Julia and Dee in Portobello Road looking marvelous!
So as you can probably imagine, I am exhausted. But happily so! I arrived last night from England only to find a 2 and a half hour wait at customs. Man o man was that a room full of unhappy people. But once through to the other side it was home and bed and goodbye to tea and crumpets.
We had an absolutely marvelous time. The weather was gorgeous (no rain at all if you can believe it!). And the museums, castles, parks and walks were to die for. We ate bangers and mash, and fish and chips, and really amazing Moroccan food. We shopped until we dropped. Harrods, High Marleybone, Knightsbridge, Oxford and Portobello Road. We rarely got lost. Which was a miracle a couple of times. We rode the tube and the trains like professionals. And walked our rear-ends off.
We strolled through the gardens at Hampton Court, and the wilds of Hyde Park. Julia London ran along the canal (not for her life but actually for fun
Hampton Court looking in from the Gardens.
–which I simply can’t fathom). We watched telly with a glass of wine. The show about the groom planning the wedding was absolutely wonderful. Not to mention the one about choosing a manor house. And we watched a comic that had us in stitches. And several game shows that were beyond anything we have here. (Although sadly we missed episode one of Season three of Downton Abbey–it was the night we arrived and we weren’t clued in.)
We had drinks at the Savoy. And went to Covent Garden. We saw London from the top of the Gherkin. Traipsed through Bath and Mayfair, dreaming of gorgeous dresses and men in top hats and tails. We saw Stonehenge and Windsor Castle. We went to Lacock where they filmed Cranford, parts of Harry Potter, Emma, and scenes from Pride and Prejudice. Also we saw the Victoria and Albert museum (complete with a period clothing exhibition).
Building used for the first meet between Darcy and Elizabeth (in Lacock)
We drank loads of tea, a little bitter and learned the difference between light and dark beer in Britain. And of course we some great Malbec (from our own local wine store on the corner). We shopped for our own supper. And salivated over the fabulous offerings in the various Food Halls. I had scones at the V&A, and Julia had chocolate confections and we were in heaven. We also can report that Stinky Bishop’s cheese lives up to it’s name.
All in all it was a magical trip, and I’ve included some photos just so that you all can come along for the fun!
Walking through Mayfair
Outside the walls at Windsor Castle
A really amazing bookstore on High Marleybone
Any thoughts on where we Whiners should go next?
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
Is Mayfair still considered to be an exclusive address? What is an Oyster Pass?
I second the Scotland suggestion for the next Whinertour. One last question, where was the flat you stayed in located?
Thanks for sharing!
never mind on the Oyster pass question. I love love love Wikipedia!
Yes Mayfair is still considered “posh”. And an Oyster Pass is a tube card that saves you loads of money traveling around the city. Oh and… we were staying in Little Venice on a Mews (which basically means the area where the horses and carriages were stored.)
Ti it was Russell someone.
We had a great time, didn’t we Dee?
I am finally feeling recovered. It’s such a long ass flight to Houston, then having to hang out and wait for another flight to Austin. It was an exhausting day. Dee and I had the most amazing Morrocan dinner. It ranks up there with one of the best dinners I’ve ever had. I came home feeling so BLOATED. The British do like their carbs. Everything is built around bread (thank you Lord Sandwich), potatoes and beer. How come they all looked so thin? I am on a carb de-bloater diet this week.
It was so much fun…and clearly the genes are still there from my English heritage as the carbs transferred to this side of the pond for me
Welcome home, ladies!! The trip sounds like a dreamy blast. And thanks for the pics–they are as close as I’ll probably get to jolly old England.
Hmm, next Whiner trip. Austria? New Zealand? Tough choice.
New Zealand would be fab but the plane ride is SOOOOOOOO long.
Wouldn’t Dee love to show us Austria. Or maybe Prague. I’m still feeling the UK though. Scotland!
Scotland! And yes, I’d love to show you Austria and Prague. And a few more places in the czech republic.
Sounds like an absolutely FAB trip, Dee! So glad you had a great time. I’m definitely having London envy!
It really was great fun. Wish you all could have been there with us. But you were — in spirit!
I am glad you had a wonderful time. Not sure what Malboc is.
Don’t Tell the Bride is the groom planning the wedding.
Choosing a manor house, well there are loads of those type of shows. Maybe A Place In The Country or Grand Designs.
Keith Lemon had to be the comic. Smash your backdoors in?
Bang Tidy!
Did my suggestion help about the pass?
Love love love our chippies here.
Bitters is an acquired taste though you might have done better with a bitter shandy (half bitters half lemonaid/or what we call sprite but it usually is diet)
Malbec wine!! Thank God for wiki lol
I adore bitter — so for me it was a treat. The only beer I’ve ever really liked! Yes! It was Don’t Tell the Bride! And I’m not sure about the name of the other either -we did see several, but this one an agent shows the couple houses without letting them know the location. It was a hoot. And not sure about the comic. Young, thin, really really funny! And YES the Oyster card was wonderful and thanks to you we felt very in the know!
No Keith Lemon is not thin but he is hilarious and the things he says you will never see on normal American tv.
How wonderfully fun and fabulous! No spotted dick?
How funny you should mention it… I actually saw it listed on a blackboard and thought –not in a million years… LOL
LOL–they sell Spotted Dick–in a CAN–at my Publix! I bought it for my sister last Christmas. Because, you know, every girl wants some spotted dick. In a can
I was going to make some kind of “some girls like it in the can” comment but whoa, that sounds so raunchy. Well, I guess I did make the comment. 50 Shades of Crimson here.