Day 15

I will continue the blog from Whitby now.

First the travel.  That is something we wont be able to do again as we getting older, that is for sure.  

We started with a walk to Victoria Station, to taked the tube for Kings Cross Station.  It was a labyrinth to use the lifts all the way to the underground.  I think we had to take 4 lifts.  Once at Kings Cross, we also followed our way through the lifts to join the train station.  We wait about 30 minutes and we borded the train to York.  A ride of about 2h.  We had lunch in the train.  

The train was a little bit late so we had to do it fast to catch the train to Scarborough.  Another 1 hour ride.  Then, we got the bus to Whitby.  Another 1 hour ride.  But this ride was so strange. The bus was full of mostly older people who seemed to know each other.  It was like we were in a group of elderly people on a trip.  Strange. 

We arrived in Whitby and found our place easily.  

We had to admit that all the way our thoughts was : I hope this whole journey will be worth it.  Well, It's definitely worth the whole trip. The apartment is very nice and so very well located.  

After settling in, we did a quick grocery shop for lunches, then set off to explore the surrounding area.

For dinner, we went to Magpie Café, the go-to place in Whitby for fish. Delicious!

 

Here are the first photos.

Day 14

 This morning, we went for breakfast at Regency café.  Why not ? It is just in front our house. 

The man who served us was so kind. When we were leaving, Marcel asked him if the Regency Café mugs were for sale. He said no, but if you accept a gift, I'll give you one as a present.  He also gave one to our friends.

France, Pierre and Marcel went to visit Churchill's War Room.  

I stay home to relax and start to organized our luggages.  

They came back home to meet me before lunch.  We went on a very small place (maybe 10 seats)  specialized in sandwichs.  It is called Relish Sandwich Bar.  A cool experience.

After lunch, we took the bus to the Victoria and Albert Museum. I had to go back because I wanted to buy a small gift for Mila's birthday. I'd seen something last week and wanted to show it to Marcel. Unfortunately, it was no longer available. We chose something else, hoping she'd like it.

After a quick visit, we went to Harrods. It's not one of my favorite places, for various reasons, but France was determined to see it… I'd warned her she might be disappointed. There aren't that many things you can buy in that store, and what's affordable isn't all that great for the price.

We came back home for à calm down before going out for supper.  Along her route, France attracted a lot of attention by displaying her "Go Habs Go" pride. Three people stopped her to express their solidarity.

The Flowers Show: Chelsea in Bloom is arise. The Chelsea in Bloom flower festival has begun. This evening, we walked from Sloane Square station to The Jam restaurant, which I wanted to show my friends. Those who have been there before know it's a unique concept with its stacked tables. Truly original, where every space is used to its full potential.

Along the way, walking along Kings Road we saw extraordinary flower displays.  This year's theme is interspace travel.  It was fabulous.

 

 

Où est Charlie ?

Regarding the restaurant, what more can I say than I have said before... It was very good and the service was absolutely friendly.

 

We came back with the bus and walked for awhile to fully enjoy this last evening in London.  

Tomorrow, is day of travel.  France and Pierre are going to Brighton.  Marcel and me, we're going to Whitby. A long journey ahead. But at least there won't be any problems getting to our train, the subway drivers have cancelled the planned strike.

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.