Day 13

 A memorable day!

At first, we were worried about bad weather, but in the end, it was quite lovely.

We went to Regent's Park where we saw lots of families of ducks. So cute!

We had a second coffee in the park.

We went to 7 Cavendish Avenue. Those in the know will understand what that is.

We then went to Abbey Road where France and Pierre took the traditional photo as they crossed this iconic landmark.

Not a drop of rain so far, and even a bit of sunshine.

For lunch, we went to Laville restaurant, right above Regent's Canal. We were lucky enough to be seated in the middle of the large picture window overlooking the canal.

Right next to us was a couple from Quebec. It's funny to be outside central London and meet people like that. Ironically, we were going to take the same boat to Candem. It was a very pleasant meeting.  

The rain chose the moment when we were sheltered to fall. It stopped when we left.

The boat trip was very pleasant. We passed just under the resto where we had lunch.

We didn't stay very long in Camden, but just long enough for France to find some good deals, including a beautiful wool sweater.  There weren't as many people as usual in Candem. I suppose it's because of the bad weather forecast.

We came back to have our apero near our place and take a little break before going back out for supper.

For dinner, we went at Bill's on Cardinal  Walk, near Victoria station.  It is a popular british chain of restaurants.  The place is very modern.  We all had hamburger.  

Tomorrow will be our last full day. Hard to believe. It's gone by so fast.

Day 12

 Today was Marcel's arrival.

In the morning, France and Pierre went to the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. They had to arrive early to get a good spot.

Marcel arrived, and I was waiting for him at the tube station. Actually, we arrived at the same time.

We went home to have lunch with our friends.

In the afternoon, we had tickets for the Sky Garden. Since we had some time, we went to have coffee at Leadenhall Market.

We then went to the Sky Garden, which greatly impressed my travel companions. It was a first for each of them. We were lucky to have beautiful weather, and even a few rays of sunshine.

Tonight, we celebrated Pierre's birthday with a Sunday roast at the Marquis de Westminster. A very pleasant meal. I tasted roast pork for the first time. It was delicious.  Happy birthday Pierre !

Day 11

 It will be a bizarre report today.  My cold worsened overnight, preventing me from sleeping.  I got up to tell my travel companions that I wouldn't be able to join them today. It was impossible. I had a terrible headache and I was having trouble breathing. I went to the pharmacy. They recommended Sinutab. I don't really like taking it, but at that point, I didn't really have the luxury of being picky.

Fortunately, this did not prevent my friends from having a great day of exploration and walking. In the morning, they went for a walk near Parliament. There was a demonstration with a large crowd and many police officers.  

They returned before lunch, but as I wasn't feeling better, they went to lunch at a restaurant near the house. They had full english breakfast, which they found greasy and hearty.

After the lunch they went to visit Victoria and Albert Museum.  But they couldn't enter because another manifestation.  They follow their route to Hyde Park.

They stopped along the way for a beer break and returned home with around 25,000 steps on the counter.

Tonight we stay home for dinner.  I was feeling a little bit better, but not enough to go to a restaurant and have alcohol.

That's all for today. Marcel will arrive tomorrow. I hope I'll be in better shape to welcome him.

Day 10

 A beautiful day, partly sunny but still cool.

We started the day by taking the tube to Embankment, then the bus to the Tower of London. We crossed Tower Bridge, a must-see for France and Pierre. On the other side, we went to the Hays Gallery for a coffee break. We then went to the London Bridge City pier, where we took the Uber boat to Greenwich. A very pleasant ride.

When we got off the boat, I couldn't remember the way to the Observatory. Luckily, Pierre was able to use Google Maps to find the right direction.

We then climbed a gentle slope to the observatory. We chose not to take the paid tour. We enjoyed lunch at the Pavilion, right next to the observatory.

To return, we took the boat again and disembarked at the place from which we had departed. We passed throught Borough Market.  As usual, it was full of people.

On our way, we stopped for a beer at the same pub we had gone to last year. This time, however, we sat inside.

* A remake of the photo of last year

We crossed the Millenium bridge and we came back home with the bus.

For dinner tonight, we went to Sicily, an Italian restaurant on Elizabeth Street, which my friend Marie-France had recommended to me.  It was absolutly delicious. The plates were so full that no one was able to finish theirs.

Our initial plan was to walk there and take the bus back. It's a 20-minute walk. In the end, we walked there and back.

Day 9

France and Pierre woke up this morning feeling great for a good day of visiting. I didn't sleep much because I coughed a lot during the night. But at least we dont have hailstrorm this morning!  In fact in the day we had a few episodes of rain, but not much.  We even had sunny spot for awhile. 

Today, we visited Piccadilly. We left from Green Park and strolled through the streets of the neighborhood to see 3 Savile Row, where the Beatles gave their last concert at the top of the building.  On our way France met two gentlemen. 

 We passed by the Burlington Arcade, whose decorations change every year. This year, it was adorned with magnificent crystal chandeliers. 

Of course, we stopped at Fortnum & Mason, which greatly impressed France. It was all the more special because a new wing of the store had opened that morning, and a biscuit was offered to every customer.  We treated ourselves to a little luxury by having coffee there, and they offered us a small ice cream treat. What a lovely gesture!

We followed our way to Regent Street, than Carnaby Street.  We had lunch at Pret on Carnaby Street.  We even saw John Lennon on our way.

 We made a short visit to Liberty to see the magnificent scarves that we can't afford.  And we took the bus to British Museum.  

It was interesting to see the reading room open.  For many years, we were unable to access this room because it hosted temporary exhibitions.  (Ginette, Hélène and Lise.  I dont know if you remember, we visited it in 2006.)

  We visited the Mummy Room and the Rosetta Stone shortly, then headed back towards Neal Yard and Covent Garden. At Covent Garden, there was a performance by an opera singer. What a voice! 

Then it was time for a stop at the pub before returning home for a late afternoon break.

Tonight we went to a pub for dinner. It was a very friendly place. Our fish and chips were delicious. France's favorite part of the day was sitting on the upper deck of the bus. Pierre really enjoyed traveling through such different neighborhoods.

Day 8

Oh what a day!

So much happened today.

First, Nancy and Renée left. Nancy left at 7:30 a.m. and Renée at 11:00 a.m.

I stayed home to wait for France and Pierre. They arrived around noon. On the way, Pierre had a little accident. He fell on the sidewalk. Luckily, he wasn't too badly hurt.

We had lunch at home and then took the Royal Tour, which goes through St. James's Park, along The Mall, and past Trafalgar Square... We had barely left the house when a hailstorm hit us. What a surprise! We were expecting rain, but not hail. We continued with our plan anyway. Once in Trafalgar, we stopped at the crypt of St. Martin-in-the-Field, then continued our route over the Jubilee Bridge to reach the Thames South path. On the bridge, the rain became very heavy with hailstorms, accompanied by strong winds. The weather was likes I've never seen in London. before.

We had to stop a few times to take shelter from the rain. We managed to cross Westminster Bridge, and Pierre suggested we stop for a drink. The first pub we stopped at was packed; there wasn't a seat to be had. Usually, the English drink standing up outside, but as the temperature is very bad, they are all crowded inside. The second pub was a little less crowded, and after a short wait, we finally got a table. That's when the sun came out again.

We came back home.  The housekeeper was still cleaning the house. We took a short break of just over an hour and then went back to dinner.

We have been to Stone and Grill.  The service and food were just as good as the previous week

After a nice dinner and a short walk, it was time to go home and sleep.

Day 7

 Last full day for Renée and Nancy.

Today, we went our separate ways. Renée and Nancy went to the Natural History Museum where they really enjoyed the exhibit on volcanoes and earthquakes.

 

I went to experience the David Bowie immersive experience. Bowie himself lent his voice to it. It was a multimedia show and an intimate self-portrait. The whole thing takes place in a room that allows plenty of freedom of movement. Cushions are placed on the floor and a few benches are set up far apart. With the immersion experience, sometimes Bowir would join us and at other times, we would enter his world.  I didn't take many photos, as I wanted to really enjoy the moment.

I met up with Nancy and Renée at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Nancy was looking forward to the day she could go back. We had lunch there, and then we went to the gift shop, of course.

From There, we took the bus to Sloane Square.  It is the nearest place to buy Nespresso capsules.

We followed our way to Jo Loves to treat ourself and indulge in a little luxury.  Why not ?  💖

I came back home as Renée and Nancy went to Seaworld. They really appreciated the calm that the environment provided.

We almost didn't have dinner at the pub.  My intention was to eat my first fish and chips of the trip in a "haunted" pub.  According to my research, it was a very highly rated place. I thought it would be interesting to go, especially since it was Renée and Nancy's last night in London. We arrived to a crowded place. The music was very loud. We asked for our reserved table. We were offered a table right in the middle of the fuzz. It wasn't so bad, except that no one came to serve us. We even moved to a quieter corner, but again, no one came to take our order. We left the pub and looked for another place. We found one, but the cook wasn't feeling well and closed the kitchen. We ended up going to another pub, a lovely place where I finally got to enjoy my fish and chips. It was delicious. We were finally able to properly end this first week of holiday.

 

Now I am going to bed early.  I have a little cold and I want to be in shape to welcome my friends France et Pierre tomorrow.

 

Day 6

 Day 6 already!!!

Another day completely filled with adventures and great happiness.  

Our goal today was to visit Windsor Castle.  The plan was to travel by train from Waterloo to Windsor-Eton Riverside and from there walk to the castle.   It didn't happen like that.  As I was looking for our train schedule, I noticed that a large portion of the South Western Railway train line is experiencing disruptions.  It was impossible to go to Windsor with that train.  But since we already had our tickets for the castle visit, we looked for another solution. We discovered that we could take a train from Paddington to Slouth, and then another train from there to Windsor Central.  So there we go.  We were on our way, not very far fortunately (only one block), when I realized I'd left our tickets for the castle on the table. We turned around, retrieved the tickets, and continued on our way.  

Arriving in Paddington, we bought our tickets and set off. In Slouth, where we had to change trains, we learned there wouldn't be a second train. No worries... An employee was there to explain the alternative. So we took a bus to Windsor.  It wasn't so easy to find exactly the bus stop, but we managed with the help of Nancy and her access to Google Maps.  It was a nice ride.

We finally arrived early enough to have lunch before visiting the castle.  It's the coldest day since we arrived in London. It's 5°C without the wind. Brrr.  But, we still managed to have lunch on the terrace. Thanks to the patio heaters.

The visit of the castle was very interresting.  It was a first time for Nancy and Renée, but a third time for me.  We had to wait a while before we could enter the castle because there was a long line to see the dollhouse.  It was very cold.  I missed my winter coat.  We finally got in and spent over two hours visiting all the rooms of the castle.  

Finally, we realized that St. George's Chapel was closing at 4 p.m. We had five minutes to run there. The reason I was returning to Windsor was to finally visit St. George's Chapel and, above all, to pay my respects to Elizabeth II, who is buried there.  We arrived in time fortunately.  It was a very moving moment for me.

We were impressed by  by the sound of the organ and the singing of a young man from the church. We had to leave quickly because a religious service was starting.

 

 

Our day couldn't end simply. During the train change at Slough, we inadvertently boarded the Elizabeth Line. Perhaps it was a farewell to Queen Elizabeth II...

Tonight we stayed home for dinner, the day had been eventful

enough.

Day 5

 It's Sunday, and it's Mother's Day. The day started in a very special way because I received a package from my Gabriel. The box of chocolates was in a Partridge bag, a family-run grocery store and official supplier to His Majesty the King. What a surprise! It's such a thoughtful gesture.

And on Sunday, it's brunch with Renée, like every Sunday, but this time we had the pleasure of being with Nancy: a bonus!. And Sunday is also about going to church, isn't it?  So we all went to church together for lunch in a beautiful decor. This is the Mercado Mayfair, a trendy market in a former sanctuary adorned with stained glass windows, with food stalls, restaurants and a vaulted wine cellar. We shared a very good Thai meal.

After lunch, we followed our route through the streets of Mayfair, to reach Piccadilly Street, where Fortnum & Mason is located.  It is a walk of about 30 minutes, which gave us the opportunity to see some beautiful pieces of architecture, of this chic neighborhood. We had a great time at Fortnum and Mason. We did some lovely shopping: chocolate, tea, cakes… And since it was cold and windy today, we decided to have our afternoon tea here at Fortnum & Mason. Why not?  Renée and me, we had delicious scones with clottes cream and rasberry jam.  A delight!  Nancy tasted an absolutely delicious raspberry, chocolate, and salted caramel ice cream…

 

We took the bus home to rest a bit before going to the pub for Sunday roast.

It is what british  people would call: a proper Sunday roast. It was enormous! And frankly delicious. 

We came back home just in time with the sunset.

Another beautiful day in London.