Well after a nice night in Denham, we headed down to stay our friends Linda and Rupert who live in Fulham. On the way we dropped into Kyrg embassy to lodge yet another visa application and then to the Kaz embassy collect our completed one from there that was 2 complete and 1 in progress and one to lodge on the following Monday!
So with some spare time in was of to be tourist for a few days! We left the bike at Linda's, got out the bike gear and walked up The Fulham Road, past Chelsea FC and all the beautiful people in Knightsbridge and South Kensington. One of the great things about London is all the free museums, near the end of Fulham Road is The Victoria and Albert Museum and it was a great way to spend the afternoon. This museum's focus is on design throughout world history. It is amazing and you could easily spend a week in there. The highlight for me was a special exhibit they had on British Design from 1950-2012. Really interesting stuff including Concorde, Lloyds building, roadsigns, the Route Master bus and contemporary English housing.
The day was completed by a wonderful dinner prepared by Linda
The next day we had a bit of a sleep in but once we were up and about it was off to the Tower of London, thesteal see the Crown Jewels. The history of the tower is very extensive and extends back to very earliest days of what we now refer to as England. It has at times served as fortress, gaol, army barracks, treasury and archives. Today it main purpose is, of course, tourist attraction, but its role as vault for the Crown Jewels should not be understated, it is very serious business indeed.
As an interlude we found London's public transport system first rate it would be nice to see something that functions as well in Australia's cities. Even with a line closed for engineering works it was very easy to get to Tower Hill.
Sunday morning up earlish and off to Columbia Road flower markets to have a real East End experience full of flower sellers shouting out things like "these flowers are just like your mother-in-law, they get bigger every week!".
Back to Linda and Rupert's to drop off Harry (the Dog) before we headed to Hampton Court Palace for yet another tourist experience!
Hampton Court palace is extensive and has magnificent gardens surrounding it. Coming at the beginning of spring everything was in full colour! Reds, Yellows, Purples and everything in between all beautifully manicured. Originally built by Cardinal Wolsey, who transformed the previous large manor house into a 'magnificent bishop's palace'. Over time each resident King or Queen added there own set of rooms to what was an already large building. Well worth a visit.
Walls full of weapons - including spears and rifles!
Come Monday it was Visa time yet again! Fortunately it was the last one! It was off the Tadjik embassy to be greeted by a very stern gentleman. I was beginning to wonder if he was about to tell us Nyet! But after going through everything he said "Monday" and when we said "Thank You" he allowed us s smile. With that done we did a little shopping and had an easy afternoon.
On Monday night we took the tube to Westminster Abby for evensong. A very special experience where the music is to be felt more than heard. Whilst many may consider it ostentatious, and maybe originally built to glorify man, but I found it was a real experience of the glory of God.
Big Ben.
The Abby.
After a day of planning on Tuesday decided that we would head to the peak district and then to Bath to catch up with my mum's cousin Anna and her husband Joe.
So with some spare time in was of to be tourist for a few days! We left the bike at Linda's, got out the bike gear and walked up The Fulham Road, past Chelsea FC and all the beautiful people in Knightsbridge and South Kensington. One of the great things about London is all the free museums, near the end of Fulham Road is The Victoria and Albert Museum and it was a great way to spend the afternoon. This museum's focus is on design throughout world history. It is amazing and you could easily spend a week in there. The highlight for me was a special exhibit they had on British Design from 1950-2012. Really interesting stuff including Concorde, Lloyds building, roadsigns, the Route Master bus and contemporary English housing.
The day was completed by a wonderful dinner prepared by Linda
The next day we had a bit of a sleep in but once we were up and about it was off to the Tower of London, the
As an interlude we found London's public transport system first rate it would be nice to see something that functions as well in Australia's cities. Even with a line closed for engineering works it was very easy to get to Tower Hill.
Sunday morning up earlish and off to Columbia Road flower markets to have a real East End experience full of flower sellers shouting out things like "these flowers are just like your mother-in-law, they get bigger every week!".
Back to Linda and Rupert's to drop off Harry (the Dog) before we headed to Hampton Court Palace for yet another tourist experience!
Hampton Court palace is extensive and has magnificent gardens surrounding it. Coming at the beginning of spring everything was in full colour! Reds, Yellows, Purples and everything in between all beautifully manicured. Originally built by Cardinal Wolsey, who transformed the previous large manor house into a 'magnificent bishop's palace'. Over time each resident King or Queen added there own set of rooms to what was an already large building. Well worth a visit.
Walls full of weapons - including spears and rifles!
Come Monday it was Visa time yet again! Fortunately it was the last one! It was off the Tadjik embassy to be greeted by a very stern gentleman. I was beginning to wonder if he was about to tell us Nyet! But after going through everything he said "Monday" and when we said "Thank You" he allowed us s smile. With that done we did a little shopping and had an easy afternoon.
On Monday night we took the tube to Westminster Abby for evensong. A very special experience where the music is to be felt more than heard. Whilst many may consider it ostentatious, and maybe originally built to glorify man, but I found it was a real experience of the glory of God.
Big Ben.
The Abby.
After a day of planning on Tuesday decided that we would head to the peak district and then to Bath to catch up with my mum's cousin Anna and her husband Joe.
Location:London, UK
No comments:
Post a Comment