I have always wanted to visit Westminster Abbey but every time we visited London something seems to get in the way. This time I booked tickets for Ella and I, to make sure it would happen. Misguidedly I thought that a limited number of tickets would be sold to ensure that the Abbey wasn't overrun by tourists - sadly I was wrong. Having tickets did save us having to queue for ages, but it was wall to wall people. Not the quiet place of contemplation that I was hoping to see. Apart from that, it was amazing to be inside a place that is so well known due to the many significant events that have been televised over the years.
It was really interesting seeing the preparations for the coronation in a few weeks. Craftspeople were replacing gold leaf on some of the freshly painted iron works, gardeners were tidying up the inner courtyard and the coronation chair was on display. Any footage of the coronation will take on a new meaning, having actually been in the Abbey.
We walked though Green Park (also being preened for the upcoming celebrations) and past Buckingham Palace. Again, there was an abundance of sightseers. Ella talked about her experiences during Covid Lockdowns when she would walk around the city with a couple of friends and there would only be a handful of people at any of the tourist spots. Certainly an experience to remember fondly.
It was really interesting seeing the preparations for the coronation in a few weeks. Craftspeople were replacing gold leaf on some of the freshly painted iron works, gardeners were tidying up the inner courtyard and the coronation chair was on display. Any footage of the coronation will take on a new meaning, having actually been in the Abbey.
We walked though Green Park (also being preened for the upcoming celebrations) and past Buckingham Palace. Again, there was an abundance of sightseers. Ella talked about her experiences during Covid Lockdowns when she would walk around the city with a couple of friends and there would only be a handful of people at any of the tourist spots. Certainly an experience to remember fondly.
Meanwhile David hired a bike and went of to explore the local area - in particular life along the inner city canals.
In the afternoon we drove to Strawberry Hill, near Richmond. David has a cousin who lives there and who he met briefly as a child. The family has had no contact since then. We met Wendy (cousin) and Ian and three of their four daughters, who were so welcoming and keen to connect. The funny thing was watching Ella with the girls and seeing a strong family likeness. Hopefully they will stay connected now that the first introductions have been made. Wendy rivals me as the crazy cat lady with feline plates, cups and pictures throughout the house, along with three real live cats!
Back home for another pleasant dinner and evening of just hanging out together.
This morning we caught the overground to Shepards Bush and visited Eliza, who Ella used to nanny for. Unfortunately Lara and Jez were both working but it was great to see Eliza - now four years older than when we first met and to visit the place that was Ella's home when she first came to London, four and a half years ago.
A couple of work colleagues of David's are also in London, so we met up with them for a 'pint' (cider in my case) at the Swan pub in Hammersmith. Both of them had taught Ella and we had a great time catching up with their travels as well as sharing ours.
A visit to the Westfield Mall - largest in the Northern Hemisphere - to buy the best hot chocolate mix (my bag really is going to be overweight) and another unbelievable hot chocolate from Hotel Chocolate - photo included for reference!
Back home so that Ella to organise things for the kids return to school next week, walking dogs and planning an adventure for the weekend after we return from Ireland. Not sure how we are going to get back into the work routine after all this fun!
In the afternoon we drove to Strawberry Hill, near Richmond. David has a cousin who lives there and who he met briefly as a child. The family has had no contact since then. We met Wendy (cousin) and Ian and three of their four daughters, who were so welcoming and keen to connect. The funny thing was watching Ella with the girls and seeing a strong family likeness. Hopefully they will stay connected now that the first introductions have been made. Wendy rivals me as the crazy cat lady with feline plates, cups and pictures throughout the house, along with three real live cats!
Back home for another pleasant dinner and evening of just hanging out together.
This morning we caught the overground to Shepards Bush and visited Eliza, who Ella used to nanny for. Unfortunately Lara and Jez were both working but it was great to see Eliza - now four years older than when we first met and to visit the place that was Ella's home when she first came to London, four and a half years ago.
A couple of work colleagues of David's are also in London, so we met up with them for a 'pint' (cider in my case) at the Swan pub in Hammersmith. Both of them had taught Ella and we had a great time catching up with their travels as well as sharing ours.
A visit to the Westfield Mall - largest in the Northern Hemisphere - to buy the best hot chocolate mix (my bag really is going to be overweight) and another unbelievable hot chocolate from Hotel Chocolate - photo included for reference!
Back home so that Ella to organise things for the kids return to school next week, walking dogs and planning an adventure for the weekend after we return from Ireland. Not sure how we are going to get back into the work routine after all this fun!
2 comments:
I loved the amazing history of Westminster Abbey, so amazing, all that history. And Shepard Bush Mall😊 loving all your journeys. XxKaren
Looks fantastic trip and doing so much without just being tourists. Enjoying seeing all your lovely photos. Annette
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