Two Sisters

Coffee at Buckingham Palace

My sister, Christine, and her good friend, Anne, were on a bucket list vacation that was to include London and I needed very little persuasion to join them there for a week.  London, as I have stated before, is my very favourite city in the world, and it is even better now that James and Amber live there. 

I arrived at Gatwick after an easy flight and made my way via train to James and Amber’s apartment.  Unfortunately for them, I arrived on the very day that their belongings arrived from Australia.  It didn’t worry me however they were a little upset that their house was full of boxes, which left little room to move around their home.  I was just happy to see them looking so well and we did a quick catch up on everything that had been going on with their jobs and London life.

Two Sisters

The next day, I was up and out the

door early as I was meeting Christine and Anne at Buckingham Palace.  I mistimed my journey and arrived very early so I was able to take a walk through Green Park and all around the outside of the palace.  It was a beautiful day and there were squirrels scampering all through the park, which was virtually empty except for a few joggers.  Finally I spotted Christine and Anne and they briefly filled me in on some of the highlights of their trip to Berlin.  It was great to see them again.

Christine had booked us a tour of the State Rooms and we had a lovely time wandering through the opulent surroundings.  It was all very well organised with an informative audio guide.  Photos were not allowed, and whilst at first this seemed disappointing, you quickly realised how pleasant it was not to be surrounded by people jostling for photos or taking a never-ending stream of selfies.  This meant that the crowds moved easily through the various rooms and galleries.  The furniture, artworks and décor were all fabulous and the rooms were much more ornate that I had thought that they would be.  The most thrilling aspect, for me anyway, was the special exhibition of the Queen’s clothes, which was being held in honour of her 90^th birthday.  There were clothes from her childhood right through to the present day.  Highlights were her many beautiful evening gowns, many of which are just as fashionable today as they were when she wore them 50 years ago or more.  The Queen’s wedding dress was on display and it was lovely to see it close up and appreciate its beauty.  The showpiece of the exhibition though was the Coronation gown.  The intricate embroidery on this gown was absolutely stunning.  It was worth going to the palace just to see this gown alone.  There was also a display of Her Majesty’s many and varied hats, including one, which I swear was a dead bird, complete with beak! We finished out tour with a coffee in the palace café, a visit to the gift shop (very tasteful souvenirs) and a stroll through the gardens to the exit. 

Parliament Hill

Our next stop was Hampstead Heath as this was a place on Anne’s wish list.  A short train trip and walk took us to this massive 320 hectares parkland.  We took a walk up to Parliament Hill, from where the view over London is protected by law.  Needless to say, the view was pretty impressive and you could see the skyscrapers and the City of London along with St Paul’s Cathedral.  It was very peaceful walking through the park along the tracks and thankfully we didn’t see any grass snakes.  There were a number of ponds with lots of water birds and swans enjoying themselves and even a lido.  It never ceases to amaze me just how much open space there is in a city of over eight and a half million people.

Well, if I thought that I had an early start the day before, then the next day was a doozy.  It was grand final day and the match was between Michael’s beloved Swans and the Western Bulldogs.  James had organised tickets for himself, Amber and I at Belushi’s in Camden and the kick-off was 5.30am.  There was no way that I was going to miss the grand final so we were up and ready before dawn.  James had booked a ride with Uber, so that was a first for me.  The pub was filled with Aussies, all seeming to barrack for the Doggies except for our small group and one brave fellow wearing a Swan’s scarf.  Another first for me was drinking gin and tonic at 6.30am!  The least said about the game the better.  A disappointing result for the Swans however, at least they made it to the grand final.  Perhaps next year the Hawks will be back although the recent trade week has had some huge surprises/shocks for us.

I said farewell to James and Amber as they had their own plans for the day and headed into meet Christine and Anne at the Wallace Collection.  There have been some major refurbishments and the displays are laid out much better.  It really is an astonishing collection of Old Master paintings, the most famous of which is The Laughing Cavalier as well as a number by of artworks by Rembrandt, Rubens and Canaletto.  None of the items on display can ever leave the collection, not even for a temporary loan exhibition, as this was a condition of the bequest by Sir Richard Wallace’s widow.  It is one of my favourite places to visit in London.

Robin Hood

 

Next, it was off to St Paul’s Covent Garden, otherwise known as the actor’s church.  This lovely church was designed by Inigo Jones and contains many memorials to famous actors and entertainers including Charlie Chaplin, Noel Coward, Boris Karloff and Richard Greene (best Robin Hood ever).  The choir was rehearsing which added a nice touch and we returned to the church later in the week so that Christine and Anne could finish looking at all of the different memorial plaques.  The first Punch and Judy performance took place under the portico at the front of the church.

Anne & I in the West End

A brief wander around the market followed by a quick bite of lunch in the West End and then it was time for a real treat – we had tickets for the matinee of The Mousetrap!  I saw the play 32 years ago at St Martin’s Theatre, and incredibly, it is now in its 64^th continuous year.  Anne had never seen the play however she didn’t need to fear me giving away the ending, as I had forgotten “who did it” a long time ago.  This was Christine’s 4^th time seeing the production!  The acting was very good and we had a fun time and were surprised by the ending (except for Christine).  The cast finished with the traditional request for the audience not to reveal the ending after leaving the theatre.

 

To cap off our busy day, we took a train ride out to Brick Lane.  We had our obligatory drink at the White Hart (famous for where one of Jack the Ripper’s victims was last seen) and then it was off to find a good Indian restaurant for dinner.  Anne and I took a back seat and let Christine drive the negotiations for our meal.  Christine is very good at haggling and we were soon seated and enjoying our negotiated free bottle of wine.  The food was fabulous (definitely the best meal I have had on Brick Lane) and it was nice to relax and hear a bit more about Anne & Christine’s travels to date.  We went our separate ways, with me catching the tube by myself at 11.00pm.  I felt very safe and even walking through the streets from the station to James & Amber’s apartment, I didn’t feel at all nervous.

Columbia Road Flower Market

Anne had never been to a flower market so naturally I suggested a trip to Columbia Road.  We arrived about midday, and the market was in full throttle and quite crowded.  It was interesting to see the change in the flowers on display from when I was last there in August.  Pretty soon, I suppose, the mistletoe will be on sale.

Regent's Canal

Next on the agenda was the Postman’s Park.  Christine wanted to show Anne the Memorial to Heroic Self Sacrifice, but do you think I could find the park?  It took a considerable time of wandering in circles before we chanced upon it.  We were the only people in the park and it was peaceful and sad reading the tragic tales the plaques told.  We timed our visit perfectly because, as we were leaving, a tour group arrived which would no doubt have shattered the peace.

Happy Birthday Tim!

We met James at Angel station and he took us for a walk along Regent’s Canal.  The weather was perfect and it was very picturesque with beautifully decorated canal boats tied up and other long boats travelling along the canal.  He and Amber live in a lovely part of London.  Amber was minding us a table at the Island Queen, a fabulous pub, as Christine wanted to have a traditional roast for her Sunday lunch.  We had a great meal (my roast pork was perfect as was the crackling) and we spent a fun afternoon just chatting. 

Through the Barricades

Michael and I decided to escape Dublin for a weekend in Belfast.  Dublin was being invaded by 20,000 Americans that had descended on the city to watch a game of college football.  We were in the city the last time that occurred and had no desire for a repeat performance!

 

The train trip was very relaxing as usual and upon our arrival in Belfast we headed straight to St George’s Market for breakfast.  No prizes for guessing what was on the menu – an enormous Belfast Bap.  Michael thoroughly enjoyed his and I enjoyed my smaller version.  A stroll around the market and then it was a walk through the rain to drop our bags at the hotel.  It always rains in Belfast however we never let that stop us doing what we want.

 

The afternoon was spent wandering through the many different bookstores and charity shops in search of more reading material.  Dinner was at a fabulous restaurant, which had been recommended to us – The Barking Dog.  The food was excellent and the restaurant was full of local people enjoying their evening.

 

On Sunday, we saw the sun for the first time ever on our numerous trips to Belfast.  We took full advantage and were able to stroll through the beautiful Botanic Gardens.  There is the Palm House conservatory which was built in 1840, which is lovely however, the highlight for me, was the rose garden.  I have previously raved about Queen Mary’s rose garden in London but I must say that the roses on display in Belfast were even better.  The blooms were numerous and perfect in shape and perfume, despite it being towards the end of the season.  The colours were gorgeous and there we many more buds waiting to burst forth. 

 

We thoroughly enjoyed our weekend in Belfast. It is lovely and relaxing spending time in a city that you have already visited, as there is no pressure or compulsion to rush about.

 

Little James

Our son, James, and his partner, Amber, have relocated to London and it was with great excitement that Michael and I met up with them.  We spent the first day talking non-stop and walking their legs off all over London.  We caught the bus to their apartment in De Beauvoir Town and finally were able to see how they had settled into London life.  The apartment is spacious and they are within walking distance to absolutely everything that they could possibly want – shops, restaurants, pubs, transport and lovely parklands.  Best of all, they have invited us to stay with them whenever we want, which could be dangerous as London is my favourite city!

We took a lovely stroll along the canal to the Columbia Road Flower Markets and spent a couple of hours breakfasting and visiting the shops and looking at the flowers.  The roses and hydrangeas were gorgeous.  Then we did our usual market walk, taking in Brick Lane, Spitalfields and Petticoat Lane markets.  Somehow I don’t think that neither James nor Amber will want to see another market for a very long time.  They then took us out for a Sunday roast at one of their local pubs.  A great night was enjoyed by all of us, even though we overdid the wine a little.

Amber took Michael and I to a wonderful café called Lantana for breakfast.  The coffee is excellent and they also have smashed avocado on the menu.  One of the few things that I miss from Australia is access to ripe, flavoursome avocados.  Michael and I then spent the day wandering the city.  I had hoped to visit the Temple Church however it was closed and we had to content ourselves with viewing it from the outside.

We had a lovely time with Amber and James and it is great to think that they are only an hour away by plane.  Hopefully they will be able to visit us in Dublin one day soon.

I Should Be So Lucky

I flew over to London to spend the week sightseeing with Jill.  It was my first time flying into Gatwick and it was even easier travelling into the heart of London from there as it was from Heathrow.  We stayed at the Strand Palace Hotel, which was smack in the middle of everything we could possibly want to see.  Jill had already spent the previous two weeks exploring the city and I was there to keep her company and show her some of the sights she may have missed.  We spent a lovely week together and I will list some of the many highlights.

Jill is an experienced gardener and one of the items on her wish list was a visit to Sissinghurst Castle Garden.  We caught the train from Charing Cross to Staplehurst and then a taxi from the station to Sissinghurst.  We knew we were in for a treat as the taxi took us down beautiful country roads lined with trees and lush, green fields.  On arrival at the castle, we listened to a volunteer guide who told us all about the history of the castle and the world-renowned garden.  We then spent a lovely couple of hours wandering around and exploring the house and gardens including the panoramic view from the top of the tower.  It really was a relaxing way to idle the time away.

The London Dungeon was a fun way to spend a morning.  I had visited this attraction over 30 years ago and thought it was great then – I have to say that it is even better now.  We were taken as a small group through the history of London and treated to actors telling the tales of the gruesome and gory past.  It made for great theatre with jokes, storytelling and special effects.  We felt thoroughly entertained by the time we exited and we had learned about many events, including the Great Fire Of London, Jack the Ripper’s reign of terror, Guy Fawkes’ gunpowder plot, Sweeney Todd and many more.

We took in a West End show – Sunny Afternoon, which is a musical about The Kinks.  The Kinks were actually before my time (yes, really), however I was surprised by just how many of their songs I knew.  Jill and I sat at a table on the ground level and felt like VIPs, as the very friendly staff took good care of us.  The musical itself was a high-energy affair and finished with the audience dancing in the aisles.  It was great fun and I would thoroughly recommend the show. 

The London Zoo was well worth a visit.  Jill and I had visited the Dublin Zoo when she was in Ireland, and, although the Dublin Zoo seemed to have a greater variety of animals, the London Zoo was well laid out with many historical enclosures.  To make the day even more memorable, we caught the waterbus from the zoo, along Regent’s Canal to Little Venice.  The narrowboat journey was complemented by commentary on the history of the canal and it was a peaceful journey to Little Venice, a tranquil canal area.

The rest of our time was spent walking all over London, through the many parks, gardens, streets, laneways, shops and markets.  We had a great time, which all too quickly came to an end.  Jill jetted off to Singapore whilst I started the second phase of my London jaunt.

Oh, Sister

My sister, Jill, arrived by ferry from Wales for a last minute visit.  This was her first trip to the Emerald Isle and she took full advantage of having two personal guides at her disposal to show her around.  It was good doing the touristy things and showing her around Dublin as it made me see the city with fresh eyes, as I have become blasé about the history and beauty.  We covered quite a lot of ground and listened to a lot of Irish music at various pubs.  We even had a chance to wave to Joe Biden, as he was in town with his huge entourage of secret servicemen. 

We managed a couple of country trips whilst Jill was staying, taking in Glendalough and the beautiful mediaeval town of Kilkenny.  We also finally managed to stop and have a look at Galway for the first time as we have only driven through the city in the past.  Jill and I also visited Limerick, spending a lovely (if wet) day wandering the castle and town.  Jill also enjoyed the Frank McCourt Museum and I was challenged by the curator to recite a limerick for him.  He seemed impressed with my effort!

The three of us took a train to Belfast, as Jill was keen to see the city and especially the Titanic Experience.  We took a hop on, hop off bus tour of the city, which was interesting.  We managed to walk all around despite the weather being atrocious and it was good for Jill to see the contrast between Belfast and Dublin. 

Eau de Cologne

Michael and I took advantage of another Bank Holiday to visit the German cities of Bonn and Cologne.  The flight with Ryan Air was good however, on landing we had to remain on the plane, as there was an electrical storm and all ground staff had to shelter in the terminal.  We were soon on our way and after catching two trains and thoroughly confusing ourselves we decided that a taxi was a better option to take us to our hotel.  We dropped our bags off and then set off to explore Bonn.

The first impression of Bonn is of a modern city but with very few high-rise buildings.  We explored the streets and eventually found the old city, which is rather lovely.  There are large, open squares that are not over-run with tourists and many interesting shops, bars and restaurants.  We dined at a lovely local restaurant and Michael was able to have his first German beer for the trip.

The next day we caught the train to Cologne, a journey of just under half an hour.  Cologne is a much busier city and of course tourists make the trip to see the famous cathedral.  This was primarily the purpose of our visit, as I had always wanted to see this wonderful building.  I was not disappointed as the cathedral dominates the skyline and you can see it long before the train pulls into the station.  We tried several times to visit the church, however, being a Sunday, we always managed to time it during one of the services.  We were able to hear the choir singing, which was amazing and later we heard the cantor.  The acoustics are phenomenal and it must be wonderful to attend a concert there.

Cologne sustained heavy damage during WW2, with 95% of buildings flattened, so Cologne is a modern city.  There are no high-rise buildings in the main centre as there is a law prohibiting any building being taller than the cathedral.  The result is a very pleasant, spacious town, which is comfortable to walk around.  We dined al fresco at a traditional German restaurant, as Michael was desperate to have a schweinhaxe.  I foolishly decided that I would have one as well, thinking that I would only be served a half one.  I was wrong – out came the biggest schweinhaxe you have ever seen.  It was absolutely delicious however there was no way that I was ever going to be able to finish it.  This was washed down with the first beer that I have tried that I really liked – Kolsch.  The beer is brewed in Cologne and is a pale all barley ale.  I think I liked it mostly because it is served in small glasses of 0.2 litres.

We tried to walk off our huge lunch but soon gave up and opted for a cruise along the Rhine.  The Rhine runs through both Bonn and Cologne and it was great to travel along the famous working river.  I was surprised at how strong the current was, no doubt swollen by all the heavy rains which have devastated southern Germany and France.  It was nice to get a different view of the city from the waterway.

The following day we ventured back into Cologne and this time we were able to visit the cathedral properly.  We started with a visit to the Cathedral Treasury.  This is a collection of sacred objects reaching back to the 10^th century.  There were many amazing reliquaries, liturgical vessels, robes and insignia, the most famous of which are the relics of the Three Magi.  The items were all very beautiful and interesting and Michael and I virtually had the displays all to ourselves.  Next, Michael undertook the ascent of the tower, a journey of 533 steps and he enjoyed the amazing views over the city.  


 I wasn’t game to attempt the climb, as the staircase was very narrow, so I took a stroll around the outside of the cathedral.  The structure is massive and covered in some of the most frightening and alarming gargoyles that I have ever seen.  They are a real Gothic horror show.  The cathedral stonework is covered in layers of grime and one can only imagine how it would look if the façade was cleaned, although the grime adds to the imposing, if slightly creepy, look. 

 

When Michael returned from his tower climb, we turned our attention to the inside of the cathedral.  The arched ceilings soar overhead and the sheer size is overwhelming.  The stained glass windows are beautiful and there are many statues throughout.  Unfortunately a relic, a cloth with a drop of blood from Pope John Paul II had been stolen the day before our arrival.  The reliquary was still attached to the wall, and there were various members of the media filming the empty vessel and filing their news reports.  Aside from that disappointment, we found the cathedral to be a beautiful and fascinating place and well worth the visit to Cologne.

Michael wanted another schweinhaxe for lunch, however there was no way that I was going to have such a huge meal again.  I sensibly ordered a sausage thinking that would be a more suitable meal.  I was served an unbelievably enormous sausage – the Germans certainly love their meat!

Once lunch was finished, we took a stroll over to the 4711 flagship store.  I have loved this fragrance since I was a child and the store housed a small museum of old bottles of perfume and advertising.  We made our purchases and then stood outside to watch the glockenspiel – a carillon that plays on the hour, as wooden figures appear one by one. 

Our final day was spent shopping in Bonn, with our main purchase being a 2kg bag of mixed sweets from one of the enormous Haribo shops.  We have always loved the gummi bears however this shop sells all of the varieties of sweets, some of which we had never seen.  There were sour straws, sour belts, lemon drops, gummies, real fruit gummies, sore throat gummies, more gummies and just about everything you can imagine.  The 2kg bag wasn’t just for our consumption.  Michael took half of the sweets in to his work to share amongst the staff.

Good Friend And A Glass Of Wine

I wasn’t too sad about saying goodbye to James and Amber, as our very good friends, Jan and Ron, were flying from Australia to visit us.  They arrived in good spirits (if a little tired) and we quickly started the business of catching up on the events of the past four years.  I managed to keep them awake long enough to take them to Temple Bar where we lunched before jet lag finally overcame them and we headed back home for a nap. 

Michael arranged the day off work so that we could start showing Jan and Ron the sights of Dublin in earnest.  We started the day at the Guinness Storehouse, and we spent the next three hours wandering around the exhibits and sampling the brew.  I am finally acquiring a taste for Guinness however I don’t think I will be downing a pint anytime soon. 

We took a tour on the Hop On Hop Off bus, which is a great way to show people around Dublin when they have limited time.  Once again I was reminded how beautiful the city is and it was great to see Ron and Jan enthusiastically snapping photos.  We dined at Darwin’s, a fabulous steak restaurant and then it was time to head for home as our guests were rapidly starting to wilt.

The plan for Jan and Ron’s final day was to visit the market at Meeting House Square.  Well, we did everything but!  Each time we headed in the direction of the market, we stopped off to show them one more thing, until finally, we ran out of time.  They were able to see the Little Museum of Dublin where the guided tour gave them a brief rundown of the past 100 years of Dublin history. 

Michael and I were sad to say goodbye to Ron and Jan as they headed off on the next leg of their European adventure.  We were so chuffed that they added Dublin to their itinerary, just so that they could see us.  I really hope that it won’t be another 4 years until we see them again.