Chapter 17 - London Part II

Chapter 17 – London Part II

Friday, October 28, 2022

We had breakfast at the hotel. We took the underground to South Kensington and changed to the Piccadilly line to Knightsbridge to go to Harrods. We wandered through the food courts primarily; the options were amazing. We then walked about ten minutes to the Victoria and Albert Museum (Photos 17 – 1 and 17 – 2). At that point, we split up. Bruce

went to the British history exhibits. Sarah toured the fashion exhibits that displayed mostly women’s fashion from the 1700s to the 1980s. She also went to the Cast Exhibit which was very impressive. There is even a life-size cast of Michelangelo’s David which was presented to Queen Victoria as a gift.

We met back up and shared our stories. Bruce decided to sit in the gardens while Sarah toured some of the British exhibits. She got a picture of the model for the Prince Albert Memorial that had been made for Queen Victoria’s approval (Photo 17 - 3).

After the museum, we backtracked and stopped into Harrods to pick up some salads for our dinner. From there, we got back on the underground and went to the Piccadilly Station. We switched to the District Line towards St. James’s Park Station. Bruce got off there and headed back to the hotel.

Sarah stayed on and went to Monument Station. This let her off just at The Monument for the great fire (Photo 17 – 4). She walked across the London Bridge to visit Borough Market. Borough Market is one of the largest and oldest food markets in London with a market on this site from at least the twelfth century. The present buildings were designed in 1851. It’s an amazing market to wander around in but it was very crowded (Photo 17 - 5). They sell everything. There’s a butcher shop, a fishmonger, several green grocers as well as many specialty shops. There’s also a food market with tons of delicious, prepared food. Sarah ate a chorizo sandwich for lunch and

followed it with a custard-filled donut for dessert. After an hour or so in the Borough Market, she made her way back to Monument Station and took the underground back to the hotel. She got a great picture of the Tower Bridge and the Belfast as she crossed the London Bridge (Photo – 17 – 6).

While Sarah was exploring Borough Market, Bruce decided to go to the British War Museum. He took the District Line to Embankment, and then the Bakerloo line to Elephant and Castle. This took him under the Thames. The area of London is called Elephant and Castle, named after a tavern on one of the ancient roads that came in and out of London from the south. It was a lovely residential area with parks, residential towers, and a university (Photos 17 – 7 and 17 - 8). It felt very different that the hubbub of Westminster where we are staying. You didn’t even feel like you were in London.

The British War Museum was in a park and had a cavernous entry hall with airplanes in the center. The building was built by Henry VIII. It has been modernized but is still not very accessible for the disabled. The exhibits are in the wings of the building. He particularly liked the Victoria Cross and George Cross recipients exhibit which was very humbling. He also enjoyed the exhibit about Princess (the future Queen) Elizabeth during World War II.

We met up back at the hotel close to the same time. We rested a bit. Sarah then headed to Westminster Abbey for the Evensong Service at 5:00 pm. The Choir of Westminster was beautiful. She sat facing the Rose Window (Photo 17 - 9)

in the North transept. After the service, she took the underground back one stop from the Westminster Station to St. James’s Park Station.

We had dinner in the hotel room. The salads from Harrods and a cheese tray from the Blue Boar were delicious.

Saturday, October 29, 2022

We had breakfast in the hotel and worked on the blog for about an hour to catch up. Sarah walked for a bit just

wandering around through St. James’s Park, up to Trafalgar Square, and back by Buckingham Palace. She got some good pictures of the Queen Victoria Memorial outside of Buckingham Palace (Photo 17 – 10), Buckingham Palace with the Memorial and some of the front gardens (Photo 17 - 11), and the King George and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) memorial (Photo 17 - 12). Here’s a shot also of our most frequently use underground station, St. James’s Park, just across the street from out hotel (Photo 17 - 13).

We headed to the Houses of Parliament in the Palace of

Westminster for a guided tour scheduled at 2:00 pm. Here’s a good picture of Big Ben (actually the Elizabeth Tower – Big Ben is the bell in the tower) which has been cleaned and refurbished recently (Photo 17 - 14). Here I am at the door to Westminster Hall (Photo 17 - 15). Westminster Hall is the oldest building in the Palace. It was originally built in the eleventh century but has undergone periods of reconstruction after a fire in 1834 and restoration in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It’s an awe-inspiring building with an amazing hammer-beam roof which is considered a masterpiece of design.

Westminster Hall has been used for many purposes and is still used today. It has served as a seat of justice where law courts were held. Many trials were held here in medieval times. Some notable ones were William Wallace who led the Scottish resistance to Edward of England in 1297 and Sir Thomas More who was tried for treason in 1535. Following the end of England’s Civil War in 1649, King Charles I was brought to trial in Westminster Hall and sentenced to death.

Westminster Hall has also been used for coronation banquets, shops and stalls, and political displays. Notable people who have spoken in Westminster Hall include Charles de Gaulle, President of France, Elizabeth II, Nelson Mandela, President of South Africa, President Barack Obama, and most recently, King Charles III.

You will know Westminster Hall from the recent views on television of thousands of people walking by the coffin of

Queen Elizabeth II during her period of lying-in-state. Others who have lain-in-state there include King George V and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Queen Mary, and King Edward VII. There are plaques on the stone floor representing these events. Two non-royals who was granted the privilege of lying-in-state in Westminster Hall were former prime ministers William E. Gladstone and Winston Churchill.

Here's a few pictures of the interior of Westminster Hall (Photos 17 – 16, 17 - 17, and 17 - 18).

Enough about Westminster Hall. We were met there by our tour guide and walked through the Houses of Parliament. Unfortunately, no pictures are allowed in those areas. First of all, it’s huge. There are over 1100 rooms and 100 staircases over four floors. We started at the Sovereign’s Entrance at the base of the Victoria Tower. This starts the route the King will take to the Lords Chamber for the annual Opening of Parliament. We toured both the Chambers for the House of Lords and the House of Commons and learned a bit more about their parliamentary system.

We had dinner at Colosseo Restaurant on Victoria Street near our hotel. Bruce had Mediterranean salad and gnocchi. Sarah had a small side salad and Pasta ala Norma.