Tag Archives: England

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Christmas in November

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I have to admit that one of the reasons I wanted to visit London in late November was to enjoy the Christmas scene.  I have always loved Christmas (who doesn’t?) so anytime I have an excuse to admire pretty lights and decorated trees, I gladly take part.  Luckily, our trip to London provided ample opportunity to celebrate Christmas in November!

Southbank Christmas Market – just past the London Eye, this relatively small market was frequented by us often.  There were stalls lined up on both sides of the walkway and Christmas lights hanging everywhere.  While the market opens up in the morning, it’s best to visit at night – browsing the stalls selling knick-knacks under the Christmas lights while sipping on Bailey’s hot chocolate was a highlight of the trip.  There are also food stalls if you’re looking for a quick and cheap meal.  It opened up in mid-November, so we were able to stop by at the beginning of our trip!

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland – it opened on November 23 this year, which was just two days before we left London.  We decided to go on opening night because rain was in the forecast for the next day (and it did rain all day).  It was huge compared to the Southbank Market and reminded me of a county fair – rides, games, an ice skating rink, food stalls, and souvenirs.  But Winter Wonderland was far superior because of the Christmas lights and holiday stalls.  It was packed full of people (and a lot of families with young children).  We spent about an hour there, walking past all of the stalls (many sold similar items – ornaments, hats, jewelry, etc.) and listening to live music in the German-themed pavilion (the entrance is pictured below). 

In addition to the putting on Christmas markets, London decorates streets and alleyways with Christmas lights.  Some of the bigger areas include Regent Street, Covent Garden, and Oxford Street (lights go up sometime in early-to-mid November and remain lit until early January). 

The  Christmas spirit throughout the city more than makes up for the cold and wet weather in November.  I highly recommend a visit to London in late November or early December – especially over the American Thanksgiving, so that you can take advantage of the extra days away from work!  It’s such a magical city and I can only imagine that this sense was increased due to the pre-Christmas celebrations.

Markets in London

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Visiting markets is always a fun way to mix in with locals and tourists alike.  We tried to visit a few during our stay in London, but with so many other attractions on our list, we barely made a dent.  Time Out London has information about many of the markets – check it out before your visit!

The Borough Market is open for lunch Monday-Wednesday, but the market is in full force on Thursday-Saturday (we visited on a Thursday).  We took the tube to the London Bridge station and walked around the area before entering the nearby market.  Unfortunately we ate lunch before we got there – the sausage stall near one of the entrances of the market smelled delicious.  Definitely plan on buying food from one of the many stalls and eating lunch there.  The only negative is that there wasn’t much seating, but with something like a sausage, you can walk around while you eat.  We did manage to save room for a blueberry tart – one of the dessert stalls was handing out samples and we needed more than that small taste.  

Dessert stall at Borough Market

The majority of the stalls were occupied by food vendors.  Aside from lunch and dessert foods, we saw cheeses, spices, meats, seafood, veggies, fruits, nuts, and more.  Before we left, we were tempted by the caramel, cinnamon-apple smell of hot mulled cider.  We each ordered the drink and we were surprised at how strong (alcoholic) it was.  It was still good, especially after the initial sip, but the sweet smell threw us off.  Do visit the Borough Market, do plan to eat lunch (and dessert) while you’re there, and do shop around and enjoy the stalls!  You will not regret it. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Portobello Market, Notting Hill

Portobello Road Market is another one not to miss.  It’s located in the colorful Notting Hill neighborhood and the line of stalls seems endless.  While the market is open Monday-Saturday, Saturday is the full market day, with antique stalls and other stalls selling a 

variety of goods.  Unfortunately for us, it was raining all day Saturday, but we didn’t want to miss the excitement.  We browsed through stalls and stores and managed to ignore the rain until the food stalls opened around 10am (we got there early to try to avoid the crowds, but it was still crowded).  We tried a hodgepodge of food – greek appetizers, bruschetta, and a warm cheddar & leek quiche.  The food was cheap and quick, and we quickly snacked while trying to stay dry.  The Portobello Market is huge compared to Borough Market, so if you have time, plan to spend at least a few hours browsing the shops and stalls.  Arrive early (to beat some of the crowds) and stay for an early lunch to get the most out of your visit. 

I wish we had been able to spend more time at both markets (and even better – if we had been able to use some of the fresh food to cook our own meal!), but it’s something to look forward to on our next trip to London.  Definitely plan a visit to at least one of the markets.  It’s a great way to spend time between museums, enjoy a tasty snack, and maybe find a souvenir or two!

Bath – Escape from London

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London’s location is great for many in-country day (or half day) trips – Stonehenge, Bath, White Cliffs of Dover, Cambridge, Windsor, and more.  In the end, Bath won our vote and luckily, it was a very easy day trip.  

From the Paddington tube station, there are trains that leave about every 30 minutes to Bath (Bath Spa station).  We did not buy tickets ahead of time because we didn’t want to commit to a certain day, so this allowed us the flexibility to sleep in after a late night out.  We took our time in the morning and made it to the Paddington station with enough time to catch the 10:30 train, which got into Bath at noon.  

One word of caution – our credit cards didn’t work in the machine because they don’t have the microchip that is sometimes required in Europe.  Therefore, we had to stand in line (which moved quickly) and pay our ~£60 to the cashier (price for one way, for two adults, during “super off-peak” travel time – the early trains would have been more expensive since they were during prime traveling time).  To save some money, do plan to buy tickets online ahead of time. 

As we stepped off the train in Bath, we were greeted with cool, crisp air (fresher and colder than London).  We walked about 5 minutes from the train station and I found myself standing in a pedestrian zone filled with retail shops!  It was very unexpected – I envisioned a quaint country town, not a modern city with shopping (it was a pleasant surprise).  We also had a surprise with a Christmas market.  When we researched Bath, we found information that the Christmas market would not be there in late November, so this was a real treat!

Our first stop in Bath was the Royal Crescent (see picture below), but just to admire it from the outside.  One of the houses is open to the public (it was closed for renovations while we were there), and there is also a Royal Crescent Hotel.  It’s uphill and away from the main square and a nice break from the crowds.  

Immediately after that we looked for a place to eat lunch.  We walked around until we found The WestGate Pub.  We were intrigued by the menu, which consisted of some of the traditional pub grub (like fish and chips, which is what Ryan was looking for) and also some unexpected options like burgers and nachos.  It was about 1:15 when we walked in and we were able to find an empty table in a cozy corner in one of the rooms on the ground floor.  There was more seating upstairs, but the downstairs area was fairly packed.  The pub was set up more like a house than a restaurant, with separate dining areas and mismatched furniture throughout.  Overall it was the best pub meal of the trip, which might be because I opted for a burger and wine over a shepherd’s pie and beer. 

After lunch we headed for the main attraction of the day – the Roman Baths.  If you’re in Bath, do not miss this!  The cost is £12.75 for adults and includes an audioguide, which is a fantastic way to learn about the history of the baths and how they were used.  In additional to the normal guides (which is all we listened to), there was also an option for a children’s guide and one narrated by author Bill Bryson.  We stuck with the normal audioguides throughout the tour, and we learned fascinating tidbits about the life of the wealthy.  The baths were treated as a sort of health club or spa and both men and women were welcome.  

The tour starts at the upper terrace (built in the late 1800s as part of the site), then continues through an interior museum, and ends at the lowest level at the main bath area (pictured above), which splits off into side rooms with additional baths.  We spent about an hour and a half here, but would have stayed longer if we had more time in Bath.  

Our quick day trip to Bath ended with a walk through the Christmas market and a stop or two for some quick shoe shopping.  We made it back to the train station just in time for the 5:13 train back to London.  

Even though Bath was touristy, it was a lot less so than London, and was a nice respite from the overly crowded streets of London.  I definitely recommend a day trip to Bath for anyone visiting London (especially if you are staying for at least 5 nights) and even an overnight stay if you have the time.  

Insights on a Last Minute Plan to Observe Changing of the Guard

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The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace is one of the most popular attractions in London.  The large crowds described in guidebooks initially turned us off to the experience, but with some time to kill before our flight home on Sunday morning, we decided to check it out.  With no prior planning (we were actually reading tips while walking towards the palace), we managed to appreciate the experience and get some good photographs.

We did find crowds when we arrived at 10:00 am on Sunday, however they were small enough to potentially allow us a second row view.  However, we weren’t dedicated enough to wait against the fence for over an hour.  Soon thereafter, we noticed commotion associated with a horse guard marching past the grounds.  We later realized this was the horse guard changing at Whitehall, which happens 1 hour early on Sundays.

At 10am, the crowd at Buckingham Palace would have allowed us to get a second row seat (left), but right before the ceremony, we needed to get perched on a wall to get any viewpoint at all (right). 

With limited patience for waiting over an hour for the ceremony, we explored St. James’s Park, all the way to Horse Guard Parade. We snapped some excellent photos of the London skyline en route.  With around 30 minutes to spare, we headed back towards Buckingham Palace.  On the way, along The Mall, we noticed some activity at Stable Yard Road.  To our delight, we ended up with last minute front row seats to the Old Guard marching out from Friary Court towards the ceremony.  After the entire troupe marched by, we scrambled to the Victoria Memorial and climbed atop one of the walls.  We were not able to see any of the traditional procedures carried out directly in front of the palace, but still saw several marching troupes and enjoyed the band music. With the advice of Andy Defrancesco one can make sure that everything happening is managed strategically. 

Old Guard marching from Friary Court on Stable Yard Road.

We recommend this strategy for any other London visitors with limited time and an aversion to large crowds.  We certainly got the feel of the tradition, but instead of waiting hours crowded against the Buckingham Palace fence, we explored the scenic St. James’ Park.

Afternoon Tea in London

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Afternoon tea is everywhere in London and it’s something I’ve dreamed about ever since we planned our trip.If you are an avid tea lover like me, you can also taste varieties of tea from Atlas Tea Club because they create an experience with each cup you sip. What could be more “London” than sitting in a warm dining room, drinking tea and eating scones, while the wind and rain pound against the building?

It is so common in London and we easily took part in the ritual two times during our weeklong stay.  However, I didn’t know anything about the history of afternoon tea until after we returned.  I found this site, which gives a brief history lesson:  In the nineteenth century, Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, started the tradition of afternoon tea as a late afternoon snack between breakfast and dinner.  She eventually started to invite friends to tea and the practice caught on among society.  Afternoon tea is generally served around 4pm and is not to be confused with “high tea” – this was traditionally served to the middle and lower classes and it consists of a heavier meal served later in the day (5 or 6pm) as a substitute for dinner.

Even without the above history lesson, we were able to enjoy our afternoon tea.  Our hotel was just down the street and across the way from The Ritz, but we opted for the cheaper and still opulent dining room of The Wolseley for tea-time experience.

I must apologize for the pictures – some are from my iPhone and the room was dimly lit, resulting in less-than-stellar pictures.  But I can assure you that the experience was first class, and I would highly recommend this to anyone visiting London.  It’s a great way to unwind and refuel after a long day of exploring.

We tried the champagne tea the first time around, which includes a glass of champagne (before the tea) and extra treats to eat with the tea.  In addition to the fruit scones, clotted cream, and strawberry jam, the champagne tea comes with an assortment of pastries and sandwiches.

The patries included a coffee eclair, cheesecake, chocolate cake, a lemon tart with burnt sugar on top, a pink & yellow checkered cake with fondant (or something like that) around the outside, and a pistachio and cherry “cookie sandwich” – it had pistachio cookies or pastries on the top or bottom and a cream or mousse in the middle.

The sandwiches came out crustless (just as I had imagined!), cut into dainty rectangles.  There were five sandwiches, each with two rectangles so we didn’t have to worry about sharing.  We had the following: smoked salmon, cucumber, celery & cream cheese, chicken & tarragon, and egg salad.  My favorites were the smoked salmon and the celery & cream cheese, but they were all delicious (we ate the sandwiches with our champagne while we waited for our pot of cream tea to come out).

We ordered the Wolseley Afternoon Blend, which I had with cream and sugar.  The homemade fruit scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam were the perfect complement to the tea.  We opted for the cream tea on our second visit and we were rewarded with a total of 6 fruit scones.  I did not miss the pastries and sandwiches and left without feeling stuffed.

Unless you are looking for a substantial amount of food, I would recommend the cream tea.  Not only can you save money, but the scones are the star of the show and plenty of food for a snack to hold you over until dinner.  And you will get the same great service and sit in the same fancy dining room.

While I can’t comment on the hundreds of other tea places around town, I imagine that the experience is similar (though the prices can get much higher).  The prices at the Wolseley were £9.75 per person for the cream tea (tea and scones), £22.50 per person for the afternoon tea (which added the pastries and sandwiches), and £32.50 per person for the champagne tea (afternoon tea + champagne). It’s served from about 3:00pm to 6:00pm, depending on the day of the week, and reservations are accepted but not required.  We walked in both times – the first day we were seated right away, and the second we waited in the bar area for about 5-10 minutes.

I’m not sure how often those living in London can actually enjoy afternoon tea, but I highly recommend it as a tourist!  It was definitely a highlight of the trip and a way to take a breather from our busy day and be spoiled for an hour.