Freaking Cricket is trouble

This morning walking to the tube I saw a lot of people walking and thought it was very crowded area for 9.30 and as I started down the steps noticed everyone was coming up and no way to walk down so I am thinking idiots why are you all walking up and no space for down and woman grabbed me and said emergency in the station get out so I turned and headed away there was hundreds of people hurrying down the street and I could hear the evacuation signals never heard of what might have happened.

London Eye

Tower Bridge

Kensington Gardens

I took lots of photos can never get enough of the Tower (does not include the Tower I work for that's more like the Tower where it's off with ye head ). After that I walked across the Tower Bridge and into an area I hadn't been to I love exploring London that's how we went to the Pub.  I was in a Kensington Gardens earlier and a squirrel came up and sat on my legs looking for food cheeky little devil. Yes I even have photos to Prove it

I cannot believe the trouble Cricket caused today I had to drag him out of a pub he was in the Old Justice Pub, as seen in PAUL McCartney movie Broadstreet.  There was even a plaque on the wall outside that PAUL McCartney filmed No More Lonely Nights video there.

It was a gorgeous day I walked all over and even took a boat trip down the Thames past St Paul's Cathedral the London Eye Tower Bridge which is also known as my bridge.

Old Justice Pub

Cricket has a pint

I been in lots of parks and saw plenty of flowers and ducks had a nice kebab at a place here in Rotherhithe it was  delicious ts been a good day with just one little rain shower. 

I cannot believe how much i have seen in the past 3 days here covered a lot of ground and pretty much everything has been spur of the moment. I love spur of the moment it's fun just to do whatever when the idea hits you like walking across the Tower Bridge. Or watching a bird Traveling on your own sure has its merits you do what inspires you at the moment.  I am really into spur of the moment.

tomorrow off to Paris

Sunday Sunday Love Actually

three booths 

Second day in London I was up early determined to make the best of my time in London as only had 3 days and even though I was just there it was never enough time. I headed off in search of St. Luke's Mews in Notting Hill because a fave scene of Love Actually was filmed there and it was a new area for me to explore that's my London goals see my fave places and discover new there is just so much to see.  

 St. Luke's Mews

After that I hopped on a bus that said Camden town got up on top and just sat and watched as I went by new areas of London, was surprised to pass Abbey Rd from a point I had never seen. Nothing beats front row upper deck on the bus. Is there a better way to see London.

I arrived at Camden Town which I really had only discovered on my trip in 2007 when I saw PAUL McCartney at Round House there. The stalls in the market were very busy and so many things to see like the Stable Market ya just never know what you will see in London. (or as my mom used to say "you never know what you will see when you don't have a gun.")  

 
I then decided to have something to eat so found a Spanish Rice dish and sat by the canal with cricket. We had a lovely meal and we just sat and people watched it was a warm sunny day so I was really enjoying it.

Little Cricket enjoys a Spanish seafood 

After that I headed over to Regents Park my 2nd fave park in London to enjoy the flowers as evening was coming to an end. The roses were only beginning to bloom.

Oscar, toilets and London protests music fish

Cricket my traveling companion

I arrived at 7 am after a good flight managed to sleep some on the plane about half the trip. Yes I was back in London only 4 months later. 

I got to the hotel around 9 am and checked in and left my luggage and headed off to Green Park to take the 11 am Oscar Wilde walk, while I was waiting for the start asked someone about toilet in London and found out most underground stations have one... so I put one to use.

The walk was interesting if you enjoy Oscar as I do the man giving the walk was brilliant he was constantly quoting Oscar and acting out various discussions it was fun and he was quite good. He has been doing the walk for 16 years and has only missed less than 10. He has been a devotie of OSCAR for 50 years hes quite the collector and seemed to know all there was to know, I can relate being a huge Beatles fan.

I wandered around bought some interesting cat postcards. Then headed back to the hotel to get my room, 3rd floor of course.. no elevators. the exciting part is it has a real toilet not like that place from before. I put it to use then made a cup of tea and feeling a tad revived and seeing the sun has returned i headed out to St James Park which is my fave park in the world(and my pelicans) I had a good time. Unfortunately Cricket my pet 'kitty' (thanks Marge) decided to mis-behave and was all over the gardens and flowers. Went to Trafalgar Square next. Where Cricket tried to jump in the fountain *see above.

After that went in search of fish and chips running across various street performers, get out of Gaza Protestors and Zimbabwe Protesters who sang and danced their protest. Oh I love London!!

Going in now even tho its only 7.30 so beat looks sunny now but tomorrow....

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.