Our week in London did not disappoint. We had a laid back anniversary, watched Germany boot England out of the world cup. It is so funny how quick English commentators turn on their own team! One minute they are carrying on about how they should be tied and the sport needs video play back the next they are saying the Germans deserve the win as the English team has no heart. Ease up! After the game we went for a walk to the Tower Bridge, to gawk at all the sad English supporters and from there to the London Bridge.
The next day we went shopping, as it’s Ri’s birthday very soon! We ended up at Petticoat Lane Market (we figured out the name when we got home) and I found it funny as I had bought a Petticoat. And a super cute dress, a day late for the anniversary, but just in time for getting dressed up for his birthday! Both are extremely practical for our travelling purposes...
We had an awesome day at the Tower of London – I really enjoyed it but my brain cannot understand it, the age of the towers alone is unimaginable. The same thing happened to me at Oxford. At home UQ is turning 100 this year and I was reading that earlier this year and thinking – oh so old. People were attending teachings at Oxford like 900 years ago. When I was in the Salt Tower of the tower of London and reading carvings made by some Catholic guy in May 1554 (about 300 years after it was built), I looked out the window and tried to image what the view would have been like for him. Even with the help of The Tudors and the two Elizabeth movies, I couldn’t get the cars out of the image. Mmmmmm The Tudors.
It was probably a bad thing that so much of the information was familiar only because of those movies and the TV series. I even pointed to a portrait of Henry the VIII’s son as King at the portrait gallery and whispered to Ri “oh no! Spoiler alert for the next season of Tudors!”
The day after our Tower day we went to Buckingham Palace. Oh and they let us in! We had a look around the Mews and saw some of the Queens horses, carriages and cars. We then wandered up to the Queens Gallery which was showing Victoria and Albert – love and art. Which was awesome and so much better than the movie Young Victoria. I was really touched by the Queens love of her Prince and affectionately started calling Ri My Albert. The exhibit gave an excellent ‘vibe’ of who they were and I could imagine these people as real people. There was one portrait of Victoria’s son Arthur (she had 9 children) and next to it read that Victoria had written that “He is my favourite as he is lovelier than the rest put together.” I cracked myself laughing. What a riot. He wasn't the oldest! Or even the oldest boy! Just her favourite.
From the palace –where we stayed until closing – we made our way to Harrods where I finally bought Ri a birthday gift. No it’s not a souvenir. No it doesn’t say Harrods. It’s exactly what Ri would want – practical and something he missed from home, something he hasn’t used in the past 2 months. He loves it and uses it regularly. (No I didn’t wait for his birthday he was RIGHT THERE when I bought it). If I say what it is it will lose its glamour. Right now – to you - it’s the birthday present from Harrods. Why spoil that?
We spent hours running around Harrods. We went to the Food Hall and grabbed something to snack on later. I couldn’t resist a plush teddy with “My Harrods Bear” on it – his name is Arthur.
On our last day we went to the British museum. Honestly I was exhausted and after three hours I turned to Ri in the Ancient Britian section and said ‘two hours ago I was admiring how awesome and amazing that people 5-6 thousand years ago managed to do all this and I really was amazed, but I can only look at so many old metal rings/bowls/spoons... can we go now?’ Yes I was ashamed.
We still had not been to the Egyptian mummy room, so we went there. When I’m in that room I’m two things, amazed at the beautiful decorations on one hand, but on the other I’m a little angry on behalf of the Mummy’s family. I know I wouldn’t like it if some future people put my dead relative OR even worse MY CAT on display – especially after we paid for such a fancy burial. It’s a little creepy.
As it was our final afternoon in London, we passed, considered, but ultimately rejected the Wax museum. It was like $100 (Aus) and only open for another couple hours with an hour long line. What pushed us away ultimately was that Angelina was on the banner and I really don’t like her (I’m on team Jen). So with our free and final afternoon we walked to Kensington Gardens and saw Alberts understated memorial. And paddled our feet in the freezing waters of the Princess Di fountain. We spent a few hours in the park enjoying free fun.
Uh so that brings us to today and I’ll sum it up in dot points
- We lost our camera
- We missed our flight
- Had a terrible Gypsy Taxi experience in London (thanks to our hotel who called us a “taxi”)
- Had a 90 minute French taxi ride
- We were upgraded on a media-free flight to business class. But without the media who cares which class you’re in. But I shouldn’t complain about that as our original tickets for flight number two were 10 rows apart.
- WE LOST OUR CAMERA
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