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London, England: Buckingham Palace and the Horse Guards

December 14, 2016June 9, 2017 Elizabeth 0 Comment London, Travel, UK Admiralty Arch, Buckingham Palace, Changing of the Guards, Horse Guard, Nelson's Column, Queen's Gallery, Trafalgar Square

The Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace was on my list of must-see sights during my short time in London. Upon arriving, I learned that during the summer months, the Changing of the Guards takes place daily. But, in the fall season, it takes place every other day. Since it was late September, I fell into the fall season. Fortunately, the day I picked to head to Buckingham was a ceremony day!

The ceremony starts at 11 am, but the crowds gather well before that. In addition to the frequency of the ceremony, I also learned that it is weather dependent. It was lightly drizzling the morning I went to Buckingham, but so far, that had proven to be typical London weather. I thought for sure that only inclement weather, like a thunderstorm, would cancel the changing. I was wrong. Apparently, drizzling rain falls under the poor weather category. So, there was no ceremonial Changing of the Guards. But, there was a change of shifts and I did get to see the Old Guard marching back to the Wellington barracks. If nothing else, I can say I saw movement at the palace.

I met up with a local guide a few days later for a walking tour that started near Trafalgar Square and ended in front of Buckingham Palace. The group was very small, just five of us total, which was a really nice surprise. With such a small group, we were able to navigate the crowds easily and our questions were never drowned out by the throngs of people vying for attention. Oddly enough, it was a pretty quiet group. So, between directing the group’s attention to points of interest, the guide and I ended up chatting away. We actually covered a wide range of historical topics, including the British Royal family throughout the centuries, Winston Churchill, and Britain during WWII. And I was delighted to get a Londoner’s insight on the Brexit referendum vote, which had taken place a few months prior. We had a really fun conversation!

We passed through Trafalgar Square, stopping at the monument to Admiral Nelson, Nelson’s Column, and the four lions guarding the base. The Column honors Admiral Nelson’s naval victory in the Battle of Trafalgar. The lions represent four of Nelson’s victories, including Trafalgar. The previous Sunday afternoon, I passed by the square and it was so packed, I couldn’t get a clear picture of the fountain or any of the monuments. But, during my walking tour, mid morning on a weekday, the crowds were much thinner and I was actually able to see the square.

Down the street from Trafalgar, we stopped at the Admiralty Arch, with its five arched gates. The arch’s central gate is closed and only opened for special occasions, like royal processions and the 2012 London-hosted Olympic Games. The Arch commemorates Queen Victoria, and the space inside was used for offices of the Navy. However, like many of the other older buildings of London, the Arch’s interior space has shifted in purpose many times since its construction in 1912. According to my guide, the building has been leased out to a hotel developer, to renovate the space into a luxury hotel, but no work has taken place yet.

From the Arch, we headed down to the Horse Guard Parade for Changing of the Guards. Yes, you read that right! There are two separate ceremonies, and this one is not to be confused with the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace. If you miss the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham (like I did), you can still see the Changing of the Guards at the Horse Guards Parade. This ceremony takes place every day, rain or drizzle or shine!

At the Horse Guard Parade ground, the mounted Old Guard lines up outside the building, while the New Guard, with police escort, makes its way down The Mall. Upon arrival, the New Guard lines up opposite the Old Guard, staring across at each other. A small group of the mounted New Guards retreat into the building behind the parade, to relieve the Old Guard sentries. While the sentries are switching shifts, the rest of the mounted guard is locked in a pretty intense staring contest on the parade ground. I suppose it could be a very Zen like time of reflection for the waiting guard. You could spend the time making to-do lists in your head or practice some breathing exercises. Anything that involves remaining still and silent is probably fair game. Roughly fifteen minutes in, and just as you are mentally adding the last item to your shopping list, the Old Guard sentries rejoin the group. Complete, the Old Guard proceeds back up The Mall to their barracks, while the New Guard enters the Horse Guard building to begin their shift.

As we walked down the Mall towards Buckingham, we stopped briefly at the statue of Prince Frederick, the Duke of York. The second son of King George III, the Duke of York was highly praised for enacting structural reform to the British Army in his later years as Commander in Chief. The statue is perched on top of a 124 foot column. According to my guide, one alleged reason the Duke’s statue was placed on the column was to prevent people passing by from throwing things at the Duke. Depending on who you listen to, the funds to erect the statue came mostly from soldiers who donated, or were docked, a day’s wages. If the latter is true, then I could understand why there would be concerns about people throwing things at the statue!

Rounding the Queen Victoria memorial, we arrived at Buckingham Palace. The palace has been a royal residence since the late 1700s. Originally known as Buckingham House, it has undergone many renovations since its construction in the early 1700s. Tours of Buckingham are only offered in August and September, when the Queen is not in residence. So if you want to tour the State Rooms, plan a trip in August or September.

To the left of Buckingham Palace is the Queen’s Gallery. Originally a conservatory, the building was renovated by Queen Victoria into a private chapel. In 1940, the chapel was hit during an air raid and sat in ruins until it was re-purposed and renovated into the Gallery. Open to the public, the gallery displays art pieces from the Royal Collection. A multimedia tour is provided with your ticket to guide you through the gallery.

London, England: River Bus to Greenwich for an Afternoon

December 7, 2016June 9, 2017 Elizabeth 2 Comments London, Travel, UK Cutty Sark, GMT, Greenwich, prime meridian, River bus, Royal Naval College, Thames River

During one of my free afternoons, I decided to take a trip to Greenwich. I hopped on the river bus at the Tower Pier, along the riverside of the Tower of London, and took it east to Greenwich (Greenwich Pier).

The river bus, which travels up and down the Thames river, is a nice way to get from one part of the city to another. You can use your oyster card to pay the fare or stop by the ticket booth just before entering the queue to the dock. The river bus seems to run every 15 minutes, so the wait time is not too bad.

While waiting for the next bus, I noticed a second dock for a speed boat excursion, with two of the company boats tethered nearby. One was called the Exhilaration and the other the Excitement. I guess for speed boats, the names are appropriate, but I couldn’t help laughing inwardly, and eventually spilling over into muffled laughter. Based on the choice of names, it sounds like one of the speeder’s sole purpose is to throw you from the boat, and the other swings by to pick you out of the water. So, one is so exhilarating it ejects you, and the other rescues you, to your relieved excitement. Alas, I never saw anyone boarding the speed boats while I waited for my less daring form of transport.

Once onboard the river bus, I noticed that it was a great deal more comfortable than a traditional bus. There were cushioned seats, a snack bar, public restrooms, and tvs at the front of the passenger section running through advertisements. The vibe was even different from what I’m used to feeling while riding a city bus. There was a group of elementary aged school kids in orange safety vests on a field trip to one side of the river bus, and a couple of business professionals enjoying what seemed to be their lunch break, cruising along. I was so comfy I almost forgot to get off at my stop.

Coming up from the Greenwich pier, I walked up the dock and to the left of the river bus stop, where I came to the University of Greenwich and Old Royal Naval College. If you saw Thor: The Dark World, you may recognize the landscape!

The buildings on either side of the open space create quite a wind tunnel, so if you go during a windy day, you may experience a bad hair day. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that as I passed the music hall of the university, I could hear someone practicing an opera aria. That definitely helped set the mood as I walked back in time and explored the grounds.

The Greenwich Palace, once a royal residence, stood where the University of Greenwich currently sits. The palace fell into disrepair and was eventually converted into a hospital for naval servicemen in the late 1600s. Later, the hospital was transformed into the Royal Naval College, and then into the University of Greenwich.

Another attraction of Greenwich is the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) line, the place where time starts and stops! A physical marker for the GMT line can be found at the Royal Observatory, just up the hill from the University of Greenwich. There is even a plaque denoting the location of the GMT line, where you can straddle the line between the two hemispheres, East and West.

Greenwich is also the home of the Cutty Sark, an 18th century tea clipper, noted for being the fastest clipper during the time of its use. The ship’s hull is supported by scaffolding, so you can get an up close view of the hull, to admire the 18th century craftsmanship. The unusual name “cutty sark” is said to have come from a Robert Burns poem, Tam o’ Shanter. The subject of the poem is chased by three witches, with the fastest of the three wearing a cutty sark. Loosely translated, cutty sark is an 18th century Scots term for “short shirt.” In addition to providing the name for the clipper, the fastest of the three witches also decorates the bow of the Cutty Sark. In her hand, she holds the horse hair she captured from the hero’s fleeing horse. The ship later achieved a darker reputation; during a voyage to Asia, the crew mutinied and the captain walked off the edge of the ship.

The weekend I was in London, there was a gathering and exhibit of sailing vessels. The river was dotted with 18th century masts and sails. I imagine that is how the Thames would have looked once upon a time. Though, perhaps, with more cargo being transported and fewer sailing enthusiasts on vacation.

London, England: St Paul’s to the Tower to the Eye

November 30, 2016June 9, 2017 Elizabeth 0 Comment London, Travel, UK Cathedral, crown jewels, London Eye, St Paul's, Tower of London

The City of London has a lot of great attractions to explore. I opted to spend my day visiting three of the top attractions in the city: St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, and the London Eye.

First stop, St Paul’s cathedral, and quite fortuitous as it was a gray, drizzly Friday morning. The majority of my time there would be spent inside, excluding the stroll around the exterior gardens. You will need a ticket to enter, if you are not attending service, and can be purchased online or at the door. The ticket gives you access to the main Cathedral floor, the crypt below, and the galleries around the dome of the Cathedral.

The cathedral was designed by Sir Christopher Wren, replacing the church that was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. Wren is also buried in the crypt, with an inscription on his tomb reading “Reader, if you seek his monument, look around you.”

Nine meters tall, the main doors lead you in to a grand view of the Cathedral interior. The main floor includes a number of statues and memorials, a grand pipe organ constructed in the late 1600s, marble arches, and varied ornate fixtures and chapels.

As you walk towards the High Altar, you will pass the statue of the Duke of Wellington, sculpted on horseback. According to my guide, the statue of Wellington was initially set to be placed with Wellington and horse facing the main doors. However, the Bishop at the time vetoed the idea, as he did not want to hold mass to the backside of a horse. Fair point! So, Wellington and horse were installed facing the High Altar.

Continuing beyond the High Altar, along the rear of the Cathedral, is a memorial to the US servicemen stationed in the UK during WWII. The memorial is decorated with flora and fauna native to North America. To the left and right of the WWII memorial are additional art pieces, including the Mother and Child sculpture and the Martyrs video installation. I found the Martyrs exhibit especially interesting. It is a video installation by Bill Viola, depicting the four natural elements, Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Broken out into individual panels, each natural element starts small and slowly builds in intensity upon the human subject. In one panel, the wind starts as an intermittent breeze, moving the person gently about the screen, and eventually becomes a hurricane force gale. The other three panels depict a similar build up. Definitely catches the eye!

Descending into the crypt, you will find the tombs of Lord Nelson and Wellington, as well as other notable figures remembered. A majority of the floor is a collection of memorial markers, some too faded to read. While I was there, a section was dedicated to the 350th anniversary and history of the Great Fire of London.

Nearest tube station: St Paul’s

By the time I arrived at the Tower of London, it had, thankfully, stopped raining. Once a palace, fortress, and zoo, the Tower of London has been standing on the banks of the Thames river since 1066.

The Yeoman Warders, dressed in scarlet and black uniforms, are the guards of the Tower of London. I was intrigued to learn that the Warders also live at the Tower with their families. Considering how old the Tower is, I would be concerned with living inside a haunted fortress… Additionally, the Yeoman Warders do guided tours of the Tower, recounting stories of the famous inhabitants, royal and prisoner alike. The Yeoman Warders are also known as “Beefeaters”; the nickname is believed to have stemmed from the Royal guard being given beef from the King’s table.

Aside from the Yeoman Warders, the Tower is also home to some rather large ravens. I have never been that close to a raven before, so I was REALLY surprised with how big they are. Legend has it that if the ravens were to leave the Tower, Britain would fall. So, to guard against this, a group of ravens are always kept at the Tower. Which explains why the first set of ravens I saw were in a large cage. But, I also saw a few, untethered, just hanging out around the Tower.

The Tower of London is also where the crown jewels of Britain are stored. You can even catch a Changing of the Guards ceremony outside the jewel house with the Yeoman Warders. Once inside, the rooms preceding the crown jewels trace through the history and use of the jewels, going as far back as William the Conqueror in 1066. With the exception of the Coronation Spoon (12th century), the jewels on display only go back to the 1600s. As you walk into the jewel room, you may (or may not) notice that you are walking into a vault. You are not permitted to take pictures, which definitely helps with the flow of traffic around the displays. And there are moving walkways on both sides of the main crown and scepter display, so no one can hog the view. You can go back to the entrance of the moving walkway if you want to view the jewels again. I went through three times!

Off to the left of the building housing the Crown Jewels is the Tower Green. The Green was the execution site within the Tower, and a glass pillow has been placed at the site as a memorial to those executed.

Traitor’s Gate, the infamous river entrance to the Tower of London, was the entrance for prisoners transported by boat. Due to the rising of the tide, the gate is mostly obscured until low tide. While you can see the gate from inside the Tower, there is a better view of it from the riverside.

The White Tower holds the Royal Armory, which houses a collection of swords, lances, and armor worn by British royalty and their horses. A couple of display cases show the evolution of armor over the centuries. On the upper level, is a dragon made out of a variety of shields, swords, and muskets. The dragon creation is based on the practice of collecting discarded battle items and making military trophies. Complete with a little modern flare, this dragon also has glowing red eyes.

Nearest tube station: Tower Hill

An hour before sunset, I reach my final stop for the day, the London Eye. The sun managed to break through the clouds and I was able to see the sun set over London from the Eye!

The Eye consists of 32 glass observation pods that slowly revolve along the wheel. I would say the trip takes about 35 minutes to make a complete revolution. You will have wonderful views of Parliament, the Shard, and more.

Each pod holds about 20-25 people, so if you are imagining a pod all to yourself while belting out “I’m on top of the world” at the top of your lungs… well… you can. But you won’t be alone. And your fellow passengers probably won’t appreciate it.

Nearest tube station: Waterloo

London, England: Feet Meet Pavement

November 23, 2016June 9, 2017 Elizabeth 0 Comment London, UK Bayswater Road, London, London Underground, Queensway

When picking a hotel, Airbnb, or other rental, you may want to ensure your location is close to a tube station or bus route if you plan on skipping the car rental. Don’t forget, cars drive on the left side of the road here! I opted to forgo a car and used public transit myself. Honestly, I found it difficult enough trying to remember which way to look before crossing streets. I would catch myself falling into autopilot and only looking left as I approached crosswalks, and then noticing the arrow on the ground pointing right… Oh, right! There was no need for me to over-complicate things with remembering which side of the road I should be driving on. Even after I returned home, I would have moments of panic in which I felt temporarily paralyzed with fear, AM I ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD?!

Whether you want to be near the Theater district in the West End, close to designer shops, or within walking distance of allegedly haunted park squares, there are lots of accommodation options in a range of prices. But, fair warning, London’s cost of living is ranked among the top 10 most expensive cities in the world!

During my time in London, I stayed across the street from Hyde Park, off of Bayswater Road. The streets surrounding my hotel were lined with classic Georgian style rowhouses. Quite a few of them have been re-purposed for use as store fronts or hotels. Most of these rowhouses are a uniform façade of black front doors with brass doorknobs and knockers, white columns, stone stairs, and adjoining black wrought iron fence.

With two tube stations within an easy walk, tons of restaurants and shops nearby, and Kensington Palace a short walk away, I found my hotel location to be very agreeable. After remembering to look right, then left across the street, Hyde Park lay before me. A lovely place to take a leisurely stroll, even with the weather a little overcast. Or, I could easily catch the tube and make my way down to Bond Street for some shopping, which is only three stops from the Queensway station. There, you will find the high-end department store, Selfridges, along with other trendy shops and boutiques.

Primarily, I used the Underground to get around. I purchased a “pay as you go” Oyster card (5 pound deposit for the card) and reloaded funds on it whenever my balance was getting low. The nice thing about this card is that you can get a refund of your deposit and remaining balance once you are finished with the card. You may be asking, why should I bother getting an Oyster card over a paper ticket? The short answer is that the fare prices are lower for the Oyster card than a paper card. Additionally, you can use the Oyster card to pay your fares on other forms of transit, like the Overground, buses, trains, and river bus. If you are not keen on public transportation, there are taxis all around the touristy areas, as well as bike rentals and Uber.

To get to places like Westminster or the London Eye, you will need to change tube lines if you are coming from Queensway. For example, when I was returning from the London Eye, I walked to the Waterloo station and caught the Jubilee train, traveling in the direction of Stanmore, to the Bond Street station. From there, I changed to the Central train line, traveling towards West Ruislip/Easling, to my destination, the Queensway station. For added assistance, the London Underground has an app you can download to your phone, which will help you plan out your trips.

Not only are there lots of great sights to see, but a variety of multicultural restaurants to try. If you are hoping to beat the dinner rush, you may want to consider reserving a table in advance. The first night I was in London, I went to a Thai restaurant around the corner from my hotel. It had great online reviews, so I went ahead and reserved a table on opentable. When I arrived at the restaurant, the hostess asked if I had a reservation, else there would be an hour long wait. Thanks to the reservation, I was seated immediately! Fast forward to two nights later, I stopped in at an Italian restaurant, sans reservation, and got to hang around the entrance for 45 minutes before a table became available. So, if you know where you want to go for dinner, even an hour in advance, check the restaurant website and see if you can snag a table.

London, England: Arriving at London Heathrow

November 15, 2016June 9, 2017 Elizabeth 0 Comment London, UK Heathrow, London

My two week vacation began with my flight into London Heathrow. One of the great things about Heathrow is how well connected it is to various public transportation options that will get you to the city center (Underground, taxi cab, or Heathrow Express). Knowing that I would arrive at 9:30 at night, I opted for a scheduled shuttle ride to my hotel. The advantage of the shared shuttle van was that I wouldn’t have to wield my large suitcase through trains and I wouldn’t be fumbling about in the dark looking for my hotel. The shuttle is also less expensive than a cab. (Depending on luggage and number of passengers, this may vary for you. There are some great sites that will let you do price comparisons for the different options.) The shuttle company will give you a timeframe, in which your driver will wait for you at arrivals. Sounds like the perfect plan, right? So, naturally, things did not go according to plan.

The first hiccup occurred with my flight leaving the US, which experienced mechanical issues before we were able to push back from the gate. Once the issue was sorted out, our actual departure time was about 45 minutes later than our scheduled time. In the air, we made up some of the time, arriving only 20 minutes behind schedule. But, once we landed at LHR, we were informed that there was a plane experiencing technical difficulties in our arrival gate. So, we waited on the ground an extra 15 minutes before they could find us another gate. So much for the time we made up en route. I finally disembarked and made my way to the “non-EU” citizen immigration line and I’m met with a line that appears to have no end. (Rivaling some of the nightmare lines I’ve stood in at LAX). Abandon all hope, ye with timelines. Shuffling along down the line, I’m feverishly reading through my shuttle confirmation paperwork. Luckily, the confirmation stated that the driver wait timeline would start when the flight ACTUALLY arrives, not when it is scheduled to arrive, phew! I had 90 minutes, the max allowed wait time, to clear immigration, retrieve my bag, and meet my driver.

It still took about an hour and 15 minutes to get through immigration… By the time I got to baggage claim, the airline employees had already pulled my bag off the conveyor and had it grouped with other unclaimed bags they were preparing to move to the airline’s baggage hold. I motion to my bag and one of the employees allowed me rescue my bag from being shipped off to the island of misfit toys. Bag in tow, I frantically set out to find my driver, somewhere in the sea of other drivers, holding an 8×10 with my name on it. Not the easiest of tasks…there is something truly awkward about walking up to someone to read a sign in their hands and then turning to walk away. But with five minutes to spare, and the beacon that is my name shining out, I’ve managed to find my driver. Relieved and feeling more than a little accomplished, I start to relax and remind myself that I’m on vacation. Then my driver says, “I was going to leave you. I told myself I would wait 5 more minutes. You got lucky.” Inward sigh, Great…

Moral of the story: Always carry your confirmation letter or email with you, along with a contact number for your service provider. You never know when life decides to get real.