Hello, luv!
Hi there!
My name is Martha and I am a single, retired woman from the Denver area who is a big fan of Rick Steves tours. Since my first trip to France in 2012 I have been hooked! I am in love with England and decided to take the Villages of Southern England tour in the fall of 2018.
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LONDON
On my own in London
I had been to London twice before on the Rick Steves England and London tours. Thanks to my previous guides I felt very comfortable in the city and it was a breeze getting around to see things. I spent a few days before the jaunt to Canterbury seeing some of the places I had missed before as well as a couple days afterwards. London is such a vast playground for tourists there was plenty to choose from.
All around town: before the tour
I flew across the pond, navigated my way to my hotel by noon, and set off bleary-eyed to conquer London. I stopped for fish and chips at a nearby pub and then took the tube to Kensington for a walking tour. This an area rich in history and is near where the younger royals live. But, there were no sightings of Harry or William that day. Jet lag made me pretty confused by the timing of food for the day and I decided to skip dinner to hit bed early.
After a good night's sleep I had a lovely breakfast in the hotel and then jumped on a trio of trains to get to Hampton Court Palace. This palace was home for various royals, including Henry VIII. Each section was built in a different period and has it's own style of architecture and furnishings. There were also beautiful grounds that were a bit sleepy this day in September.
In the evening, back in London, I had arranged to meet a woman I met online to see a play at the Globe Theatre. I arrived early and explored the Southwark area a bit on my own. Shakespeare's "Othello" was amazing in the modern version of an old theatre. We had seats but it was sold out and there were many people standing as "groundlings." I really enjoyed the experience even if I didn't understand much of the language! Good thing I had prepped by reading a synopsis online and was able to follow the basic plot! We walked back to the tube on the shores of the Thames and admired the lights of the city.
The next two days in London were rainy. On Saturday I went to the Camden section of town to experience their street market and take another walking tour. Camden is a fun, funky part of town with great street art and an interesting cultural and industrial history. Time ran out and the weather socked in before I got much shopping in and I actually didn't buy a thing! But it was a fun and varied market with lots of unique goods.
After a brief stop in my room I took off for Buckingham Palace to visit the Queen. She wasn't home but I did get to tour the state rooms--where she entertains important guests like me! Fancy and ornate does not begin to describe it! Lots of gold, sparkly stuff, and priceless artwork. A Vermeer, a Rembrandt, lots of sculpture and plenty of porcelain. I recognized many of the rooms from formal pictures of the royal family. Too bad we couldn't take selfies!
The morning of my transition day to Canterbury was also damp. My umbrella really got a workout these two days. I took a lengthy walk in the Bayswater area and poked into Hyde Park. Not too many people were out, I suppose they were sleeping in on a wet Sunday morning. Very sensible, these Brits! I also did some shopping on Oxford Street and checked out the awesome Liberty department store.
By then it had quit raining, just in time for me to pick up my bags at the hotel and hop on a bus to Canterbury. Excuse me, they call them coaches. A coach to Canterbury. The trip was relaxing and I arrived late in the afternoon to sunshine.
Kensington-Royal Village
A variety of styles in Kensington
Buck Palace
Kensington-Royal Village
BRIT BITS:
London Walks!
On my last two trips to London I have gone on a total of five London Walks tours. As you can tell, I love them! They have a long list of selections from the big sights to historic themes to neighborhood walks to trips out of town. The website or pamphlet is very specific about the meeting point and you just show up at the time, pay your modest fee, and take a walk with a stellar guide. Very easy and flexible.
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I love to check out different parts of London with a good guide and all of the tours I have been on are that format. Amazing how much more I see and understand with a bit of explanation!
I have had the luck of going on two tours led by David, the owner of the company, and so knowledgeable of the town. Apparently, the only two tours he leads are Hampstead Heath and Kensington-Royal Village!
Ann took us on a boat down the Thames to Greenwich.
The artist Judith showed us her neighborhood of Camden. We walked right by her flat!
And Peter helped us wind around the canals and posh homes in Little Venice.
My recommendation? You can't go wrong with any of the walks, try one out the next time you are in London!
A return visit, after the tour
After an amazing tour of small towns and villages I went back to the big city of London. A relaxing two hour train ride delivered me at Paddington Station and I dropped my suitcase off at my next abode. There was a street art fair by the hotel and I wandered by, amazed by the variety of art. Then I jumped on the tube to take a walking tour of the Little Venice area. This is fascinating with ritzy homes, apartments, and a canal with narrowboats. The guide wound us through the streets and over the canal, pointing out architecture, quirks of the neighborhood, and chatted about celebrities who live there. The canal boat lifestyle fascinates me so it was fun to see many of them in real life. If only we could have gone onboard! After the tour I picked up a sandwich and turned in early.
The next day was a relaxed one, making final stops at favorite spots around town and staging myself at Heathrow for an early flight the next day. I spent most of the morning strolling in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. They are huge! I loved watching the joggers, tourists, and animals and checking out the flowers and plants. Dogs can run free in the parks here and it was fun watching them sniff and snoop around, just like my dog does!
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Then I went to the fun market at Covent Gardens. This was vintage/antique day so I spent time poking around, comparing with goods in the states. I found lots of silver and glittering jewelry and china. I had lunch at an outdoor café and loved watching all the people as I ate my avocado toast!
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I ended my time in London by taking a ride on the Thames River. Gliding by the riverside buildings, I said goodbye to the London Eye, the Tower of London, and the Shard. Then I picked up my luggage at the hotel and hopped a train to Heathrow. My last hotel was right at the airport, making my morning departure easy.
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I'm on my way to Paddington soon
Imagine living here!
One last reminder.....
I'm on my way to Paddington soon