Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is a public square in the centre of London. It was created to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar, a British naval victory in the Napoleonic Wars in 1805. The square was originally intended to be called the King William VI Square, but architect George Ledwell Taylor suggested Trafalgar Square. The point where the Strand meets Whitehall was the original location of the Charing Cross. This is where the City of London meets the City of Westminster, and is accepted as the very heart of London. From here all distances are measured. The architecture around Trafalgar Square dates two between 1820 and 1845. The Prince Region had engaged the imminent landscape architect John Nash to redevelop the area. The project became known as the Charing Cross Improvement Scheme. The architecture of the square was the work of Sir Charles Barry, and was completed in 1845. Trafalgar Square consists of a big public area bordered by roads. Exploring it in clockwise fashion beginning from the north, we see the stairs that lead up to the National Gallery. To the east of the square is the St Martin-in-the-Fields Church. At little to the south of the St Martin's church, past South Africa House, still to the east, is the Strand, towards the present location of Charing Cross and the Charing Cross station. To the south is Whitehall, towards the direction of the Palace of Westminster. To the southwest is the Admiralty Arch with The Mall passing through it towards Buckingham Palace. Finally, to the west is Cockspur Street in the direction towards the Haymarket. There are several statues at Trafalgar Square, the most prominent of which is Nelson's Column. It is surrounded by four huge bronze lions cast from cannons of the French fleet. At the four corners of the square are plinths. Three of these have statues on them: King George IV on the northeast plinth, cast in the 1840s; Henry Havelock on the southeast plinth, cast in 1861; Sir Charles James Napier on the southwest plinth, cast in 1855. The fourth plinth remains without a permanent statue on it. Initially it was intended for a statue of King William IV, but there was insufficient funds to complete it. As of now, the plinth continues to be used for temporary works of art. On the lawn in front of the National Gallery are two more statues: King James II to the west of the entrance portico, and George Washington to the east. The Washington statue was a gift from the state of Virginia in US. It stands on soil brought over from the United States, in honour of Washington's declaration that he would never again set foot on British soil.

The Mall

Check out this link http://www.multimap.com/maps/?mapType=aerial&zoom=17&countryCode=GB&lat=51.5018582671819&lon=-0.135619796291094

The Mall is the boulevard that runs from Buckingham Palace at the western end to the Admiralty Arch and on to Trafalgar Square at its eastern end. It is closed to traffic on Sundays and public holidays, and on ceremonial occasions.Among the sights along the Mall includes the Victoria Memorial right in front of the palace gate. Coming from Buckingham Palace down the Mall, St. James's Park is on the right while St. James's Palace, on the left. Beyond St James's Park is the Horse Guards building, where the ceremony of Trooping the Colour occurs.The Mall was created at the same time that similar ceremonial routes were being created in other cities including Washington, D.C., Paris, Berlin, Mexico City, Vienna, St. Petersburg and Oslo. It is intended for major national ceremonies. For the same purpose, Buckingham Palace was given a new façade while the Victoria Memorial was built.

10 Downing St

Number 10 Downing Street is the centre of the government, physically as well as politically. It is where the prime minister stays, and it is where he works. It also houses the offices for the secretaries, assistants and advisors. There are conference rooms and dining rooms where the prime minister meets with and entertains leaders and foreign dignitaries. 10 Downing Street is located close to the Palace of Westminister, the UK Parliament, and to Buckingham Palace, the residence of the Queen.The building known as Number 10 originally comprises three houses: the "house at the back", the "Number 10" itself, and the house next to it. The house at the back was a mansion built around 1530, next to the Palace of Whitehall, the primary residence of the monarchs at that time. 10 Downing Street was a smaller house than the house at the back, and was built in 1685. They all belonged to the king, and various members of the royal family used to stay there.In 1732 King George II offered it to Robert Walpole, regarded as the first person to assume the position of Prime Minister of Great Britain. He accepted, but on condition that it be a gift to the office of the First Lord of the Treasury, and not to himself. The monarch agreed, and with that, 10 Downing Street has passed to each incoming First Lord.
10 Downing Street turned out to be a rather unpleasant place to live. It was constructed on boggy soil, and was costly to maintain. Many prime ministers chose not to stay there. William Pitt the Younger lived there for 19 years, longer than any other prime ministers before or since. In a letter to his mother, Pitt called Number 10 his "vast, awkward house". Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellingtonm refused to stay there because it was too small. Many times, 10 Downing Street came close to being demolished. But as time went by, it survived and became intertwined with the unfolding events of British history, that people came to appreciate it for its historic value, if anything.
The black front door at Number 10 has no keyhole - it can only be opened from the inside. Nevertheless there will always be a security guard stationed behind the door to open it for the prime minister, no matter how early or late he/she comes home. Gates were installed at both ends of Downing Street during the premiership of Margaret Thatcher. There are armed police on guard. People are still allowed on Downing Street, after they go through security checks and follow certain rules.

Friday Morning Birmingham

Up early and went in search of the Coach Terminal as we continually tried to book online but it kept giving us an error message.
It was a crisp October morning. Found the Coach Terminal behind the market which was bustling with activity. Anything you desire you could find.
Got to the Coach Terminal and bought our tickets to Heathrow Bus Staion 30 pounds each -a good deal.

Then to Costa's for coffee, tea and pastries. More shopping and then back to hotel to wait for Tanya's call on where to meet her and Andrew for a pub crawl.

No Posts

So we didn't post yesterday because every time we completed it the internet crashed! Service just sucked at the hotel we will make it up now!

This and That

Sooo after shopping time to relax before going back out.

Then out to our watering hole (ok so it's only been 2 days but hey) for a beer before going to dinner.

Then dinner at Zorba's at the Arcadian.

Of Pigs and Sweaters

To Market To Market

And then we had coffee.

We needed to fortify ourselves for shopping! At the Bullring!

5 hours later and many delightful hours spent in Selfridges and other stores we needed to head to the Yard of Ale!

Back to the hotel with our spoils! Includes lots of sweaters. But we should have bought more!

Day 4 - Birmingham continued

Will head out shortly for cappuccinos and tea.
Then some shopping across the street at http://www.bullring.co.uk/website/default.aspx



On the list: jeans, sweaters, scarves and who knows what else might strike our fancy.

Day 4 - Birmingham

Weather report - cloudy with a spot of rain.

Lazy morning in hotel, just sipping tea now and watching trashy TV.

Last night we went for a nice dinner in the Arcadian a lovely area right next to the hotel.

http://www.thearcadian.co.uk/index.php?wcId=2 we ate at Milano.

Check out Karen's mussels as a starter. And my pate with toast!

On to our main courses.

Day 3 - London to Birmingham

Our English Breakfast! Mushrooms were awesome.



Just down the street from our hotel the Royal National.














Getting ready to go to train station.

London Day 2

Tanya: enjoyed today more than yesterday because we were more in control and knew where we were going.
Karen: Oh we walked a lot! Thinks she can easily do the Resolution Walk on New Year’s Eve.
Jackie: The weather was spectacular for walking!

Highlights:
Karen spotted the Queen’s Guards and we were able to view the entire Changing of the Guards at the original gateway to the Royal Palaces.. The horses, guards,, costumes and pomp and ceremony were magnificent. Tanya video-taped it for us.
Walked from Trafalgar Square to Whitehall where we passed 10 Downing St after watching the Guards.
Then we walked around House of Parliament taking astonishing pictures. Parliament had just resumed yesterday after 86 days of paid holidays so it was bustling. Security Helicopters were flying overhead.
Then it was time for a beer at The Red Lion and sat enjoying the sun.
From there it was off to Westminster Abbey where the chimes were ringing the entire time. The 15 pound entrance fee almost stopped us from entering, however sanity prevailed and we entered. We received our touring headsets and were just mesmerized by everything we saw. Tanya’s main highlight was D.H. Lawrence’s tombstone!!
All agreed that it was totally worthwhile.
We then strolled along the Thames trying to find a taxi to take us to St. Paul’s, but we were feeling a little puckish and happened upon Sherlock Homes’ pub. We had lunch and decided to grab a taxi to Covent Gardens and Leicester Square. It happened we were only 2 blocks to Trafalgar Square and from there we walked to Covent Gardens. We then went and bought discount tickets for Wicked. Wanted to grab a taxi but the driver said our hotel was just down the street. Well after a 30 minute walk we finally got back in time to change and head out for the theatre. Got a cab and found out that the Apollo Victoria Theatre was way behind Buckingham Palace! We entered up stuck in traffic and barely made it to our seats in time!

London Day 1

Great flight, not full! Meet and greet from limo was well done. Martin met us with his silver mercedes and drove us to the hotel. Hotel check-in was fast and our room is an adequate triple.

Spent today sightseeing, had a pint, fish and chips for lunch.

You've got to love the name of this pub!

More Brick Lane

The nearest London Underground stations are Liverpool Street and Aldgate East

I found more info on Wikipedia and have copied it here. We miss the Curry Festival by 1 day it runs until Oct 10!!!

Winding through fields, the street was formerly called Whitechapel Lane, but derives its current name from former brick and tile manufacture, using the local brick earth deposits, that began in the 15th century[2]. By the 17th century, the street was being built up from the south[3]. Successive waves of immigration began with Huguenot refugees spreading from Spitalfields, where the master weavers were based, in the 17th century.[4] They were followed by Irish,[5] Ashkenazi Jews[6] and, in the last century, Bangladeshis.[7] The area became a centre for weaving, tailoring and the clothing industry, due to the abundance of semi- and unskilled immigrant labour. Brewing came to Brick Lane before 1680, with water drawn from deep wells. One brewer was Joseph Truman, who is first recorded in 1683, but his family, particularly Benjamin Truman, went on to establish the sizeable Black Eagle Brewery on Brick Lane.[8]
The Brick Lane Market, developed in the 17th century for fruit and vegetables, sold outside the city. The Sunday market, like the ones on Petticoat Lane and nearby Columbia Road, dates from a dispensation given to the Jewish community. It is centred around the junction with Cheshire Street and Sclater Street and sells bric-a-brac as well as fruit, vegetables and many other items. Nearer to the junction with Hanbury Street are two indoor markets; Upmarket and Backmarket.
Emma Elizabeth Smith was viciously assaulted and robbed in Osborn Street, the part of Brick Lane that meets Whitechapel High Street, in the early hours of April 3, 1888. It was one of the first of the eleven Whitechapel Murders, some of which were attributed to the serial killer, Jack the Ripper.
In 1742, La Neuve Eglise, a Huguenot chapel, was built on the corner of Brick Lane and Fournier Street. By 1809, it had become The Jews’ Chapel, for promoting Christianity to the expanding Jewish population, and became a Methodist Chapel in 1819 (John Wesley having preached his first covenant sermon at the nearby Black Eagle Street Chapel). In 1898, the building was consecrated as the Machzikei HaDath, or Spitalfields Great Synagogue. In 1976, it became the London Jamme Masjid (Great London Mosque) to serve the expanding Bangladeshi community.[9] The building is Grade II* listed.[10] Early Bangladeshi immigrants in the area attracted more larger immigration from Bangladesh in particular from the Greater Sylhet region, where many settled in the area of Brick Lane. These settlers helped shape Bangladeshi migration to Britain, families from Jagannathpur and Bishwanath tend to dominate in the Brick Lane area.[11]

Love it when a plan comes together

Hotel and sightseeing is booked. Got money. In process of booking ride into London on Sunday night.

My wish list # 1

Yes, it's all about books! Da Vinci Code Templar Church towards the end of the book...

We have to go on the 13th between 11.00am-1.00pm & 2.00pm-4.00pm.

It's on the Hop On Hop Off tour so should be fine. Last time it wasn't opened when we went. But did have a great meal just around the corner.

On my wish list # 2

BRICK LANE

Thanks to marsha for reminding me!! I loved the book Brick Lane by Monica Ali.

The local community has recently renamed this area "Bangla Town." The Bangladeshis came here as seamen in the 1920s, 30s and 40s, bringing their skills in cooking, practiced on the boats and in lodging houses, so to open the first Asian restaurants in Britain. Brick Lane is an excellent place to find a good cheap curry restaurant where you can take your own beer or wine. At the junction with Hanbury Street, there's a cluster of particularly excellent Bangladeshi restaurants. Writing about Brick Lane curry restaurants, in Pat Chapman's 1998 "Good Curry Guide," he remarks: "The number of curry houses has grown from a couple in 1971 to twenty-four in 1997. . ." My favourite Brick Lane curry restaurants are Cafe Bangla (128 Brick Lane. Tel: (0) 171 247 7885) and the Famous Curry Bazzar (77 Brick Lane. Tel: (0) 171 375 1986). They're run by the former manager of the original Clifton Restaurant in Brick Lane. You just might meet a television newscaster, a Member of Parliament or another celebrity when you visit. Walk down towards Whitechapel High Street and there's more curry restaurants and shops selling foods, sweets, saris and fabrics. Walk up towards Bethnal Green Road and at 159 Brick Lane you'll find the famous Beigel Bakery that is open 24 hours a day. Don't miss the Sunday morning market. In medieval times bricks and tiles were manufactured in Brick Lane. Although some wealth had been introduced by the arrival of Huguenot silk weavers from for the poverty of its inhabitants since at least the 16th century. In 1724 Ben Truman established the Black Eagle Brewery at the junction of Hanbury Street. His own house wast 4 Princelet Street. Brewing smells and the constant clatter of horses hooves dominated as teams pulled carts of hops, corn and hay to the brewery and then took away the full barrels of beer. The brewery has closed down, but you can take a free conducted tour from Tuesday to Thursday at 10:30am. (Contact Englefields (London) Ltd, Reflection House, Cheshire Street, E2). By the middle of the 19th century the area was a slum of narrow alleways and courts, into which about one million people were crowded, the vast majority in single poorly-furnished rooms in decaying houses and tenements, which had neither adequate water supplies nor proper sewage facilities. Today's Brick Lane is a busy narrow road. Some of the street-names of the roads running off it have a kind of mythology to them. Chicksand Street is reputed to be where Bram Stocker stayed on his return to Transylvania. Flower and Dean Street was the address of most of Jack the Ripper's victims at some stage in their lives, Hanbury Street is where Annie Chapman was murdered by the Ripper. Old Montague Street has hardly changed in the last two hundred years. Halal butchers have replaced kosher ones and the synagogues have become mosques, the Jewish men who shuffled along Brick Lane are now shuffling Bengali men

WOO HOO

Tanya is joining us in London. She'll come on Monday morning to the hotel at 9AM Then we'll go for a big breakfast!! Can already taste it!!

Here's an idea but the tomatoes should be fried!!

Still to do

Call credit card company

Book hotel

Book Big Bus

Book car

Get pounds

Bought new shoes!!

More links

Plan on booking a hotel in Bloomsbury area.
http://www.thereareplaces.com/Guidebook/pdest/London/London%20map_Bloomsbury.htm

Thinking about buying the London Pass. http://www.londonpass.com/index_landing.asp?aid=212&gclid=CLKKh9WKqZ0CFSUMDQodtUP7hw

It really depends on how many of these we plan on going into.

Here's another greak link - http://www.ukguide.org/london/londonmap/bloomsbury.html

Getting ready - important links

Weather
http://weather.uk.msn.com/tenday.aspx?wealocations=wc:UKXX0085

Currency converter
http://www.xe.com/ucc/

Heathrow Airport - looks like we arrive at terminal 3
http://www.heathrow-airport-guide.co.uk/

London Tube map
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/1106.aspx


To Do
Get everyone's wish list for sightseeing
Book hotel
Change some money
Buy elec convertoers - done
Book car from Heathrow
Check on Hop On Hop Off tours http://www.bigbustours.com/eng/london/UploadedFiles/SUMMERAPRIL09_MapPlain_medres_200904074943.pdf
http://www.theoriginaltour.com/
http://www.theoriginaltour.com/ used this one in Hong Kong and Philadelphia this year

WOO HOO!!

Karen is coming with me! So we will spend a coupla days in London doing the sights!!

Next Trip!! England

Decided to go visit Tanya for a week! Really excited and so is Tanya.
Now time to make plans:
Packing
Turtleneck
Scarf - always handy for many things - I'm referring to the pashima type.
Rain gear


Shopping
Need to check if I have a power convertor as I will need to charge batteries!

To do
Print off tickets in office
Print off some guidebook stuff


Decide on where to go. Tanya already has lots of plans for that, Birmingham, Wolverhampton to mention a few.

Will be back with updates as it is T-6 days!!

Food in PA

The rooms at this inn are plain and outdated but spotless. There are some things they could do to make it a better inn but think that most of their business comes from people passing through and just needing a place to sleep.

However there is a restaurant connected to the lobby, it is not affliated with the inn. The food is amazing. It is not your average American prices, however. It is pricy. But it is worth it. They offer high tea on Saturdays and champagne brunch buffet on Sundays. They have several trained chefs.

On Monday we shared our appetizers. DH ordered meatballs stuffed with Gorgonzola cheese and presented in a wild mushroom broth. I selected the spinach and berries salad. It was baby spinach tossed with fresh strawberrires, blackberries, raspberries and pecans, coated with an orange infused poppy seed dressing, scattered with toasted coconut. Sooo good!

Then we both had grilled ribeye topped with steakhouse onions with mashed potatoes and vegetables. Didn't care for the onions as they were too sweet. Steak was huge, as all portions always are in the States. No room for dessert.

Last night we went back as we had a "buy 1 entree get 1 free" coupons. Entrees average about $30, so as I said not cheap.

DH again ordered the meatballs and I went for the pan seared dry boat scallops plated around pressed beet risotto and a gingered carrot coulis. It was 3 huge scallops!! I then had the spicy orange-glazed duck with sweet and sour vegetable and rice noodle stirfry. Again the porton was ginormous. DH had lamb with a minted gremolata rub grilled and draped with a seasonal berry jus presented with a frangrant curried pistachio current pearl cous-cous and vegetables.

And on another note regarding food...we got up on Tuesday and decided to go sight seeing and hit the factory outlets. Planned to stop somewhere for breakfast. Pulled out in Kutztown and there was an old fashioned diner. We decided to try it. Imagine coffee was a $1 and and egg sandwich made with 2 eggs and bacon was $2.80. 1 fried egg with delicious home fries with onions and toast was a $1.80! I decided to splurge and try a Pennsylvania staple called scrapple as a side for a $1. Let's just say I tried it and it it wasn't bad. Just say I knocked it off the food bucket list.

What is it??

It's dictionary defined as "cornmeal mush made with the meat and broth of pork, seasoned with onions, spices and herbs and shaped into loaves for slicing and frying." The word, scrapple originates from "scrap" or "scrappy" meaning made up of odds and ends for that's exactly what it is—boiled, ground leftover pig scraps with cornmeal and spices thrown in. Scrapple lovers think of it as food for the gods. Anti-scrapplers consider it a culinary abomination.
Scrapple is the unique creation of the Pennsylvania Dutch, and therefore only quasi-American as the immigrants combined their German heritage with New World ingredients. The term "Pennsylvania Dutch" is a corrupted form of Pennsylvania Deutsche, mostly transplanted Rhineland farmers who worked hard and ate heartily. They are frugal people and many of their dishes make imaginative use of every part of the butchered hog's anatomy. Scrapple is one of them.

On the Road

Left Sunday afternoon around 2:30 to get a head start. Big mistake...took 3 hours to the cut-off to border crossing at Lewiston Queenston. Border was quick, mostly US plates going home from Caribana in Toronto.
Easy drive once across the borde. Pulled into Corning NY (yes, of Corning Ware fame) around 9. Tired so followed our on the road tradition of asking desk for pizza take out.The clerk suggested ANIELLO'S PIZZA.

It cost exactly $15 delivered to our hotel room (Fairfield Inn $114 with continental breakfast). It had to be one of the best pizzas we have ever had!! Hot and delicious, even better than Montreal pizza!

Up late and went to Friendly's for breakfast across from hotel. $3.99 you can't beat that.

Quick drive around Corning, it has a Corning Glass Museum. Lots of nice restaurants in town.

3 hour drive got us to Blakeslee. The inn is pretty, not quite an inn, though, more motel style. Check-in was quick and pleasant.

After reviewing the Inn's menu we decided we would eat here tonight. The menu is very cosmopolitan and we were given a "Buy one, get one entree free" coupon!

Will update you on the menu tomorrow.

Weather is beautiful, in the 80s. Tomorrow we plan on touring around the area, lots of art, shops and pubs.