Day #158 in lockdown in Mumbai, India Hotel…Cleaning up old posts…

Winding down London…Three days and counting…Post #750 today!…Food photos from last night’s dinner at Daquise…

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Various ferns look like marine life.

We’re done sightseeing in London. With the crowds, the daily rain, the waiting in queues (“lines” per British speak), we’ve basically made a decision to stop. Yes, we’re here and yes, we could easily get to other points of interest.  

Prehistoric creature.

However, as we’ve often mentioned, we do exactly that which “trips our trigger” and fits our budget, as opposed to doing that which might be “expected” of a traveler in a big city. That’s the nature of our lives. That’s why we’re happily living life as we choose.

Man-made replica.

There’s a price to pay for living life on our terms. We gladly pay it. We pay it in the knowledge that others may be annoyed or disgruntled by our choices. Where are the photos of Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, and on and on? We never intend to disappoint. 

Various reptiles.

But, the difference in our travel writing as opposed to what others may write, is simple, we tell it like it is. This life we live is not a honeymoon or a two-week vacation. This is our day to day lives and the greatest joy we find is when we’re living on our terms.

Prehistoric creature.

With two cruises and several small group (8 to 10 travelers) tours scheduled, we’ll have many exciting photos to share in the next few weeks on the first cruise, including Normandy, Stonehenge, Cork, Ireland (Blarney Castle), Klaksvik, Faroe Islands, and Reykjavik, Iceland. Our readers will be bombarded with photos. Sit tight, dear followers. More will come.

We’d seen a few of these snakes on the road in Africa and one on our veranda in South Africa, the Mozambique Spitting Cobra.

As for London, we’re done spending money other than for the three remaining dinners and the long drive to Harwich to the pier.  The cost of everything is at least 70% more than one would expect to pay. With our family coming to Hawaii for Christmas (14 arriving in December), the cost of two houses, airfare, food and incidentals we need to continue to carefully monitor our budget.

A prehistoric Amphibian.

Months ago, we paid for all of the above upcoming tours, the cruises, the hotel in Boston, the flight and hotel in Vancouver. We’ve prepaid in full, the first two months in Hawaii, on Oahu and Maui and also the four months on the island of Kauai. 

Fish from lakes and streams.

Soon, we’ll pay the balances on the two houses on the Big Island and the more substantial chunks will be out of the way though May 15, 2015. But, the small stuff when traveling can cut deep into one’s planned budget if not careful. 

This is referred to as a Football Fish.

Are we hypocrites when we don’t like crowds and yet we love cruising? I suppose we may appear to be. Sunday’s upcoming cruise holds 2501 passengers. 

More fish from rivers, lakes, and streams.

How do we tolerate those crowds? We avoid lines. We find cozy, quiet spots where we feel as if we’re in our own little world. If the theatre at night is booked at the 8 pm show, we’ll choose the 10 pm show. 

Fish found in the ocean.

After eight cruises in the past 2o months, we feel we have it fairly well figured out. We love the sea, making new friends at dinners for eight or ten, the gentle rocking of the ship. We even found the storm at sea on the Norwegian Epic commencing on April 20, 2013, to be an adventure.  

More ocean fish.

We wandered about the ship for those three stormy days with nary a moment of seasickness with swells as high as 50 feet, 15.24 meters, when many passengers and crew were hunkered down in their cabins for days. We’ve loved it all.

A Lizard that puffs up the frill around the neck to scare off predators. This could be intimidating, to say the least.

In essence, we may contradict ourselves at times. We can avoid a 300 person deep line at a venue and then stand in line 300 deep line to get off the ship for a tour. All of us love what we love whether it’s the award-winning rose in full bloom or the lowly dandelion spewing pollen into the air. One may not be connected to the other.

“Jaws!”

Yesterday, we embarked on our final sightseeing stint by visiting London’s Natural History Museum. Having avoided hour(s) long queues both mornings or midday, we chose to enter around 4 pm. There was no line at all, although it was fairly crowded inside. 

Komodo Dragons are found on the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, and Flores. We’ll be spending four months in Bali, Indonesia in 2016, where tourists have spotted Komodo Dragons on occasion. Komodo Dragons are of the species of Monitor Lizards, two of which lived in our yard in Marloth Park, South Africa. Please see this link to see our photos when they made a rare appearance by the pool. 

Little did we think how odd it would be for us to see animals in either a state of taxidermy or man-made to look lifelike. Having seen most of today’s animals alive while on safari in Kenya or surrounding our home in Marloth Park, seeing them in these lifelike forms held little interest to us, except when we spotted a Warthog.

More marine life.

We took many photos focusing on the thousands of replications of the live animals that we’ve yet to encounter in our travels. For those that may never see a live lion other than in a zoo, this museum and those like it are an alternative. 

Seashells.

After our two hour tour of the museum, we wandered off to try a new restaurant, the popular Polish restaurant, Daquise. My portion of meat consisted of five tiny bites with a side of green beans and a few boiled vegetables. 

We saw a smaller version of similar crabs at the beach in Kenya, which is on the eastern coast of Africa. They moved so quickly, we couldn’t get a photo.

Tom’s dinner of veal schnitzel with mashed potatoes, glazed carrots and, bread was satisfactory for him. Had I been able to have starch and gluten, I would have enjoyed the food. 

Many of us lobster enthusiasts would appreciate a lobster of this size on a platter.

The staff was stumped as to what would work for me so I chose the meal they suggested based on a recommendation by their chef. We’ll write a positive review on TripAdvisor later today. Our dinner with tax and gratuity, without beverages, sides, or desserts was a total of US $66, 40 pounds.

After many visits by Zebras in our yard in South Africa, seeing this lifelike rendition made me miss them. Click this link to see Zebras that visited us in South Africa.

Today, we’ll be working on financial matters, booking vehicles in Hawaii, and taking a walk later in the day if it’s not raining. 

Some of the displays of Rhino were taxidermy. There was a sign stating that the horns had been removed and replaced with man-made materials. We saw Rhinos in the wild in Kenya. Please click here for a few of our Rhino photos from Kenya.

Tomorrow, we’ll share the balance of the museum photos and take the long hike to do our final loads of laundry. 

This is the actual fossil of a boar as shown.

On Saturday, we’ll wrap up our total expenses for London sharing the details and breakdown of the costs for the 15 nights we spent in this fine area of South Kensington, London.

We weren’t certain if these are actual fossils or man-made representations.

On Sunday, departure day, we’ll post later in the day after we arrive on the ship sharing photos from our 2½ hour drive through the English countryside along with the ship’s boarding process including photos of the ship and our cabin.

These Elephant tusks are the real deal.

Each time we board a ship early in the day, most often the cabins aren’t immediately available. Usually, there’s a few hours wait. As is the case with most passengers waiting to gain access to their cabin, everyone heads to the restaurant for a late lunch, the first inclusive meal. 

Ah, my heart did a flip flop when Tom spotted this warthog. The first time either of us had ever seen a warthog was last October in the Masai Mara, Kenya while on safari. Of course, later in South Africa, we joyfully saw them each day. Click here for the first time we saw a live warthog (scroll down the page).

It is during this period, that I’ll upload and prepare Saturday’s post with photos (barring any WiFi issues), which most likely will be available approximately five hours later than usual. 

The view from our table last night at Daquise.
The pleasant place setting at Daquise.
Tom’s Veal Schnitzel topped with an egg, mashed potatoes, and glazed carrots. He didn’t eat the egg. He doesn’t eat egg and meat together unless it’s bacon or sausage. He has lots of “food rules.”
Those thin pieces of beef hardly filled me up. The cream sauce was made without flour.

Have a happy day!

                                     Photo from one year ago today, August 28, 2013:

On this date a year ago, as we busily prepared to further lighten our load, we packed and made a pizza for ease of eating leftovers on the remaining nights, which we now find easy to do at the end of a two or three-month stay in a vacation home.  Also, I wrote about the benefits of eating nuts in moderation.  While in Paris and London, with small portions at restaurants, nuts have been a much-needed lifesaver for me when I’ve been hungry after a tiny meal.

No photos were posted on that date. Instead, I posted this nutritional chart on various types of nuts. For more on the story, please click here.

Carbohydrates and Fats in Nuts and Seeds (1 Ounce Unshelled)

Cal Tot. Carb Fiber Net Carb Sat. Fat Mono Fat ω-3 Fat ω-6 Fat
Almonds 161 6.1 3.4 2.7 1 8.6 0.2 3.4
Brazil Nuts 184 3.4 2.1 1.3 4.2 6.9 0.05 5.8
Cashews 155 9.2 0.9 8.1 2.2 6.7 0.2 2.2
Chestnuts 60 12.8 2.3 10.5 0.1 0.2 0.03 0.22
Chia Seeds 137 12.3 10.6 1.7 0.9 0.6 4.9 1.6
Coconut* 185 6.6 4.6 2 16 0.8 0 0.2
Flax Seeds 150 8.1 7.6 .5 1 2.1 6.3 1.7
Hazelnuts 176 4.7 2.7 2 1.3 12.8 0.24 2.2
Macadamia Nuts 201 4 2.4 1.6 3.4 16.5 0.06 .36
Peanuts 159 4.5 2.4 2.1 1.9 6.8 0 4.4
Pecans 193 3.9 2.7 1.2 1.7 11.4 0.28 5.8
Pine Nuts 188 3.7 1 2.7 1.4 5.3 0.31 9.4
Pistachios 156 7.8 2.9 5.8 1.5 6.5 0.71 3.7
Pumpkin Seeds 151 5 1.1 3.9 2.4 4 0.51 5.8
Sesame Seeds 160 6.6 3.3 3.3 1.9 5.3 0.11 6
Sunflower Seeds 164 5.6 2.4 3.2 1.2 5.2 0.21 6.5
Walnuts 183 3.8 1.9 1.9 1.7 2.5 2.5 10.7
Day #157 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…A lovely meeting in London in 2014…Terror in our favorite place in the world…

An online friend visits us in London!…What a wonderful day!…

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Tom took this blurry photo of Liz and me. Sometimes he gets it right and others, not so much.

Over the past years, we’d received several comments from one of our readers, Liz. She wrote beautifully, posing interesting comments and questions that I’d upload at the end of the particular post. 

Those of our readers who have signed up to receive the daily posts receive the questions/comments and our replies to the email, the only email received through our site other than each new daily post. Those readers who don’t sign up must look at the end of each post to see if there are any comments and replies.

My lunch salad in the hotel dining room on a very small plate was US $10.77, 6.50 pounds.

Tom and I both share in the replies, enjoying the opportunity to “speak” to our readers. On occasion, we may receive comments from “haters.” We don’t bother to respond to such types. Our site is not intended as an arena for angry and hateful protestations. 

However, we always welcome expression of views regarding travel or life in general that may be contrary to our own. Lively banter makes the “world go round.” Hatefulness does not, in our view.

Liz’s vegetarian lunch in the hotel dining room.

When we receive a comment or question from a reader we enthusiastically reply online posting both at the earliest possible opportunity, often within 12 hours. Posing comments may be done so anonymously if one so chooses. We aren’t able to determine the writer’s email address or name.

Anyway, back to Liz. After awhile, we began to write privately via email and a genuine friendship came to fruition. As many of us are aware, non-romantic relationship are often born out of the Internet and has escalated over the years as more and more become entrenched in online communication.

How thoughtful of Liz to give me this useful set of organic products to prevent and treat insect bites, always my nemesis.

Liz and I had previously discussed many topics online. I always smile when there’s a message from her as is the case for many other readers with whom we’ve come to know online. For Liz, Pat and all the others, we are eternally grateful.

The fact that Liz lives in a charming village a 90 minute train ride from London, was a perfect opportunity for us to meet. Yesterday, she arrived on what was yet another rainy day, meeting Tom and I in the hotel lobby where we excitedly awaited her arrival.

Precisely on time, not surprising for Brits, I was thrilled to see her lovely face yesterday at 12:35 pm. The plan was for a “girl time” lunch, taking as long as we wanted and then she’d head back to the nearby South Kensington Station for the return train to her home.

Everything fit into the tiny bags except these two larger items which I can easily fit into our toiletries suitcase.

After warm hugs with both of us, a short chat with Tom, Liz and I decided on lunch in the hotel’s restaurant With it still raining and Liz’s walk from the station staying indoors made sense. Quiet during the day, the hotel’s restaurant was the perfect venue for conversation with few interruptions for our shared candid chatter on our lives, our views and our varied experiences.

We were seated in the quiet dining room, eventually ordering a light lunch. The seeming endless conversations began. Liz and I have a lot in common. My birthday is one day after hers on February 19th and 20th. But, the similarity of our views, values and lifestyles are concurrent in many ways.

Liz’s husband Dave sent along this bottle of beer for Tom.  Tonight, we’ll chill it on ice and he’ll drink a toast to Liz and Dave for their thoughtfulness.

It had been a long time since I’d had any “girl time.” It was toward the end of our three months in South Africa, close to my birthday, that friends Kathy and Linda took me to a birthday/goodbye luncheon at a gorgeous resort in South Africa. That was six months ago.

In my old life, I had a number of treasured girlfriends, some who knew one another and some who did not. Often, we’d gather for lunch which ultimately turned into hours of robust conversation and laughter. I’ve missed that these past almost two years since we left Minnesota.

Tom’s calzone last night at Bella Italia.

To have that experience again yesterday, meant the world to me. To have that experience with vibrant, also “overly bubbly” Liz only added to my pleasure.

I don’t know how it happened so quickly but suddenly it was 5:30 pm. We were shocked that so much time had flown by. We wandered up to our hotel room to inform Tom that the three of us were going to dinner after which we’d walk her to the station to catch the 8:30 pm train.

Once in the room, she took a bag of gifts out of her handbag, handing it to me to open with gifts for both of us.  Neither of us had received an actual gift to open in almost two years.

My dinner at Bella Italia of two small chicken breasts in a pot of red sauce with a side of grilled vegetables. 

Included here are photos of the gifts for me and the other for Tom. How thoughtful of her especially when she learned what we’d need and want based on reading our past posts. 

With no restaurants that we love in the area, we felt it was safe to go to Bella Italia, where there’d be options for her vegetarian way of eating, my restrictions and Tom’s picky taste buds. It worked out well. Tom had a beer, Liz had a glass of wine and I had a cup of tea. Our dinners were “good but not great” but again, the conversation was lively and animated. 

Liz’s dinner of vegetarian cannelloni and a side salad.

Again, the time passed quickly and it was time to go. We had a wonderful day spending almost eight hours together. Saying goodbye was bittersweet as we hugged in the rain outside the station with a deep sense of friendship and appreciation for a day well spent.

Thank you, dear Liz. Your kindness, friendship and thoughtfulness will stay with us as we soon leave London in a mere four day as we’ll commence on our worldwide journey with more wonderful memories in tow. Gosh, how lucky could we be?

                                            Photo from one year ago today, August 27, 2013:

The weather had begun to cool in Boveglio, Italy after a hot and humid summer. With only four days until we were leaving for an overnight in Venice awaiting our next day flight to Kenya, we were busy packing and preparing to leave. For details from that date, please click here.
Day #156 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…A special thank you to our web developers in India…

Pouring rain in London…cancelled tour…Regency Hotel, Queen’s Gate review…issues…Five days until the cruise…One year ago,…easy recipe…

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You can see Tom’s head through the flowers where we sit each morning as I write the daily post. Sitting here gives the maid service time to clean our room which we’ve requested be done by noon each day when our laptop batteries die. We go back to the room to leave the laptops charging when we go out to explore for the afternoon.

The thought of going out in the pouring rain on Monday, getting on and off a bus, walking long distances for hours, and ending the day on a boat ride held little appeal for either of us. We’ll take the tube as soon as there’s a clear day to the area near Buckingham Palace. Today, Tuesday it’s still raining.

The rain had been predicted over the past several days for early this week. As weather reporting goes, we’d hoped it would be comparable to many other days in London where it rained for a few hours and then stop. Not the case

The staff at the reception desk are helpful and friendly maintaining their cool when disgruntled guests complain about the WiFi charges.

After the horrible rainy day in Versailles a few weeks ago, spending hours outside in the wind and rain is hardly our idea of a good time. 

Yesterday at noon, we took the hotel’s (London Regency, Queen’s Gate)provided an umbrella for a trek to a pharmacy for a few items we needed for the upcoming cruises. With the umbrella covering us the entire distance, and our hooded jackets pulled tightly around our faces, we still returned soaked. 

Although our room is larger than a ship cabin, it’s small as shown in this photo.

Deciding to stay indoors at the hotel would be fine if it weren’t for the fact that the Hotel’s WiFi was down Monday morning as it has been at least once each day since arriving ten days ago. How can a hotel that caters to both tourists and business travelers, not have working WiFi for often as much as half of each day? We’re baffled.

Almost with gritted teeth, yesterday morning at 7:30 am, I informed the front desk that they’d need to credit us the entire WiFi fees of US $13.25, 8 pounds per day for our entire 15 days at this hotel. Sheepishly, they agreed. Their usual daily rate is US $16.56, 10 pounds. (Oddly, they quoted us $16.69 per day, when we checked in).

The lobby lounges are pleasant and comfortable.

They’d given us the WiFi corporate discount at US $3.31, 2 pounds less per night when their website indicated WiFi was included. As far as we’re concerned, it’s trickery. With our room rate at US $220, 133 pounds per day, one would think the WiFi could be included.

As we’ve sat in the lobby writing here each day, we’ve heard one guest after another while checking in, totally disgruntled when they discover there’s a fee for the WiFi. When there are no less costly nearby hotels they, like us, they have no alternative but to agree to the fees. Trickery.

The hotel’s exit to the street.

As a result, we’ll be posting a less than favorable review in regard to their promise of WiFi on their website which appeared to be complimentary and, above all, working!

In a way I blame myself. There were several reviews in TripAdvisor (click the link to read reviews for this hotel) mentioning  the problematic WiFi, but I wrongfully assumed the issues would be resolved by the time of our arrival. Not the case. Apparently, this has been a long term issue.

An additional lounge area in the lobby.

In my desperation to find a decently priced hotel in an upscale area, I chose the Regency Hotel, Queen’s Gate.  If WiFi wasn’t an issue I’d give it a four-star. It’s elegant in its décor, staff demeanor, cleanliness and amenities. 

Although the rooms are small, ours is larger than the room we had in Paris, having the common amenities; comfortable bed and linens, robes, flat screen TV, plug in center (burned out three of our plug ins), quality maid service, and adequate furnishings and storage.

The lower level dining room in the hotel where we’ve yet to dine.

In a way, I feel sorry for the front desk with the constant complaints the staff receives in regard to the WiFi fees and the fact that it was seldom working. 

And yet, now, as I sit in the lobby writing when today, the WiFi is working, I hear new guests checking in one after another obligated to the usual US $16.56, 10 pounds per day required to be online. It’s hard to keep my mouth shut and not warn them. But, I don’t say a word.

The bar and lounge area adjacent to the dining room appears comfortable and inviting. The bar and restaurant staff have been kind and helpful in providing us with ice as we requested.

What I write here will surely reach our few hundred thousand readers worldwide and millions of reader when I write a review on TripAdvisor before we depart.

No, we haven’t complained about the fact that it takes a 600 pound weight lifter to flush the toilet, or there’s no ice machine anywhere in the hotel other than downstairs in the bar several times each day to get it from the staff or, the lack of bar soap with only stinky smelling pump soap. 

Luckily, guests can enter through the front of the building as the work is being done.

What about the fact that the bottom of the tub is so slippery one must put a towel down to keep from falling?  What about the dangerous faucets that make it very easy to get scalded when the on and off system is confusing and unpredictable? What about the fact that the fire alarm system went off Sunday when Tom was naked after a shower and hurriedly dressed to get out the door? (False alarm).

What about the fact that the entire exterior of the hotel is being renovated and one must walk under scaffolding to gain access? We wouldn’t care if the noise wasn’t associated with the work, beginning early in the morning continuing until the end of the day.

You can see workmen in this photo taken today, waiting for the rain to stop to continue their work.

The restaurant has a pleasing ambiance but, a simple breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, and pastries is no less than US $30, 18 pounds, or more. The dinner a la carte menu is no less US $36, 22 pounds per person excluding beverages, appetizers, side salad, or dessert, although that is not unlike many restaurants in the area.

At this point, we haven’t added a single cup of coffee or tea to our bill. With both available in the guest rooms at no charge (usual procedure at most hotels), I find myself running back to the room to make a fresh mug of hot tea. I refuse to pay US $6.63, 4 pounds for one tea bag with a small pot of hot water. 

The scaffolding on the exterior of the hotel close to the entrance. The sight of this doesn’t bother us nor does the noise. But, we heard guests complaining about the noise during daylight hours.

I supposed when all is said and done, our biggest complaint is regarding the WiFi issues. The rest we could easily manage with no complaint. Had that not been a problem we may not have paid much attention to the remainder.

Once a hotel has an established good décor, a high level of cleanliness and, and an attentive staff, it’s the small things that determine the final review. Don’t we all recall a hotel where the small things were over the top, as an extraordinary memory? 

The lobby is decorated with exquisite flower arrangements, kept fresh daily.

Years ago, long before I met Tom, I visited Bangkok, Thailand for several days before heading to the island of Phuket.  I stayed in the Le Meridian Hotel, at that time (1980’s) one of the most highly-rated hotels in the world. 

One day, after lunch by the pool I discretely reached into my mouth to pick at something stuck in a tooth, probably lemon grass. Within 30 seconds a kindly hotel employee dressed in a black suit (in the heat), handed me a pouch containing several flat wooden dental picks. The pouch was leather embossed with the hotel’s logo.

The busy street in front of the hotel is easy to cross at the crosswalk with push buttons command for the pedestrian green light. These are at every corner.  Arrows are painted on the pavement to alert pedestrians as to which direction the traffic flows. This is helpful when driving is on the left side in the UK. Steering wheels are on the right side of vehicles.

Goodness, I thought, was he watching each person at the pool looking for an opportunity to give them whatever they could possibly need or want? Certainly, there was an expectation of a tip which I freely handed to him.  That experience is memorable 30 years later.

With hotels, we tend to recall the great experiences while the less positive seem to waft away. As for Regency Hotel, Queen’s Gate, I doubt our poor WiFi experience will easily be forgotten, especially with this modern age of technology and review writing, where one is so easily able to document their experiences that will remain online forever.

Level one in the hotel is marked as level 12 in the elevator. Go figure.

In any case, the location has been superb. South Kensington is a fabulous upscale location that is safe, friendly and easy to explore. As of today, Tuesday, August 26th, we’ll be staying here another five nights.

If you don’t see a post in any of the upcoming five days I assure you, it’s entirely due to the fact that we’re unable to get online. Posting yesterday morning was a fluke when I was able to get online for a few minutes, long enough to get publish the post.

London in the much expected rain. Yesterday, we went out in the rain for s short while. Returning an hour later we were soaked although we’d worn our hooded jackets and used the hotel’s umbrella.

Long ago, we stated, in our naivety as travel newbies, that we’d try to avoid posting negative reviews. As we’ve become more experienced, we realize we owe it to our worldwide readers and others to be candid about our experiences.

Seldom, do we write details here of specific negative dining experiences, other than on TripAdvisor? As we find ourselves reading the reviews daily as we search for restaurants, we now feel we must also take the responsibility, as others have done, in posting good and bad reviews. 

As we stood inside a mall area, we waited for the rain to lighten up until we hit the street again.

That’s enough whining for today. Hopefully, the rain will stop enabling us to get out to further explore London. 

Happy Tuesday to everyone. Be well.

                                             Photo from one year ago today, August 26, 2013:

There was no post of this date one year ago as we busily prepared to leave Tuscany to travel to Kenya.  However, here’s a photo we posted on August 27 of dinner I’d prepared Italian style, using local ingredients and produce from the garden.

These tomatoes and basil were grown in the little garden on the veranda. After drizzling olive oil over this, adding salt, pepper, and garlic, I baked it in the oven for 35 minutes. Delicious!

Everyday life in London…Laundry…Dining…Local Farmer’s Market…Oh, oh…What’s happening in Iceland? We’re scheduled for Iceland on September 7th!

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With the high cost of driving in London, most of the cars we see other than taxis are high end vehicles, such as this Lamborghini, Bentley, Ferrari, and Maserati.

We don’t dread doing laundry, not the waiting on the uncomfortable chairs, nor watching the sudsy wash go round and round in the front loading washers, nor the 90 minutes we spend doing nothing. 

There’s row after row of ornate white apartments in South Kensington.

We people watch, chat, and discuss when the wash will be done with Tom keeping tabs on me to keep me from opening the dryer until the cycle is done. I’m impatient, worrying that his few shirts will be wrinkled. All of my clothing is wash and wear. 

A church we spotted on the walk to the laundry.

Tom hauls the heavy wheeled duffel bag both ways preferring to carry it when the wheels are wobbly on uneven pavement.  In London, it’s a two-mile round trip. We ran into a guy we met at our hotel also doing his laundry. What a coincidence. We chatted with him while we waited. The time went quickly.

We had no trouble finding the distant Laundromat, Bobo’s Bubbles.

On the return walk, we stopped at every restaurant along the walk reading their outdoor menu, hoping to find a great restaurant suitable for both of us. Many were Moroccan, Middle Eastern, or Indian restaurants, none of which Tom will eat. Some were Asian with dishes made with batter-fried meats and flour laden sauces, unsuitable for me. We asked at a few of the Asian restaurants if they could stir fry or steam a few dishes for me without sauce. Their response was a firm “no.”

The two loads of washing and drying, not including soap, was US $28, 17 pounds. 

Tourists seem more interested in ethnic dining and London, a city which may have formerly been filled with pubs is less so now instead appealing to the desires of the general tourist population.

The boulevard outside the Laundromat.

Often Italian restaurants work well for both of us. I can always order a dinner salad with chicken, seafood, or grilled beef with lots of vegetables. Last night, we returned to Bella Italia to see if they had avocado on hand for the chicken avocado salad. They did. Tom had the pork ribs platter. The food was good, not great.

The Royal British Society of Sculptors.

Each day, we have the challenge of figuring out where to dine. The restaurants that work for me are all non-fast-food types which are more expensive at around than US $30, 18 pounds per entrée. 

On a walk on Saturday, we stumbled across a Farmer’s Market open from 9 am to 2 pm on weekends.  The smells were amazing.

Fortunately, we’ve been able to stay within the budget for the 77 days without being able to cook, 26 days of which we’ll be on two cruises with meals included. Dining out has never been a novelty to us.  In our old lives, we seldom dined in restaurants, as little as two or three times a year.

If we could’ve cooked our meals in London, we’d have purchased some of the items for sale at this Farmers Market.

Prior to undertaking this strict way of eating, I was always watching my weight making dining out less interesting. Now that its been three years since the onset of this strict regime, I’ve found it challenging at times to figure out how to get enough food to prevent me from losing weight. 

The produce looked too perfect to be organic. 

Basically, with this low carb, grain, starch, and sugar-free diet, I can eat as much as I need to feel satisfied, never gaining an ounce. Munching on raw nuts (when available) after dinner has helped maintain my weight with relative ease when seldom getting enough to eat in a restaurant.

It was around 1 pm when we arrived. We wondered if these chickens been sitting outside for the prior four hours.

It’s easy to see how dining out is not always easy for us especially with Tom’s picky taste buds thrown into the mix. However, we’re grateful that I’m healthy now, able to travel, that we consider the challenge a part of our travels that we attack with enthusiasm and determination. Neither of us ever complains to the other about the challenges taking all of it in stride.

It wasn’t crowded at the outdoor market.

In 53 days (or 42 days if we decide to cook during the 11 days on Oahu where we’ll have a kitchen) we’ll be able to cook again, do our laundry without hiking to a Laundromat, and spending each day discovering and sharing the wonders of living on four different islands in Hawaii: Oahu, Maui, Big Island, and Kauai. 

Vegetables and herbs.  Those tomatoes on the right were the same variety we’d often purchased in Italy.

As for WiFi, here we go again, one week away from the first of two upcoming cruises with their pricey, slow Internet.  A few days ago, we placed an order from XCOM Global and much to our surprise it arrived yesterday here at the hotel. We’ll be able to use the device when we’re close to land on the ship reducing our overall WiFi costs.

These baked goods looked good!

Each time we’ve booked a cruise we’ve budgeted for WiFi expenses including the cost of the device. At this point, we have five future cruises booked; two upcoming soon, one in 2015, and two in 2016.

Fruit, vegetables, and bottled drinks.

When we’re out to sea, we’ll use the ship’s wifi. Overall, with the combined cost of XCOM Global’s Mifi and the ship’s WiFi, we’ll be able to save between US $200 to $300, 121 pounds to 181 pounds, after the shipping costs.  

The larger bread was priced at US $8.12, 4.90 pounds.

We’ll post the total costs for the cruise, including the combined WiFi fees at the end of each cruise also including extra fees for events and alcoholic drinks for Tom (averaging at US $10, 6 pounds, each). I always drink complimentary sugar-free ice tea or our own ice tea. 

Beef from the farm.

We don’t gamble in the casino, book spa treatments, or buy “stuff” aboard the ship. The total bill at the end of each cruise consists only of tours, WiFi charges, and cocktails. In most cases, it’s approximately US $1000, 603 pounds.

Small roses for US $34, 20 pounds for three dozen, or is that for three???

After numerous calculations, we felt comfortable that ordering the MiFi was a worthwhile expenditure. A week from today, we’ll fire up the device, returning it back to the US on October 6th, the day after we arrive in Oahu, Hawaii.

It was good to see that the fish was on ice.

Once we board the ship next Sunday, we won’t be able to view any videos or large files. Tom won’t listen to his radio shows nor will we upload videos from Graboid. However, while on the ship every evening will be filled with socializing and watching live performance shows if we choose, leaving us no interest or time to watch our favorite shows.

The restaurant where we dined last night, Bella Italia, rated in the top 10% on TripAdvisor.

With the potential of a volcanic eruption in Iceland, at this point, we have no information if this will affect our scheduled 36 hours in Iceland on September 7th and 8th during which we’ve booked a nighttime tour to see the Northern Lights. 

Same shirt.

If the cruise continues on to Iceland and any eruptions have occurred between now and the scheduled arrival date, the tour may be canceled due to poor visibility. (This also could happen if it rained or if the sky was cloudy on the night of the tour). 

Tom’s platter of ribs, fries, corn, and three onion rings at US $29.75, 17.95 pounds.

If the ship doesn’t go on to Iceland, typically, the cruise line will choose an alternative port of call suitable for the itinerary. We may not know more until boarding the ship or several days later. 

My chicken and avocado salad, one of a few items on the menu that work for me, priced at US $18.15, 10.95 pounds. Many restaurants include a standard service fee although this restaurant does not. We paid a good tip for great service.

When we sailed in the eastern Mediterranean in June 2013, we were scheduled to dock in Athens, Greece for a day. With the then strife in Athens, the captain decided to avoid Athens entirely, instead of docking in the walled city of Dubrovnik, Croatia, an exquisite location we loved.

Advertising on the side of a truck. Very British. Shown in the reflection is Tom and the rolling duffel bag filled with our laundry.

Although we’ll be disappointed if we’re unable to see the Northern Lights, we may sometime in the future. With all the exciting plans ahead of us, we don’t worry or concern ourselves with these types of “blips on the radar.”As long as we and others are safe from harm, we’re content.

                                            Photo from one year ago today, August 25, 2013:

Finally, the Internet was back up.  This is a view from the veranda of the 300-year-old stone house in Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy where we lived for two and a half months last summer. At this point, we were a week from leaving for Kenya. For details from that date, please click here.

Part 4 and the last photos of Oxford…Motivated by the right and left brain…

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As we prepared to depart Oxford we got this final shot.

This may sound odd but, I think I like London more than Paris. My thoughts on this were precipitated by Tom sending me a “brain game” a few days ago that indicate we are both almost half, left and right-brained. Tom leaning to the left, me leaning to the right.

The sky in the UK is ever-changing.

Here’s the link to the 30-second test if you’d like to try it.

Romantic, creative, emotional on the right; practical, mathematical, factual on the left. That somewhat unscientific test may have been correct after all. I loved Paris as a “dream” of Paris. Once there, my practical left brain took over.

The varying colors of the row buildings created a charming feel in the village of Oxford.

For us, it was too commercialized, expensive, and unfriendly. Yes, the sights and history are breathtaking but, after 16 days, we’d formulated an opinion totally overrun by the practicality of the left brain.

For both the Bampton and Oxford photos I had to use the cheap camera in order to save the battery on the better camera for photos of Downton Abbey. As a result, these photos may not be as clear as those at the Highclere Castle. It proved to be a wise decision when the battery on the better camera was used entirely at the castle. Soon, we order a new camera, this time with two batteries.

London, on the other hand, is a more left-brain city. It just makes sense to us. People are more friendly and dignified, it’s easier to get around, the taxes aren’t as high, and most of all, we feel welcomed. 

St. Mary the Virgin, University Church.

It helps that we’ve been able to freely speak in the same language and that we’ve met many wonderful people since we arrived eight days ago, engaging in several enjoyable conversations.

The interior of St. Mary the Virgin, University Church.
More interior of St. Mary the Virgin, University Church.

Our practical sides enjoy the interactions with people we encounter along the way, from the ticket guy at the “tube” to the checkout person at the grocery store where we purchase snacks. Warm. Friendly. Approachable.

The alter at St. Mary the Virgin, University Church.

Don’t get me wrong. Paris is lovely. However, for us, three of four days would have been enough. As one stays longer, a location’s true essence begins to reveal itself as we’ve so well discovered living in countries from two to three months at a time. We either love them or we’re ambivalent after the long stay. There’s no in-between.

A walkway between college buildings.

Perhaps a small part of our lack of enthusiasm is due to the fact that we’re chomping at the bit to get back on another cruise which we’ll be boarding one week from today. 

We took this photo for Tom to send to a former co-worker with the same last name, minus the “e” at the end.

It’s easy for us to understand why we don’t spend almost everyday sightseeing. However, others may not. It’s this simple. When we’d spent all our lives living in Minnesota (over 40 years for me), we never went sightseeing. On occasion, we’d visit a local attraction with our family. But, never sightseeing

As long as there are shops and food the tourists will find it, even on the side streets.

We live in the world.  We have no home.  The world is our home as we move from location to location. It’s human nature to “settle in” finding joy and comfort in everyday activities, at times mundane, although none the less, pleasing to one’s desire for comfort and familiarity. That’s us. That’s our lives.

Hertford Bridge, the “Bridge of Sighs” in Oxford is similar to the “Bridge of Sighs” we saw while in Venice last summer.

And yes, we’ve loved what we’ve seen in Paris and now in London (more sightseeing tomorrow). But, we love looking out at the ocean, our surroundings, nature, learning culture, and lifestyle different from our own.

One more departing shot of the Radcliffe Camera (meaning “room”) building.

Somehow, for whatever time we may have been in a location, meeting people and making new friends, even those with whom we may not share the same language, make it more meaningful. 

A side street in Oxford of little interest to tourists.

Tomorrow at 7:30 am, we’ll walk to the Kensington station to take the “tube” to Victoria Station to hook up with our tour group for an all-day experience. Rain is predicted for the entire day.  We’ll upload the post for the day before we depart the hotel in the morning and be back on Tuesday with many new photos of our day-long tour of the city and the Thames River.

One can only imagine the merchandise for sale in this store 325 years ago.

We’ll take the hotel’s umbrella and wear our hooded jackets preparing to get soaked as we did in Versailles a few weeks ago. Our left brain says to be prepared. Our right brain says “go anyway, rain or shine!”

                                            Photo from one year ago today, August 24, 2013
With the Internet finally working the following day, we had one more day without a post. Tomorrow, it will be easy going forward when we were able to post almost every day with photos with only a few days without service over the next year.

Part 3…Oxford…Home of 38 colleges in this famous village…

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The front entrance to the Ashmolean Museum.

Commencing with our first stop on the 13 hour tour we stopped in Oxford, the world renowned university village for which we had the mistaken perception, as many do, that Oxford is a town of one expansive university. How wrong we were! 

Nude Egyptian statue we encountered upon entering the museum.

In fact, there are 38 colleges in the town of around 151,000 as of a 2011 census, although there is a high turnaround rate due to the comings and goings of a reported 20,000+ students from all over the world.

Ancient hand-beaded animal hide on display in the museum.

Our bus stopped across the road from yet another museum, the Ashmolean Museum, where we were scheduled to return two hours later to meet up with Paul, our guide, and board the bus to be on our way. 

Various coins from the ancient world.

We had the option to join Paul, our spunky guide, and the tour group or to wander about on our own. With Tom’s difficulty in hearing after 42 years on the railroad, it was pointless to join the group when he wouldn’t be able to hear what Paul saying.

This is the Martyr’s Memorial which we encountered on the walkthrough Oxford.

As a result, we walked the village of Oxfordshire keeping an eye out as to where the group was headed. That way, we could catch most of the highlights at our own pace which is always faster than in a large group.

There were a few streets where no cars were allowed, to make getting through the crowds easier.

We started at the Museum. After only a few minutes, we decided that perhaps we’ll have had our fill of museums by the time we get into the two closest to our hotel in Kensington. We wandered off to check out the colleges and historic buildings that contribute to Oxford’s enchanting appeal.

Tom purchased a slice of dark chocolate fudge in this fudge shop which he savored over a few days, taking tiny bites at a time.

The streets, restaurants, and shops were packed with tourists during the busy summer season drawing travelers from all over the world. The narrow roads, the locally mined limestone buildings, homes, and churches created an awe-inspiring scene that drew us in several directions.

The Museum of History and Science.

With a sense of certainty, we spotted college professors, female and male, scurrying about the village doing whatever they do as the new school year fast approaches.

This is the famous Radcliffe Camera building.  Camera is another word for “room.”

Our minds wandered to what it must have been like hundreds of years ago, so easy to envision in this step-back-in-time village.

Another museum or college building.

One could easily spend days exploring this village of vast worldwide influence dating back to the 9th century. Like many old buildings as we’ve seen in our travels, we experienced a renewed enthusiasm as we perused as much as we could in the allotted time. How quickly time flew!

The courtyard of the Bodleian Library.

In no time at all, we were on our way, a smile on our faces, happy to have seen something we’d never imagined would have been in reality, as has been so many of the places we’ve visited in our travels.

Exquisite entrance to the Bodleian Library.

Last night, as we returned to the hotel from yet another disappointing meal, we talked about how odd it is that we’ve been to Istanbul, Dubai, Marseilles, Cairo and so many cities around the world. As we examine the world map, we realize we’ve only just begun. There’s so much more to see.

Statue of William Hebert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, Chancellor of Oxford University 1580-1630.

Note: We still have many excellent Oxford photos to share, which we’ll post tomorrow in Part 4, the final post in this series of our visit to Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) and the villages of Bampton and Oxford.

                                              Photo from one year ago today, August 23, 2013:
The Internet was still down in Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy, not to be back up until August 25, 2013. We were frustrated, to say the least, unable to post for several days.

Part 2…The village of Bampton, where many scenes from Downton Abbey are filmed…Tomorrow…Part 3, Oxford…

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This is St. Mary’s church in Bampton, known as Church of St. Michael of All Angels, as shown on the series, Downton Abbey, where Mary married Matthew, Edith was jilted at the alter and eventually Matthew was buried.
The front entrance to the church in Bampton where many scenes for Downton Abbey have been filmed.

After posting yesterday, we were anxious to post the remaining photos of the tour to Bampton, the village of the series Downton Abbey where many church and outdoor scenes are filmed.

Cemetery at the “real” church in Bampton, St. Mary’s.

Having completed the Highclere Castle portion of the tour in Thursday’s post, today we review the visit to the charming village of Bampton with its own story to tell.

The sequence of our 13 hour day was as follows with considerable driving in between:
10:45 -12:45 Village of Oxford
2:30 – 4:30   Highclere Castle, home of Downton Abbey TV series
5:30 – 6:30  The village of Bampton, of the Downton Abbey TV series

Tom, at the side entrance to the church,

Due to several traffic delays, the events of the tour changed when Highclere Castle was to be our last stop. As a result, when we finally arrived in Bampton, many of the sites we were scheduled to see were closed for the day.

The alter inside the church where Mary and Matthew were married.

Leave it to tour guide Paul (pronounced “pool”) he called the vicar of the church and the shop owner to ensure we’d gain access to both. They both happily obliged. Of course, all 60 of us were thrilled (as much as one can be thrilled in a group of 60).

There was a carved bird of prey on the podium in the church.

Paul and Martin, our drivers, both stated several times that such delays were unusual. With diligent planning they made every effort, successfully, to get us to each venue for the time specified in the tour itinerary, although overall the day was longer than planned.

A stained glass window in the church.

We were baffled by the number of detours, roadblocks, and accidents, resulting in hours of sitting on the bus in traffic, especially surprising in the countryside.

This is the Crawley house on the series where Matthew and Isobel (Matthew’s mother) lived here after the announcement that as to the real heir to the Earl of Grantham’s estate after the death of Patrick Crowley on the Titanic.

With the amount of traffic we noticed in London, we both thought these delays may not have been unusual after all. There’s an ordinance in London called the Congestion Free for a vehicle entering certain boundaries of the city of London during weekdays of 11.60 pounds per day, (US $19.24).

The actual library in Bampton is used as a hospital in the series which now houses a gift shop. The owner was notified we were in town and she rushed to open the shop for us.

A sophisticated digital system is in place that ensures no vehicle avoids paying these daily, weekday only, fees, or serious penalties are imposed. The traffic coupled with the Congestion Free is enough motivation for Londoners to avoid purchasing a car and use the comprehensive public transportation.

A sign outside the shop, which appears as a hospital on the series.

Paul explained that he’s never driven a car in his life which apparently is not unusual in London. People walk a lot here in London. We’ve heard on the local news that rising prices for public transportation are creating upheaval and a public discord.

Several houses in Bampton have these thatched roofs some of which have been shown on
the series.

Originally, when we booked the upcoming cruise for Harwich, UK, leaving next Sunday, we’d hope to spend time in the UK, perhaps renting a house in the country for a few months. After weeks of frustration, we gave up the search when prices for even a modest country home were far beyond our budgetary guidelines. The 15 days stay in a hotel was the only alternative.

The photo on display at the gift shop of Edith’s wedding which never took place.

After all, was said and done, we had a great day having learned more about this country, its people, its history, and its modern day lifestyle, in many ways not unlike the lives of citizens from all over the world.

Mr. Charles Carson, head butler at Downton Abbey, and Dr. Richard Clarkson, the family physician in this photo at the gift shop.

Last night, we dined in another French bistro to disappointing meals for both of us. Spending over US $72, 43 pounds (without beverages!) for a mushy burger and a bowl of soup for Tom and, a small chicken breast, a few greasy green beans, and a side salad for me, we were sorely disappointed.

Photo of Mary at her wedding to Matthew, again on display in the gift shop.

Tightening our belts after three weeks of dining out, we’ve lost interest in dining out and will hit the more affordable spots where we won’t spend over US $60, 36 pounds, for dinner without drinks. 

Dame Maggie Smith plays Lord Grantham’s mother, Dowager Countess of Grantham, Violet Crawley.

Tom purchased a liter bottle of cognac for US $30, 18 pounds, and will have a drink in our room if he wants one as opposed to spending US $17, 10 pounds for a single cocktail in a restaurant.

Today, we’re off to find a self-service laundry which we’ll visit again a week from today, boarding the ship with clean clothes.  The hotel’s cost of laundering one pair of jeans is more than we’ll spend on two full loads at the self serve.

Photo in the gift shop of camera crew actress from series.  We couldn’t tell who it was.

Monday is our next full day of sightseeing when we’ll see the highlights of London including the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace and a boat ride of the Thames River. (At this point, we have little interest in the interior of yet another palace).

For now, we’re experiencing a little of life in London, barring many of the comforts of our usual homes of the past. We’ve decided living in a hotel in no way meets our criteria of living life in the world with simplicity and ease. However, we’ll never regret visiting Paris and London.

                                                Photo from one year ago today, August 22, 2013: 

No photos or story was posted on this date when the Internet was totally down in Boveglio, Italy. At this point, we’d begun assessing and sorting our belonging to lighten the upcoming long flight to Kenya in only nine days.

Part 1…Downton Abbey Tour, Secret Garden, exquisite grounds…More tomorrow…

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We held our breath as we approached Highclare Castle, home of the famed BBC Downton Abbey TV series. No interior photos were allowed. Please click here for interior photos of the house

When we planned the 10-hour tour which included a trip to the castle where the popular BBC TV series, Downton Abbey is filmed, we discovered the “real” name of the castle is actually Highclere Castle, which long before the show was a popular tourist attraction.

 
Please click here to enjoy the beautiful music from Downton Abbey while perusing today’s photos.

With the production and popularity of the show, Downton Abbey, the increased tourism to the castle has been instrumental in its owners and occupants of the house, Earl and Lady Carnarvon to commence extensive much-needed renovation.

The exquisite grounds were as equally appealing as the castle.

Earl and Lady Carnarvon stay out of sight during tours, often away at their summer home, although at times they have made an appearance during the 60 to 70 days a year the castle is open to the public. 

For the details and history of Highclere Castle, please click here. 

Tom was looking at the exterior condition of Highclere Castle as we wandered about the grounds.

Rather than retell the history and general facts regarding the castle with considerable information already online, we’ll share our photos and experiences of the 13-hour outing, over a period of two days in Parts 1 and 2.

There’s hardly a totally clear day in the UK including during our time at the castle.

Tomorrow, we’ll share photos of the village of Bampton, Oxfordshire, where most of the village filming transpires. 

Standing at the back of the castle, this is the view of the carriage house.

For devotees of the popular British TV series produced by the profoundly talented Julian Fellows and his creative staff, today’s post may offer some appeal. For those of you unfamiliar with the series, we can only suggest giving it a try for a delightful escape to another time and place, historically accurate, and robustly produced.

The back view of Highclere Castle.

We’ve watched the series since its first episode began on September 21, 2010, now rolling into its fifth season.  Our lively and knowledgeable tour guide Paul explained that a week ago, he’d seen the show in production at the village of Bamptonshire. (“Shire” is included at the end of the names of villages and towns to indicate a division of land).

There is a huge field of wildflowers on the grounds of Highclere Castle. We can only imagine how beautiful this would be in the spring in full bloom.

We had few expectations of yesterday’s lengthy outing beginning at 7:30 am when we walked across the street to the Kensington Hotel to be picked up in a luxury coach for the two-hour drive to Oxford which was the first leg of the tour. We didn’t actually arrive at Highclere Castle until 2:30 pm with a full two hours to explore on our own.

View of the castle as we walked along the path to the gardens.

We’re sharing the separate areas we visited out of sequence, wrapping up the balance tomorrow. We felt many of our readers were anxious to read about Downton Abbey first when we’d mentioned it several times over the last week.

I recall seeing this bench under a tree in a scene in the series.

With 60 passengers in tow on the luxury coach where we spent several hours on the road, we all held our breath as we approached the Highclere Castle.

The vast array of color in the gardens was exquisite.
We were delighted to find many flowers blooming in the Secret Garden at Highclere Castle.

As is the case in many of these tours, one must prepare themselves for a letdown, when the anticipation has lingered for days or weeks. But, disappointed? We were not! It was all we expected and more. 

Appears to be an above-ground radish?

The only disappointment was the fact that no photos are allowed anywhere inside the castle with respect for the privacy of Earl and Lady Carnaron since this is their personal home.

A simple white flowers amongst many.

In an odd way, once we entered the interior of the house, I was fine not focusing on taking photos, instead being able to pay attention to minute details, as we moved along the house’s many rooms.  Please click here for interior photos of the house.

Beautiful blooms!

Standing in the familiar rooms was exciting while our minds perused various episodes of the series. My favorite was the familiar dining room and Tom’s was the library. An on-site guide explained that there are approximately 200 rooms in the enormous castle with an estimated 120,000 square feet, 11,148 square meters.

A manicured path we followed in the Secret Garden.

Fortunately, we were allowed to take exterior photos which kept us busy during the second hour as we toured the extensive gardens. It wasn’t crowded as shown in our photos many of which we were able to take with tourists in view. The fact that we’d arrived in the afternoon appeared to have been a factor in the lessened crowds.

With the rose blooming season behind us, we enjoyed seeing this pink rose.

At 4:30, we again boarded the bus for the quaint village of Brampton where many of the village scenes are filmed. Apparently, the townspeople are opposed to their new found notoriety due to the series with increased business in their few shops and one pub in town. 

Bess and butterflies were everywhere partaking of the sweet nectar of many varieties of clowers.

When filming commences, autos, TV antennae, power lines, and trash bins must be removed.  In addition, the production crew fills the streets with dirt and gravel over the tarred roads to create an appearance of a time long ago.

Another butterfly alights a pretty white flower.

At the end of each season’s production, the company holds a party for the entire village as well as providing donations to the city, making all the hoopla worthwhile to its citizens. 

We sat on a bench contemplating these unusual trimmings.

At the beginning of the tour, I’d considered that Tom had tagged along for my benefit. However, as the day worn on, he was engaged and interested, particularly in the historical aspects of the castle and village.

Tom under a uniquely trimmed arch.

Having seen Highclere Castle, we’ll have an entirely new perspective when the new fifth season of Downton Abbey begins in January.

Although the greenhouse doors were locked, we took this shot through a tiny opening.

As the long day ended, the bus dropped us at the Kensington Station, a mere 15-minute walk back to our hotel.  Anxious to stop for dinner, we found a casual Italian restaurant on the way with good food which included a few items suitable for me.

The red in this flower close to the greenhouse stood out among many.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with our visit to Bampton where the village shots for Downton Abbey are filmed and, also the historic village of Oxford, reeking of history dating back to 912 AD. What an experience that was as well! One could easily book a hotel in the fascinating town, staying for weeks to experience its many treasures.

Me, at the main entrance to the castle.

No, we don’t love touring on a bus with 60 other tourists. However, this was the most affordable tours we could find at US $370, 223 pounds for both of us. It’s wise to book in advance if possible. 

One last peek before we departed Hghclere Castle, home of the Downton Abbey TV series.

We’ll be tomorrow with Part 2 and many more photos!

                                            Photo from one year ago today, August 21, 2013:

Little did we know how many geckos we’d find in houses while in Africa, at this point a year ago with only 10 days until we’d depart Italy for Kenya. For details from that date. please click here

London doesn’t disappoint…Victoria and Albert…

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Tom is really getting used to visiting museums. In this case, we were at the Victoria and Albert Museum on London, walking distance from our hotel. 
Gee, Tom took a photo of me without it being too blurry.

Many times, we’ve mentioned our lack of interest in visiting big cities, mainly due to the following; the noise, the crowds, the long lines, the traffic, and the lack of vegetation and wildlife. Then, there are the outrageous prices on literally everything that maybe half the cost in more rural areas.

The entrance to Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
Several special exhibits were highlighted during this period, including “Disobedient Objects.”
More “Disobedient Objects.”

London, unlike Paris, provides us with the ability to freely communicate, the sense of safety in this beautiful area of Kensington (which feels more like a suburb than the city), and the overall friendliness of its people. Even the tourists seem more dignified, not pushing as they walk on the busy streets.

The theme seemed a little vague when most of the items were trendy from the 20th century.
This decorated car was from the 70’s.

We knew we’d like the UK. We’ve spent the last year watching the news on BBC (one of the few English speaking news channels that have been available). We’ve found several BBC TV series exceedingly entertaining such as Downton Abbey, Luther, What Remains, and Broadchurch, having downloaded and watched each episode during those quiet evenings after dinner.

These dresses brought back memories of the ’50s and ’60s.
Every era has had its “frumpy” period.
These were small, appearing to be clothes for children.
I’d wear that if I’d fit into it!

London, a city of art and culture, leaves nothing behind on the world stage of entertainment, as we peruse posters and billboards of upcoming events. With no charge to enter museums the appreciation of the UK’s and the world’s history and artifacts was evident when on Monday, we visited the Victoria and Albert Museum, a 20 minute walk from our hotel.

This appears to be a dress that may have been worn in a dance hall.
Late 1800’s.
The intricate detail on this handwoven fan drew quite an audience.

With three museums located next to one another in the same city block, our intention has been to visit each museum on a separate day. Today, we’d hoped to enter the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum. 

Women today can’t wait to get out of their bras after a long day. Can we imagine how women felt wearing these types of corsets all day?
A typical hoop from the 1800s.
The elegant wear of the wealthy was also displayed.

However, when we arrived at each of the museums there were no less than 2000 people in line at each location which would take from one to two hours of standing in potentially rainy weather.

Another exquisite fan.
Wigs and gloves were worn by men in the 1700’s.
These undergarments were necessary to wear such a dress.

We’ve decided to return other days, to try to get inside the two other museums, perhaps early before they open or later in the day hopefully finding shorter lines. Few venues are worthy of two hours in line, particularly if there’s a possibility of rain.

The more tailored 20th century.
After leaving the fashion area we wandered to sculptures from around the world during many eras.  This work was Caesar attacking the British.
Neptune and Triton by Gianlorenzo Bernini, 1622-1623.

Instead, we walked further down the road to the Victoria and Albert Museum which we had not waited to enter was not disappointing by any means with a diverse array of interesting artifacts we found fascinating. 

The large garden area of the museum was packed with visitors.
Children were playing in the wading pool.
Late in the summer for many flowers, we spotted a few in the museum’s garden.

Thus, we share a series of diverse photos today. Many areas of the museum were entirely unrelated to one another, a scenario that some may find unsettling.

Back inside the museum, we encountered another permanent exhibit.
Beautiful wall sculpture in pleasing colors.
A sculpted alter.

With both of us possessing short attention spans, this was ideal, as we flitted from one arena to another happily snapping away while conversing over the various items. 

Priest’s garments.
Colorful sculpture.
For a moment I touched the top of this slab of marble and a guard warned me to take my hand off of it. Embarrassed, I quickly removed my hand. In reading the description I read this was made in the 16th century. Yes, I suppose one shouldn’t touch!

It would be disappointing if we are unable to eventually see the other two nearby museums. But, we understand with no entrance fees, they provide a huge attraction to tourists and locals alike.

We sat for a few minutes taking in our surroundings in an area where a church had been replicated using centuries-old artifacts.
This intricate pagoda was on display in the Asian art area. 
This handmade boat was also in the Asian art area.

Today, as we mentioned above, we off on a 10-hour tour to Downton Abbey and Oxford University. We’ll be back tomorrow with hopefully lots of interesting new photos. 

Have a happy day!

                                              Photo from one year ago today, August 20, 2013:
The internet was down all day on this date one year ago and we weren’t ever able to post. Please check back tomorrow.

Living in the moment when thinking of the future is unavoidable…Photos from walks in South Kensington…

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We walked past Christie’s location, the world-famous auction house, that occupies almost the entire block.

Living in the moment is a vital aspect of the depth of our appreciation in traveling the world. Anticipating the future with diligent planning leaves our minds free to revel in the moment.

One can’t live in a perpetual state of anticipation with an occasional thought of the time and place of the moment. We’ve found that the opposite is true. Live in the moment with an occasional thought and warm fuzzy about the future.

Once in the heart of the area, the streets were jammed with cars and people.

At the moment, as much as we’re finding London to be enriching and interesting we must admit, we’re anticipating our upcoming two cruises, one on August 31st and the second on September 23rd with a flutter of excitement. 

An old church stands out among the crisp white buildings.

We haven’t been on a cruise ship since we toured the Mediterranean Sea cruise, ending in Venice, Italy on June 16, 2013. It seems so long ago. Now, as we mentally make every effort to free ourselves from those thoughts in order to embrace London while we’re here, it’s still hard to believe we’ll be on a cruise ship in 12 days.

There are several routes we’ve taken when walking the area, some less busy than others.

With only four months until we see our family in Hawaii, it’s tough not to let our minds wander to the joy of seeing all of them once again.

Look at this gorgeous display in this bakery. Yes, my food voyeur tendencies are in the full-on mode, in London. Tom scoffs at these yummy looking desserts, preferring a boring plain cake donut or a Bismarck topped with chocolate frosting with custard inside. Dull! (Not the guy. Just his taste buds).
We got a kick out of the name of this store, Odd Bins.

Yesterday, we took off on foot toward the three museums in the area, able to enter only one of three with the lines of thousands of waiting visitors. We’ll share our museum experience in tomorrow’s post which we’ll upload early in the morning.

The walkways and roads are beautifully maintained, making walking especially enjoyable.

Tomorrow, we have a 10-hour tour of Downton Abbey and Oxford University, leaving at 7:45 am from the hotel across the street. We’ll upload the post before we leave so we won’t miss a beat in our absence ad be back on Thursday with photos of the all-day tour.

There was an auto showroom along the busy street, open by appointment only, displaying this yellow Lamborghini.

As avid fans of the entertaining British TV show since its onset, it will be fascinating to see the grounds and the castle that has become firmly entrenched in our minds after never missing an episode over several seasons

There was one bakery after another in the busy area.

Today, as yesterday, we’ll walk around the beautiful South Kensington area trying another route. We couldn’t be more thrilled that we ended up in this superb location in this 4-star hotel, The Regency Hotel Queen’s Gate.

The entrance to Piccadilly line South Kensington was located in a small indoor mall.

We’ve worked out the kinks we encountered upon checking in including our blown plugins left us no alternative but to borrow the singular device they had available, suitable for US plugs which will only charge one computer at a time. 

A pub we entered to read the menu had meat for sale and also to serve to dining patrons. 

As for charging our phones and cameras, we have no option but to charge them via USB into the computer, one at a time, when one of our computers is plugged in. Timing this is cumbersome.

The historic building stands out in a lovely area.

As a result, we spend time in the morning in the lobby running off batteries, writing rather than sitting on the bed in the room. Once we’ve uploaded the daily post, we head back to the room and charge one computer while we go out and about. 

Another church steeple in South Kensington.

Later, when we return to shower and dress for dinner we’ll leave the other computer charging while away.  We repeat this process over and over. It’s annoying, to say the least. Also, paying US $13.31, 8 pounds per day for Wifi is ridiculous when there have been no such charges at any other hotels in which we’ve stayed. This wasn’t clear when we booked online months ago.

Architecturally interesting white buildings line many of the streets in South Kensington.

Otherwise, this hotel is lovely with excellent service, reasonable amenities, gorgeous décor, and a perfect location. Tonight, in an effort for an early evening, we’ll dine in the hotel’s beautiful restaurant. The inviting ambiance and comparable pricing to other dining establishments in the area make it a logical choice when we have an early start tomorrow morning.

We often take photos of nearby restaurants, later looking up reviews on TripAdvisor, such as in this case it rates #1572 of 17,134, making it in the top 9%, perhaps worthy of a visit. To see the review click here.

As indicated above, we’ll be posting tomorrow morning with photos of our visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum and then Thursday with the results of our 10-hour day tour on a bus with a bunch of “oldies” like us, all attempting to “live in the moment.”

                                              Photo from one year ago today, August 19, 2013:

While living in Boveglio, we order the upcoming year of prescriptions. When they arrived almost 60 days after ordering, we were worried when one box was missing. We had to reorder and have it sent to our mailing service who was sending us a package while we’d be living in Kenya. For details, please click here.