Day 8

Our last day in London. We would have like to visit Regent Park but just like all other parks in London it is not accessible because the Olympic games. So we already went to Little Venice to take the waterbus running on Regent canal to Camden. The weather was mix: rain-sun-cloud. We walk around for a few hours. We taste a very good sausage plate. There was a crowd in the road. We can notice people are different from people from the city. We return with the tube to Charing Cross where we went to visit National Portrait Gallery. There was this film portrait of David Beckham. It was quite impressive to look at him sleeping. It is interesting to watch the mouvement of the eyes, the mouth in the sleep. We enjoy visiting the BP Portrait of the year. After our visit, we vote for our favorite portrait.

It was then time for the apero. We went at Covent Garden because Josee and Danielle want to buy a poster they saw on there previous visit at Gallery One. We had our apero in a pub. We walk back to Embankment station. We hang around Trafalgar square for awhile, even went on Jubilee bridge to see Big Ben another time because Josee dont remember at all the first day. It was a magic moment.

Then, we may our way to Gloucester Road for our Indian dinner. Frank (Rose's brother) suggest us Bombay Brasserie. It is a very chic Indian restaurant. We had there a delicious meal. It was our most expensive meal of the trip so far. We came back early at our flat and since it was our last night in London, we bought a bottle of wine to cheers at that last night. My heart is bleeding. I will be back, believe me.

Other pictures will be add from time to time.

Day 7

In the morning, Danielle et Josee visit the Tower of London. I didn't went because I already visited it twice and to be honest, I was happy to be by my own in London for a couple of hours. For a moment, I could pretend I live there. I just love it. Today was a day important especially for Josee as she want so much to see the olympics installations. I have to admit I wasn't so interested but I want my fellow travelers to be happy so lets go for olympics area.

As soon as they got back from the Tower we went to take que Thames Clippers (w

aterbus on Thames) to Greenwich. The ride was pleasant, but there is nothing to do in Greenwhich (pronounce Greenich) because they are preparing the park for the olympics. In fact, all the park in London are unavailable at this time because the olympic games. Oh well!! We found our way to Stratford, the officiel Olympics Park. They are getting ready and the ambiance is electric. I was impress by the set up they made for the Olympics. It is a lively area.

We stay there for a while and came back for the apero at OXO Tower a very chic bar with a fabulous view over the city. Oxo was a suggestion of Frank Buffone, brother of my friend Rose. We end our day at Fish! on Borough Market where we taste another Fish and Chip. Nothing to compare with Tate Modern.

Day 6

Windsor.

We took the train to Windsor in the morning from Waterloo because there is no train changes but I am not sure it is the better way. It took more time because the train stop very often. Anyway. we visit the fabulous castle and have lunch in a nice pedestrian alley.

We came back in London in the late afternoon to rest a little bit before our dinner at The Narrow, a Gordon Ramsay restaurant. The Narrow is situated in east London about 40 minutes walk from our flat. We decide to walk there as the weather was nice. Without plan, we manage to found the restaurant, asking two peoples the directions on our way. The area around the restaurant is nice and peaceful and the river view front the restaurant is very beautiful. For our meal, opinion are different: Danielle had cod and she found her meal absolutly delicious; Josee had pork roast and she appreciated the vegetables but wasn't impressed with the meat; for my part, I had the sunday beef roast, it wasn't my best meal ever in London but it was good. There is a lively ambiance in at The Narrow. We laught a lot and really enjoy our evening. We start our way back walking but mid way we took a taxi.

Day 5

Time go so fast !! It is scaring.

Today we bought our train ticket to Canterbury. I had alot of expectations about Canterbury and I wasn'teceived. WOW!!! What a cathedral and what a beautiful vi

llage. The cathedral is the most impressive I saw in my life. The caracteres of Ken Follet novel were alive in my head as I do the visit. I could almost heard them walking in the alley of the cathedral. After our visit, we walk along the riverside of Canterbury. The landscape is magnificient.

You know how important apero is for Josee ? We've been to Gordon Wine Bar and she was quite impress by the ambiance there. The place was fool of young people. There was a groupe of the gay pride. They ask us if we were in the group with them. It was kind a buzz to be there. I will go back for sure.

We had our evening meal at Da Mario, a place where you can't go wrong. In fact we were all very satisfied with our choice. Thye best meal so far in London.

Time to say goodnight.

Day 4

Day 4 wa s a late starting day. It was a rainy day so we took our timeand we finally arrive at St-Paul cathedral around 11h. We made a good visit and Josee climb the stairs to the whisper gallery. Danielle and I wait for her on the ground floor.
Sadly there was still raining when we cross the Millenium Bridge to Tate Modern. I have to admit the picture of all the umbrellas on the bridge was beautiful though. We decide to have lunch at the museum just like Josee Distasio suggested. We had fish and chip and it was delicious. Josee enjoy especially mashed peas they serve with the fish and chip. We then walk around the museum for awhile and Danielle wasn't too impress by those kind of modern art. When we came out the museum the sun was shinning so we sit on the stair for a moment. There was a piano outside just for everyone to play as he wish. In fact, there is pianos outside in many places in London this summer where people are welcome to play. So we listen many people paly piano before we got up to walk to Borough Market. We bought our supper and have

Oxo Tower Wharour last meal of the day at "home".

Day 3

So (heard it pronounced with a british accent it make all the difference), day 3; what a day ! We begin our day on Piccadilly street. Of course we visit Hatchards book store and Fortnum and Mason where we bought tea and other souvenirs. We made our way on Carnaby Street via Burlington Arcade and Regent street. On Regent street we shop a little bit for shoes for Josee. We took a lunch at Pret and eat it out door on Carnaby. It was very good. Josee was impress by that way of lunch time. We visit quickly Liberty and made our way to British Museum. That is where we sit for the first time of the day (it was around 3pm at that time) We saw Rosetta stone, the momies and walk around the great court for awhile. Then we decide to have apero at Neal Yard. My fellow travelers were surprise to see people drink everywhere outside just like they eat everywhere outside at lunch. We've been to Covent Garden and end up at Belgo for chips and mussels. Would have been a day without incident but on the bus, on our way back home, Josee found out she didn't had her camera anymore. She didn't even remember where she could have let it. At the restaurant ? In the toilet at the restaurant ? In a store at Covent Garden ? She tried shoes at many stores on Neal street, could it been there ??? We got out the bus and took it back the other way to go back at Belgo first. At that point Josee was very negative about the chance to found her camera. She even told us, that if she found it back, she will come to live one year in London instead of Paris when she will be retired. The streets were very crowded so it wasn't easy to walk fast. Anyway, we enter Belgo, ask if they found a camera and the minute after our waiter came with the camera. I dont have to tell you how Josee was happy. What a smile she had !! She was happy to kiss him to thanks him. We came back home late but all so thankful for that happy end. And believe me I will remember to come visit Josee in London in the near futur.

Day 2

I am so sorry. First, I am sorry I wrote the review of my first day in french (I was too full jet lag and dont even notice about it until the next day) and second, I didn't post for day 2 ( I was too full tired this time).

Ok, day 2: We start our day with a delicious breakfast at our flat : bread, cheese, jam and raspberries. We then took the tube to South Kensington to visit Victoria and Albert Museum. What a beautiful museum. Even if there was some rain from time to time, it was never too much to stop us from walking in Hyde Park to the Serpentine Gallery to see Yoko Ono Exhibition. I was interested but I can understand it doesn't interest all the people. In fact, it is the mix of many art works she have done over the past years, so there was not much new to see for me. Have a look: http://www.serpentinegallery.org/2011/03/yoko_ono_to_the_light.html

We then go for our rendez-vous for the afternoon tea at The Capitale Hotel with peoples from tripadvisor. Wow ! What an experience ! Meeting all those people from all around the world: Australia, Germany, USA, Canada and UK. Was not always easy to understand each other but we manage to understand enough to enjoy the experience. The lunch was really good: little sandwiches, pastry, scones, cloth cream and jam. And tea of course !





After the tea, we needed to walk and we have been to Harrods before apero at The Grenadier. We didnt really feel like having a big supper, our belly still full from the afternoon tea so we make our way to our flat and had a pizza at a restaurant near our place.

day 3 will follow tomorrow.

Revenue à Londres, jour 1

J'y suis... et tellement heureuse !!

Nous sommes arrivées (Danielle, Josée et moi) à Londres sans problème. Un vol tranquille, les formalités de sortie d'aéroport faciles et un accueil agréable. Après avoir passé la douane et pris nos valises en moins de 45 minutes, Ray, notre chauffeur, nous attendait un signe avec mon nom à la main. Ray très agréable nous a fait faire un petit tour de ville, puis nous a présentées à David notre concierge. David a fait le tour de l'aparte avec nous, expliquant tout ce qu'il y avait à savoir et offrant ses services pour revenir au besoin.


Malgré des signes de fatigue évidents, nous sommes reparties tout de go prendre le bus 15. Nous avons vu aujourd'hui Trafalgar Square (clin d'oeil à Hélène); nous sommes traversées sur le South path où Josée a été charmée par une installation de lettres de l'alphabet; nous sommes revenues par Westminster bridge et avons jeté un coup d'oeil à la maison du premier ministre au 10 Downing St. Nous souhaitions flâner dans St-James parc, mais étant donné les jeux Olympiques, on est à le convertir en immense terrain de volley-ball. Nous avons poursuivi notre chemin pour voir Buckingham Palace et revenir tranquillement vers notre hébergement. Nous sommes rentrées tôt et avons mangé sur notre terrasse. Je vous reparle de l'aparte demain. Je suis crevée. Ah oui!! La température ?? Et bien finalement, et ce malgré tout ce qu'on annonçait, c'était nuageux avec une pluie fine en fin d'après-midi. Rien pour freiner notre ardeur en ce premier jour à Londres.


Goodnight.