The British Library, Brighton, Bookshops, and Buckingham Palace

Sir Isaac Newton
brooding over the Universe
British Library courtyard

London 2002 continued...

Monday 16 September 2002

This is not to be missed: The British Library. Take the Underground to King's Cross. Turn right out of the station and walk a block. As you pass by St. Pancras station on your right, look up. It is a wonder.

Oh my. This library was one of my favorites. It is in a new building (1998) that has a grand statue in the front courtyard of Sir Isaac Newton brooding over the Universe. Inside is a book lover's dream. John Evelyn's diary from 1660 (in tiny, tiny handwriting); Jane Austen's writing desk; the original Alice's Adventures Underground with Lewis Carroll's own drawings; the manuscript of Middlemarch by George Eliot. (I had just read this earlier in the year and was thrilled to see the original.) Also a display of original Beatles' lyrics on paper napkins and the backs of greeting cards proving that inspiration can strike anytime. "I want to hold your hand..." There also, of course, are illuminated manuscripts, bibles, maps, Magna Carta, and more.

A wonderful gift shop full of books - what else. It is worth it to buy the souvenir guide. (Five pounds sterling.) Great photos and much history.

We had lunch in the shadow of the glass tower that runs up the middle of the building and contains the library of King George III. About 65,000 volumes. Awesome.

Next, we found our way to Covent Garden. Wandered in and out of the small shops at Neal's Yard (fashions, shoes, magic, natural remedies); had tea at the original Covent Garden; bought an enameled brooch for Mom at one of the antique stalls; and, miraculously found our way to nearby Stanfords, Britain's largest bookseller of maps and travel books, to purchase a copy of Mrs. P's Journey. It is about the woman who created the London A-Z map.

Tuesday 17 September 2002

Terre a Terre
Brighton

Day trip to Brighton. (An hour south by train from Victoria Station.) Toured the fantastic Royal Pavilion built by George IV with its Oriental domes and Chinese-style state rooms. Lunch at Terre a Terre vegetarian restaurant. Some shopping in The Lanes, a maze of small stores and restaurants. Bought chocolate-covered violet cremes that were yummy. A stroll along the boardwalk with great views of the Brighton Palace Pier (built in 1891) stretched out on the water looking for all the world like a grande dame in white lace. High tea at the Grand Hotel overlooking the English Channel. Three tiers of goodies: scones, finger sandwiches, sweets. Took a taxi back up the long, steep hill to the train station and back to London.

Wednesday 18 September 2002

Cecil Court bookshops

Spent five hours (including lunch) at the National Portrait Gallery. If you only see one museum, make it this one. Start at the top floor and work your way through the faces of British History. I was swooning. Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Samuel Pepys, Jane Austen...on and on. The only disappointment was that the gallery with a portrait of PM Tony Blair (I am crazy about him) was closed. Alas...

Afterwards, we turned left out of the museum and strolled along Charing Cross Road with all its bookshops. Too bad; so sad. 84 Charing Cross Road is no longer there, but its spirit is. Don't miss Cecil Court which is full of teeny bookshops too. It is right off CCR and is a treasure.

I bought a book of English essays and Twenty-Five by Beverley Nichols. He wrote Merry Hall which is a must read.

Thursday 19 September 2002

This is the morning we toured Buckingham Palace. The Queen only opens the palace to tourists in August and September while she is summering at Balmoral. La-de-dah for her. 

The best story about this experience: 

As we entered the palace through the Ambassador's Entrance we had to walk through a long, narrow hallway that was lined with marble busts perched on columns. One loud American berated the guard: "Why aren't these busts identified with names. It would be helpful to know who they represent." 

To which the guard replies in her chilliest British fashion: "Madame, this a not a museum. This is the Queen's home."

So there!

After the palace and tour through the gardens, we made our way to the Ritz Hotel. Mom had a seat in the lobby while I wrote a letter to myself on the hotel's stationery at a small wooden writing desk. Tres elegante. I posted the letter and it arrived in my post office box shortly after I arrived home. A little memento of our visit.

Of course I bought stationery at Smythson's

We did some shopping on Bond Street and New Bond Street. Here was everything I wanted: chocolates from Charbonnet et Walker; stationery from Smythson's; a Waterman fountain pen from The Pen Friend in Burlington Arcade which is right off of Bond Street. I was in heaven.

To read the entries for the remainder of our time in London, start here.

In Which We Arrive in London

The Chelsea Physic Garden, London
The perfect place to refresh one's spirit after
hours on an airplane, or anytime really

As this is the last weekend of my British Month, I have made a bold decision to add the rest of the day-to-day account of a trip that my mother and I took to London in September 2002. The account, based on the journal that I kept, was written for a family friend who was going to be visiting England six months or so after we were there.

Last weekend I posted from the end of the journey as the dates corresponded; this is from the beginning of the trip. 

You will see that it is quite bookish. Here goes:

Wednesday, 11 September 2002

We arrived at Lime Tree Hotel on Ebury Street about noon. We caught a direct train from Gatwick to Victoria Station and walked the few blocks to the hotel. A charming and convenient location in Belgravia. We had rooms on the ground floor (as I had requested) that overlooked the back garden full of rose bushes. So very British, don't you think?

After checking in and putting up our feet for a few moments, we walked south toward the Thames past the Royal Hospital to spend time at the Chelsea Physic Garden. It was founded in 1673. We had our first English tea there and strolled the gravel paths amongst plants and flowers that were intended to heal. A very quiet time. It was a fine place to catch our breath after breathing recycled air on the airplane for hours.

Dinner at Ebury Wine Bar & Restaurant next door to the hotel. It was the first place I had eaten dinner 20 years ago when I was in London. I stayed on the very same street. As a matter of coincidence, the couple who now owned the Lime Tree Hotel had owned Ebury House when I stayed at that fine establishment in September 1982.

Lime Tree Hotel
Ebury Street, London

Thursday 12 September 2002

Took the Big Bus Tour of the city. The company's many routes and live-guide talks proved to be a good way to get our bearings and to see the Big Picture. We sat on the top of red double-decker buses and had a grand time. Unfortunately, that was the day we took a lot of photos with the camera that didn't have any film in it. Woe!

Friday 13 September 2002

Started out at the Tower of London. Took the tour with a colorful Beefeater (bloody history made funny for the tourists). Oohed and aahed over the Crown Jewels. A spin through the gift shop (we each bought T of L souvenir leather bookmarks). We passed on the White Tower which contains armor and weapons. I took Mom's photo with one of the guards dressed in full regalia. 

We had a picnic lunch on a bench overlooking the Thames and Tower Bridge. Took a boat ride up the Thames to Westminster then  the underground ("Mind the Gap") back to St. Paul's Cathedral. (A bit of backtracking, but the boat ride was a spur of the moment idea.) St. Paul's is gorgeous. We didn't go downstairs to the Crypt. It was getting late and we still had to visit Dr. Samuel Johnson's house which is tucked away on Gough Square. From St. Paul's, signs directing us were well marked. Dr. Johnson, of course, is the fellow who compiled the first English dictionary in this very house. 

Saturday 14 September 2002

The British Museum. Hours spent looking at Elgin Marbles, Egyptian stuff, and the Rosetta Stone. The best part was sitting in the famous Reading Room with its spectacular dome and books, books, books all pertaining to the museum's collection. Lots of famous people have used this very room. Great gift shop so allow time to browse through it. 

Reading Room
British Museum

Sunday 15 September 2002

We walked over to Sloanes Square Underground Station and met our guide for a London Walk. These are such fun. There are tons of them covering all areas of the city. We spent two hours or so on the tour walking the streets and neighborhoods around our hotel. Very ritzy area. Margaret Thatcher (Dame) lives just a few streets over from our hotel. We didn't see her but we did see her house and the guard fellow who stands watch. Saw the house where "Upstairs/Downstairs" was filmed and also Noel Coward's home which is on Gerald Road in Belgravia. 

Later, we found our way to Piccadilly Circus and had lunch. Window shopped on Regent Street (no traffic as there was a street fair going on). Then we enjoyed the farce - "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Abridged" - which was wacky and irreverent. The Criterion Theatre is right at Piccadilly Circus. A great old, small theatre.


Tomorrow 16 September through 19 September - The British Library, Brighton, Bookshops, and Buckingham Palace.

Our Last Day in London

Cenotaph
Whitehall
London

And so to our last day in London...

24 September 2002

Our final day. Mom and I walked from our hotel up Victoria Street to Westminster Abbey. A wander through there with a long pause at the Poet's Corner. Some writers are just honored here; some are actually buried here. Part of the fun is discovering who is and who is not.

Just at the door as we left: A tribute to "A British Warrior unknown by name or rank buried 11 November 1920 in the presence of King George V."

Then we were out on the street with the Houses of Parliament straight ahead. In front of the buildings people were chanting and protesting: Don't Attack Iraq. 

I wanted to see 10 Downing Street - hoping for a glimpse of Mr. Blair. Police came up behind us and moved everyone along as there was a 'suspect package' at the base of the Cenotaph which is the site of a yearly Remembrance Service to commemorate British and Commonwealth servicemen and women who died in the two World Wars and later conflicts. The inscription reads "The Glorious Dead".

One of the city's many ironies: On every London street corner, in every church, there is a war memorial to the thousands who have died in battle. And yet the talk of war, the smell of war is still in the air. You would think we might have learned by now.

We ended the day with dinner at the Ebury Wine Bar next to our hotel. The very place we had eaten dinner our first night in London. I like a tidy ending, don't you?

A Castle and a Spot of Tea

Although we stayed in London the whole time, we took various day-trips. We saw lots of English countryside this way. A bit of a break from The City.

23 September 2002

Trip to Windsor Castle. It was great fun. They have a Changing of the Guard here as well (just like at Buckingham Palace) and we got some fine photos. Not too crowded. We were all alone with Queen Anne's dollhouse. The state rooms are fantastic. So many beautful things. I especially paid attention to all the wonderful clocks. There was a gorgeous full-length portrait of Queen Elizabeth II painted in 1954 just after her coronation. St George's chapel is the burial site of Henry VIII and nine other monarchs. Also Queen Mum and Princess Margaret.

Had lunch in a funny little place just outside the castle wall called The Crooked Tea House. Ordered a cheese and pickle sandwich thinking I would get sliced pickles, but instead got cheese and sweety chutney. It was good but quite different. Served actual leaf tea!

Back in London, the bus driver dropped us off at Harrod's and we wandered in that consumer emporium for a while. Overwhelming. The food halls were the best. We had hot chocolate and a scone and then walked back to our hotel. My trusty map-sense got us there, but it was tricky.

Protesters and Paintings

22 September 2002

Some sort of demonstration in the city today by the country folk who don't think the city folk understand about fox hunting and all that. So just what London needs: an additional million people walking the streets.

We opted to go to Tate Britain on Millbank. Nice group of Turner paintings and other British artists: Gainsborough, Hogarth, and Reynolds. Great collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings.

Then a short ride to south of the Thames to Southwark (pronounced Suth-uck). This is the side of the river with The Globe Theatre but we didn't visit. Instead we tried to find the Bramah Tea Museum but couldn't. It had moved. Oh well. This was my fault. I had the correct address in my journal but was looking at an old map that had the museum's previous location marked on it. We had adventures anyway. Some of the marchers were on this side of the river too. Always something to see in London.

A September Stroll and a Mystery

I am having some issues with Blogger. I can only compose in HTML and I have no idea how to format any of the text (bold, italics) or insert images. Sigh. It is always something with technology.

Anyway, I will continue on with an account of my days in London on this date a decade ago.

21 September 2002

A stroll from our hotel (The Lime Tree Hotel on Ebury Street) down past the Chelsea Physic Garden, then along Cheyne Walk, the Thames sliding by on our left, past the house where George Eliot died in 1880, and up the King's Road. We ducked in and out of vintage clothing stores, Marks and Spencer, and had lunch in an Italian bistro. Just a relaxing couple of hours before we had to get ready for The Theatre. We had tickets to Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap" in St. Martin's Theatre just off Charing Cross Road. I had seen this play on my first trip to London but to Dame Agatha's credit (or my approaching senility) I didn't remember 'who done it'.

A London Sketchbook

In honor of British Month, I pulled off my shelf a "London Sketchbook" which I bought after my mother and I spent ten days in England in 2002. The book features watercolour paintings and pencil sketches by Graham Byfield. It is a wonderful armchair tour of the many buildings, parks, streets, and monuments in that vibrant city of over eight million people.


The paintings are accompanied by notes handwritten by the artist (and are sometimes a bit difficult to read). I have set it out on a table open to the page showing a painting of Tower Bridge. Tomorrow I will change it to another page and another scene. I don't know why I didn't think to do this at the beginning of the month.


In the front of the book I found a day-to-day account of our trip that I wrote for a friend who was going to visit the city and wanted suggestions on what to see and what to do. I was instantly transported to London, a city I described as "a town full of cell phones, shoe shops, and old stones." Here is what Mom and I were doing ten years ago today:


20 September 2002


Bus trip to Stonehenge and Bath. This takes all day. Stonehenge is eerie. A lot of big stones on a big wind-blown plain. The day was overcast which added to its mystery. The best thing about Bath was that I got to purchase a box of note cards at the Jane Austen Museum which I had seen featured on the museum's web site. Famous women writer note cards: Woolf, Eliot, Austen, and Bronte. We ate a Cornwall pastie for lunch. Cheese and onion stuffed into a flaky turnover that sat like a stone in my stomach.