London
Sunday March 24, 2002
2004 Trip to London and Blackpool

Park International Hotel room
My room at the Park International Hotel

24 Mar 2002 13:30:16 GMT
Park International Hotel

I'm there.

It is 1 PM and I am waiting for my room (which they said will be ready by noon:-) Just had lunch at a very elegant Indian Restaurant, the Bombay Brassiere. Bombay Brassiere has a nice atmosphere, but the food is no better than the better Indian restaurants in Kansas.

The flights from KC to St. Louis and St. Louis to Gatwick were uneventful. I accidentally took the wrong train into the city from the airport. This one didn't have conductors selling tickets during the trip and I had to bull my way through the turnstile at the end. Fortunately I wasn't arrested, and received a free ride.

I was wise to get a few pounds before leaving Kansas City. The first 4 times I tried the ATMs, my debit card was declined. But the travel guides warned that phone lines make that happen "temporarily." My card just worked, so I feel much better. I was so focused on the ATM problem that I looked the wrong way and almost stepped in front of a car. It was a convertible and the passenger really chewed me out:-)

The clerk at the Park International Hotel just said my room is ready, so I will shower and change before leaving for the Lion King.

View from the Park International Hotel
View out my window

Lion King at the Lyceum Theater
Sunday matinee of the Lion King at the Lyceum Theater in London's West End

Tower Bridge at night
Tower Bridge as seen from the shore near the Tower of London

On the Tower Bridge at night

Tower of London at night
Portions of the Tower of London as seen from The Tower Bridge

Jack the Ripper site
Location of a doorway in which one of Jack the Ripper's victims was found

I really only went to the Lion King because it was about the only show with a Sunday matinee, but the Lion King was great! I loved the costumes and music. The people became wonderful animals, I loved them better than the cats in Cats. I sat in the first row on the edge of the pit & also watched the musicians. Close enough to read some of their music and hear the conductor when he sang along:-)

The Jack the Ripper walking tour on Sunday night was good, but it is much too popular. London Walks provided two guides, Molly & Donald. Donald is famous as a Riper expert and draws a huge crowd. I would have liked to try his group, but went with Molly because she had "only" 70 people. Donald had about 4 times that many.

I couldn't find any place for supper close to where the Jack the Ripper tour started so I walked over to and across the Tower Bridge instead. I took some good pictures of it and the Tower of London at night.

So my supper ended up being smoked herring and salt & vinegar crisps (potato chips) in my hotel room, washed down with two kinds of ginger beer: DG (light) Old Jamaica Ginger Beer was pretty good & sugar free. Idris; "Fiery" Ginger Beer, "Try it if you dare" was rather bland.

Then a shot of the Weller 101 I brought along for the convention and off to a well earned bed.

24   25a  25b  26a  26b  27  28
29a  29b  29c   30  31

2004 Trip to London and Blackpool   France trip 2003
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