Walking Chiswick and seeing Oliver

Hugh Grant School

We decided to take the walking tour we choose a walk in Chiswick a part of London on the Thames with some beautiful old houses including Barbara Villiers home. The guide also showed us where Hugh Grant went to school

We also went into Parish Church St Nicholas of Myra to see the statue of St Nicholas we had to ask where it was and the man who answered our question was filling us in all sorts of information on the church he was so happy we were interested in it that he decided to give us the little guide books that were for sales as a gift.

After the walk we split up as I scored tickets to Sold Out Oliver by calling the box office I had never seen Oliver and loved he idea of seeing Rowan Atkinson in the role of Fagan. I stopped to have some nice greasy chips before I went the best chips of the trip.

Oliver was very good and my seat was a dream it was first row balcony almost dead center and you had to lean on this railing thing and I just rested my arms and head on it most of the time and felt I was watching everything from above hard to explain the nice special feeling. After that I met Laurie and we found a place to eat and I had fish and chips for one last time in London (this trip) then I headed back to pack up that was a chore

Got up had a good final brekki and then headed to the Tube to catch the train to Heathrow it was all a wonderful trip and I knew that I would be back again.

Explorer Day to the Cotswolds

Meeting Paddington at Paddington Station

Off to a Explorer Day walk today took the train out to Cotswolds and Oxford. We caught the train at Paddington to Oxford and then we were met with a coach and headed off for the Cotswolds. Our first stop was Minster Lowell, which was a pretty village. Thatched roofs; its little river, the church it was such a pretty place. path along the river and through the fields. Then we headed back to the bus on to our next stop Burford another pretty village. Had a quick yummy cheese sandwich and a look around the town.  Then it was off to Oxford for a quick look around we went into one of the colleges and walked around a bit before catching the train back to London a good day had by all. There was a ruined a Abbey which is reached through the churchyard. There was a ruined abbey which is reached  from there is a lovely walk

Being obvious crowns and all

Despite our late bedtime we really didn't sleep in as we wanted to get breki and ready to head out early enough to get a spot for the Parade we looked at the route and decided that somewhere near Green Park would be good as we figured way too crowded at the beginning. I had to run back to put on another jacket as it was COLD. I got there after Laurie and we lost each other for awhile. Since we had time we decided to have coffee in Starbucks and use the loo.

We got a good spot near there we decided to wear our Happy New Years crowns The parade was good. The surprising think there were more High School bands from the US than anywhere else. There were bands from Florida, North Carolina to name a few and in between were the UCA we kept thinking didn't we see them before later discovered they were Universal Cheer Leading Assoc. The Red Hat ladies were there and also some Pearlies I was excited to see them. I took loads of photos. Our little crowns got attention. Several people marching gave me a thumbs up and someone gave me a little silver beaded necklace. One woman who was marching along got out of the group came over and asked if she could take my picture. All in all it was fun despite the frigid temperature.

After we went to look for some place to eat and in the end wound up having Chinese lunch buffet that was good. We still had our crowns on and when I went to get some food one time Laurie said the woman in the couple next to us said we were so obvious. She was obvious snob we weren't doing anything to attract attention. On the tube a woman asked if I would be in a picture with her guess she liked my crown.

We were getting tired and were going to head in early but then I remembered we wanted to ride the buses at night for the lights and a good place to start was Hyde Park Corner. We had planned earlier to do Winter Wonderland since Laurie hadn't seen it but we were cold but when we got there Laurie decided to do a quick look around.  We ended that with a mug of Mulled wine we couldn't resist buying the  Winter wonderland mugs as  a souvenir for only 2 pounds more. Then we headed back for a semi early night after enjoying the Oxford Street lights from front row top of the double decker bus #10.