Oh, how time flies when you are having fun. It seems like just yesterday that mom and dad arrived. I took them up to Sloane Square this morning to grab a cab and head over to Victoria to grab the express back to Gatwick. It was a fun week and we made a ton of memories.
A Night At The Ritz April 9, 2007
This was mom and dads last full day in London and we had a lot to do so we hit the road early. The one problem with this plan was that we didn’t realize that the majority of stores and sites were closed today in observance of Easter Sunday. Those that would be open wouldn’t open until noon so we had a little time on our hands. We decided to walk around some of the side streets in my neighborhood and find some of the nooks and crannies we had yet to discovery. Dad found some toys for Syd and Brody (see pic below).
After wandering around, we got a little hungry and found a crepe place in South Kensington. We then walked on to Harrods only to find that it too was closed for the holiday. This led us to thinking of places that we could visit that weren’t required to be open, Buckingham Palace. The holiday and beautiful weather brought the rest of the tourists out as well so the palace and surrounding parks were packed. From the palace, we made our way around the city visiting all the tourist shops along the way. Dad had been on the hunt for a walking stick, similar to what man of the men here carry. I knew of a shop but once we got there, we found it to be closed. To our amazement, one of the guys who works in the shop was working some over time hours on the weekend and let us in to browse the store since mom and dad were leaving the next day. Dad ended up buying a really nice Chestnut stick. There is supposedly some history between the Chestnut tree and London which I still need to do a little research on to get the full story.
This brings us to our big event, Tea at the Ritz. We headed over to the Ritz a little early as coat and tie were required and these are two items dad did not bring. Luckily the Ritz has a few on reserve for just such occasions and they were nice enough to lend a matching coat and tie to dad for the evening. They start the meal off with a glass of champagne and follow that with as much tea and/or coffee as you like. This was my downfall for the evening as I drank an entire pot by myself and got no sleep. For food the main course was a variety of sandwiches which kept coming all evening. For dessert, we had scones with clotted crème and jam as well as a variety of small pastries. I had also called ahead to let them know we were celebrating mom and dads 36th anniversary so we also received a special chocolate mousse cake. Another great ending to a great day.
Presents for Sid and Bro
Mom and Dad at Harrods
Mom and Dad in the Park
Dad at the Stick Store
Mom and Dad at the Flat
Chilling at the Ritz
The Anniversary Cake
More Jewelrey Shopping
A Full English Day April 8, 2007
Since I arrived in London, I have been told that I must try a full English breakfast. Well, since I am so close to the end my stay, I moved that up to the top of my to do list while mom and dad were here. We found a little restaurant down the street from my place which offered a traditional English breakfast for only £3. That is cheap! For those who don’t know, a traditional English breakfast consists of eggs, bacon, baked beans, sausage, hash browns and toast and all must be fried in a skillet. Yes, it is a heart attack waiting to happen but it was delicious.
From there, we got on the tube and headed eastward to check out Borough Market. This is one of my favorite places in town and a definite tour stop for all those who have never been. I think I have already covered this in a previous blog entry so I will skip over the details. From the market, we headed over to one of my favorite local pubs so dad could try the Turkey and Stuffing flavored crisps. We were still full from dinner so we put them away and I believe he ate them on the flight back to Houston.
We spent the remainder of the afternoon retracing some of our steps from the previous Saturday walking the Strand, Charing Cross, Trafalgar, a beer stop at Texas Embassy and ending up at Piccadilly Circus where we visited Fortnum and Mason. Dad and I stood in line a while to get some chocolate but the service was a little backed up so we gave up.
We were feeling the effects of walking all day so we decided to head home. Along the way, we found the street which lead to the US Embassy so we opted for a detour. After checking out the embassy, we headed on down the road to a great Mayfair pub called the Audrey. This is another nice place to add to your list if you are ever in town. We had a pint here and headed home with one last pit stop at the local Lebanese place for dinner. We stayed in the rest of the night and watched movies. Such family bonding.
Dad at the Beer Counter 1
Dad at the Beer Counter 2
Mom and Dad at Texas Cantina
Dad at Rolex
Mom and Dad Shopping for Me
Dads New Car
The US Embassy
Dads New Toilet
Me and Dad Enjoying a Pint
Anniversary at the Dorchester
Strawberrys and Champagne
