since 1973.  It marks the beginning of the boating season.

All aboard!  Onboard Jane and Paul's boat...what a beauty!

Gorgeous scenery!
 

Kathy with grand daughter Kameron (2 months)

Sisters, Jane, Anne and Kathy.

Lining up to begin the sail past.

The marina.

Piping in the boaters....

A great day...a little chilly for May but the dram of rum when entering the yacht club helped to take the chill off!