London

[Sour Masher]

4. Don't travel with Sour Masher. He's bad luck.

We went nearly 20 years ago...my luck has improved since then, I promise!

It is a great city. The wife and I have thought of going back, despite our rotten luck, but once the kids came along, we stopped international travel until recently. We did bring them to Jamaica last summer as their first trip out of the country so they could see where their mom grew up and it went well, but London is more of a walking city with stuff to do that the under 10 crowd may not appreciate, so I think we will wait awhile longer. Although, I do fondly remember discovering stoopwaffels there--the street food in general is my kinda stuff and stuff kids would like, hot waffles and roasted nuts all over the place, at least years ago. We also went on a trip to visit my wife's aunt in Nottingham, and that was fun too.

[The Feral Slasher]

I love boat rides, I wish I had done that. And there are some good markets. I'll add a couple in a bit. Bricklane if you like Indian food is a good stop.

I think I just missed you in London, you were there maybe a few days before me if I recall

https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/best-london-markets

I've been to Portobello Road, Spittalfields, Camden, Bricklane, and Borough Market, they are all fun to visit if you like that kind of thing. Greenwhich has one too I think. Leadenhall market is a pretty amazing and isn't really a like the others, but it has beautiful buildings, so stop by if you are in the neighborhood.

[heyelander]

That sounds fun. We did a walking tour of haunted London, or haunted pubs a long time ago, and it was fun to walk around at night and hear old stories. This thread is making me want to go back to London. Except for the werewolves part

we're there the first week of June. there's still tickets to the game! Game is at London Stadium, home to West Ham (boooo!)

[umjewman]

I am going to be there next week, although given my kids' obsession with Harry Potter, I suspect a lot of my suggestions will be from the wizarding world. Hope you find them magical!

[The Feral Slasher]

I am going to be there next week, although given my kids' obsession with Harry Potter, I suspect a lot of my suggestions will be from the wizarding world. Hope you find them magical!

Leadenhall Market is a Harry Potter film sight I believe, and is also very cool otherwise. Same for millennium bridge. I won't tell you we're the train platform is or u would probably jump thru it

[rhd]

OK, some highlights from my trip to London/England years ago:

- Perhaps not important to most but the first thing I did when I went to downtown London was to go to Waterloo Bridge. AFAIK nothing much special per se about the bridge but one of my favorite movies is "Waterloo Bridge", actually 2 different movies, one from 1931 and the more well-known one from 1940 starring Robert Taylor and Vivien Leigh. This movie had such an impact on me that I promised myself that if I ever went to London that one of the first things I would do is to walk across this bridge, which I did.
- Another one of the first things I did in London was to go to Covent Garden. It is such an iconic place in my mind that I decided that I was going to see a show there, no matter what it was. So I went down there at night to see what was playing and the attendant said that there were no shows at present, that the "season" wouldnt start for a couple weeks (this was early September). He was kind enough to give me some souvenir programs, which was particularly noteworthy because I found that practically nothing in England is given for free.
- I can recommend Tower Bridge (you can walk across the top), Big Ben and Parliament Building (you can take a tour, but I didnt). I didnt make any special plans to do so, but I rode in the London Underground (subway) and on the top of a double-decker bus. I wanted to tour one of the movie studios, but didnt.
- I also went to Oxford and Cambridge. Each of these cities has their own "Bridge of Sighs". In case you dont know the "original" Bridge of Sighs is in Venice and the lore is that if you kiss someone on this bridge right before sunset while the bells toll, you'll never part, or something like that. I dont know what the original bridge looks like but the ones in Oxford and Cambridge dont look much like each other. Anyway, each city is an easy day trip from London and they are each charming little university towns but I didnt see much else special about them.
- I can recommend Stonehenge. It is quite impressive and when I went it was a gorgeous day. It also is an easy day trip from London.
- I would try to tour one of the castles. I went to Leeds Castle. It was OK but there probably are more interesting castles that you can see. I also went to Dover Castle and saw the white cliffs of Dover, nice but to me a cliff can only be but so interesting.
- What I consider one of the highlights of the trip was Salisbury Cathedral. It's near Stonehenge so you can easily do both the same day. I heard a guide telling the history of it to another tourist and decided I'd listen along too and he said that his "tour" was something people paid for but still let me come along on the tour for free anyway. The cathedral dates form the 13th century and there are many famous British people buried there. I found the tour fascinating and the stained-glass windows are beautiful. As has been the case on several of my trips, it was completely unexpected that this would be one of the highlights.
- Another place I really wanted to see was Coalbrookdale or Ironbridge. This was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and the bridge there is the first substantial iron bridge ever constructed and is iconic. I remember taking a hike in the hills above and picking wild blackberries.
- I went to Bristol and Bath, which I didnt find too special, but I wanted to see the Clifton Suspension Bridge nearby, which was one of the first long suspension bridges. It used large chains instead of cables and I found it very interesting (I guess I must like bridges, huh?)

It's strange the things that you remember down thru the years but during this trip I remember at a hotel there was an attractive, smiling young lady at the desk who asked me how my stay was. I said that it was fine and she said "Loave-lay" (lovely) in a very British accent. Then she asked me something else and after I answered she said "Soop-ah" (super), again in her British accent. I've never forgotten the way she said those 2 words.

Enjoy your trip!

[The Feral Slasher]

OK, some highlights from my trip to London/England years ago:

- Perhaps not important to most but the first thing I did when I went to downtown London was to go to Waterloo Bridge. AFAIK nothing much special per se about the bridge but one of my favorite movies is "Waterloo Bridge", actually 2 different movies, one from 1931 and the more well-known one from 1940 starring Robert Taylor and Vivien Leigh. This movie had such an impact on me that I promised myself that if I ever went to London that one of the first things I would do is to walk across this bridge, which I did.
- Another one of the first things I did in London was to go to Covent Garden. It is such an iconic place in my mind that I decided that I was going to see a show there, no matter what it was. So I went down there at night to see what was playing and the attendant said that there were no shows at present, that the "season" wouldnt start for a couple weeks (this was early September). He was kind enough to give me some souvenir programs, which was particularly noteworthy because I found that practically nothing in England is given for free.
- I can recommend Tower Bridge (you can walk across the top), Big Ben and Parliament Building (you can take a tour, but I didnt). I didnt make any special plans to do so, but I rode in the London Underground (subway) and on the top of a double-decker bus. I wanted to tour one of the movie studios, but didnt.
- I also went to Oxford and Cambridge. Each of these cities has their own "Bridge of Sighs". In case you dont know the "original" Bridge of Sighs is in Venice and the lore is that if you kiss someone on this bridge right before sunset while the bells toll, you'll never part, or something like that. I dont know what the original bridge looks like but the ones in Oxford and Cambridge dont look much like each other. Anyway, each city is an easy day trip from London and they are each charming little university towns but I didnt see much else special about them.
- I can recommend Stonehenge. It is quite impressive and when I went it was a gorgeous day. It also is an easy day trip from London.
- I would try to tour one of the castles. I went to Leeds Castle. It was OK but there probably are more interesting castles that you can see. I also went to Dover Castle and saw the white cliffs of Dover, nice but to me a cliff can only be but so interesting.
- What I consider one of the highlights of the trip was Salisbury Cathedral. It's near Stonehenge so you can easily do both the same day. I heard a guide telling the history of it to another tourist and decided I'd listen along too and he said that his "tour" was something people paid for but still let me come along on the tour for free anyway. The cathedral dates form the 13th century and there are many famous British people buried there. I found the tour fascinating and the stained-glass windows are beautiful. As has been the case on several of my trips, it was completely unexpected that this would be one of the highlights.
- Another place I really wanted to see was Coalbrookdale or Ironbridge. This was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and the bridge there is the first substantial iron bridge ever constructed and is iconic. I remember taking a hike in the hills above and picking wild blackberries.
- I went to Bristol and Bath, which I didnt find too special, but I wanted to see the Clifton Suspension Bridge nearby, which was one of the first long suspension bridges. It used large chains instead of cables and I found it very interesting (I guess I must like bridges, huh?)

It's strange the things that you remember down thru the years but during this trip I remember at a hotel there was an attractive, smiling young lady at the desk who asked me how my stay was. I said that it was fine and she said "Loave-lay" (lovely) in a very British accent. Then she asked me something else and after I answered she said "Soop-ah" (super), again in her British accent. I've never forgotten the way she said those 2 words.

Enjoy your trip!

I have always wanted to go to Salisbury to see the Cathedral, maybe someday. I also am a huge bridge nerd, those sound pretty cool

[umjewman]

Leadenhall Market is a Harry Potter film sight I believe, and is also very cool otherwise. Same for millennium bridge. I won't tell you we're the train platform is or u would probably jump thru it

Did I say London? I meant Binghamton. I will be in Binghamton next week. See you there!

[umjewman]

I also am a huge nerd

Had to be done...

[The Feral Slasher]

Had to be done...

This aggression will not stand !

[The Feral Slasher]

Did I say London? I meant Binghamton. I will be in Binghamton next week. See you there!

Not likely, I don't plan to invite you to the RJ meetup. At.least not until it is over

[heyelander]

I think I want to do Stonehenge. I've read it is too touristy or whatnot, but I'm not sure if I'll make it back to England, and I feel like I'll regret not going.

Doing Windsor Castle, Bath and Stonehenge.

Currently Booked:
Tuesday evening:
Wed:
Thursday: Stonehenge Bus tour
Friday: Romeo and Juliett (evening)
Saturday: Parliament & Phillies
Sunday: Tea at Herrods

[Kevin Seitzer]

I think I want to do Stonehenge. I've read it is too touristy or whatnot, but I'm not sure if I'll make it back to England, and I feel like I'll regret not going.

Doing Windsor Castle, Bath and Stonehenge.

Currently Booked:
Tuesday evening:
Wed:
Thursday: Stonehenge Bus tour
Friday: Romeo and Juliett (evening)
Saturday: Parliament & Phillies
Sunday: Tea at Herrods

I'm glad you're planning to take a bath. I didn't want to say anything, but the air was starting to get a little ripe in here....

[umjewman]

Back from our trip - here was our itinerary. My kids are 11 and 8 so take it for what it's worth.

Monday: Changing of the Guard (free walking tour through Guru Walk - was quite good), London Eye, Hamley's (oldest and largest toy store in the world), Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square for Lego and M&M store.

Tuesday: Tower of London, King's Cross for the massively overrated platform 9 3/4, then dragged my family to my dorm and school where I studied a semester in college.

Wednesday: Harry Potter Studio tour.

Thursday: Westminster Abbey, St. James Park, Borough Market, Covent Garden, saw Matilda in the evening.

Friday: Sky Garden, afternoon tea, Harrods

Saturday: Kensington Gardens and Kensington Palace, Notting Hill and Portobello Road Market.

Sunday: flew home in afternoon, but walked to Covent Garden again before the flight.

Stayed at a hotel called the Sea Containers, which is across the Thames from St. Paul's Cathedral. Nice hotel, pretty good location (about equidistant from Tower of London one way and Westminster Bridge the other way). Basically walked or took the tube everywhere. Our step tracker said we walked 52 miles over the course of the week. My kids held up really well.