If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
OT-Going to London 03-24-06
First air/land trip I have booked in years! Decided to take a break from
cruises even thou we're booked for one in June & Sept. Going thru Virgin Vacations out of EWR. Anyone been to the UK lately and have tips or advice please feel free to post or email me. Thanks! Len... |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
OT-Going to London 03-24-06
Always have had great times around Trafalgar Square--usually stay @ Thistle
Trafalgar and walk to theater and for us wonderful modestly priced Indian restaurants. Feel it better and safer to walk to all, rather than take other means. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
OT-Going to London 03-24-06
Hey, Len,
What a fun idea! It is nice to change things up a bit. I think land trips are far more satisfying, but the ease of cruising can't be beat. So, we do a mix of both. I have a million ideas when it comes to London! But I'll start with the obvious...are you doing theatre? My favorite resources are http://www.goodshow.com (great overview + reviews) and http://www.theatremonkey.com (seating charts, good/bad seats & ticket buying info & tips). You can do the half-price ticket booths if you aren't choosy about the show or your seats. However, if you want to see a particular show and/or prefer good seats, it is best to book now. The nice thing is that London theatre tends to be less expensive, thus far more accessible, than Broadway. You are going at a great time to avoid summer peak crowds. I have a review of a Nov. 2005 trip we made. I have culled two salient paragraphs that may have some useful tidbits in them depending on your tastes and interests: Crowd-free Sightseeing: What a contrast touring London in November was to our prior spring and summer treks-it's easy to see and do a lot when there aren't many tourists in town! To illustrate, on our busiest day of amazingly all-free touring, we started with the obligatory photo op at 9 ž Platform at King's Cross Station (we're as hooked on Harry Potter as our kids are!); spent an hour with the Magna Carta, Dickens and Shakespeare manuscripts, and original Beatles sound recordings in the British Library; took an interesting walk from there-with spontaneous stops along the way including the Victorian-era shop of James Smith & Sons Umbrella and Stick Makers since 1830 and a street vendor's stand for roasted chestnuts-to the incomparable British Museum, this time solely to see the "new" (since 2000) Great Court and Reading Room and take in a midday tour of the restored King's Library with fascinating Enlightenment exhibit; reached Somerset House before 2 p.m. for the weekly free entry to the Courtauld Gallery's incredible art collection; had a late lunch/early dinner at the "veddy British" Simpson's-in-the-Strand featuring roast beef and lamb carved from a joint of meat on the tableside trolley followed by their famous treacle sponge pudding; lumbered up to the National Gallery balcony on Trafalgar Square to catch a spectacular sunset vista over Nelson's Column and the lions and fountains down the rush hour cityscape to Big Ben; hopped a bus for the short trip to Parliament for near queueless entry to the "stranger's galleries" of the Houses of Commons and Lords (sitting hours published on their websites and in the Times, on this day, from 2:30 to 10:00 p.m.); and finished the day with our nightly theatre fix. Whew! Sounds exhausting, but in reality, our pace was fairly relaxed, and because we planned our route in advance and had only "tightly focused" sightseeing on the day's agenda, we had room to spare for the occasional tea break or "let's look in here" stop. A Quick Rave About the V&A: On an unscheduled day, we happened into the Victoria and Albert museum. I had always shied away, having been disappointed by one too many "encased in glass" experiences with "applied and decorative arts" exhibitions. But there's nothing ho-hum about the V&A.what imaginative curation of such a rich and varied collection! Everything's thoughtfully arranged and supported by multimedia explanations and interactive learning opportunities. Our intended peek turned into hours, and yet, we didn't make much of a dent! I've added the V&A to my list of places I "must see" every time we go to London. --------------- Have a great time, Len! Diana Ball near Houston, TX |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
OT-Going to London 03-24-06
"Len C." wrote in message ... First air/land trip I have booked in years! Decided to take a break from cruises even thou we're booked for one in June & Sept. Going thru Virgin Vacations out of EWR. Anyone been to the UK lately and have tips or advice please feel free to post or email me. Thanks! Whatever you do, don't arrive suntanned and take the tube with a rucksack........ -- Dave |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
OT-Going to London 03-24-06
Just an obseraton, but the British men seem(to me) very femine?(especially
the "Dave" wrote in message ... "Len C." wrote in message ... First air/land trip I have booked in years! Decided to take a break from cruises even thou we're booked for one in June & Sept. Going thru Virgin Vacations out of EWR. Anyone been to the UK lately and have tips or advice please feel free to post or email me. Thanks! Whatever you do, don't arrive suntanned and take the tube with a rucksack........ -- Dave |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
OT-Going to London 03-24-06
"clint" wrote in message . .. Just an obseraton, but the British men seem(to me) very femine?(especially the We seem feminine? At least we're literate. -- Dave |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Paris metro free tonight, London?? | Earl Evleth | Europe | 30 | January 3rd, 2006 03:42 PM |
London Trip Report | Richard | Europe | 2 | July 5th, 2005 06:51 PM |
Post-trip report - London | ohaya | Europe | 44 | January 30th, 2005 01:01 PM |
FT/Skapinker: Why London cabs donšt travel | Tam | Europe | 18 | December 10th, 2004 10:40 AM |
S Times: If New York can tame them, so can we | Kuacou | Europe | 0 | December 5th, 2004 03:16 PM |