Hyde Park

 SONG - Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon

Day 33 - Sat. Jun 1

Breakfast at Paul’s and the tube to Temple Station. On our way to the Courtauld Museum today. It was a zoo outside as apparently there is some kind of big soccer final tonight between Germany & Spain here in London. But inside the museum it was calm, quiet and very few people. 

Manet

Van Gogh

Manet

Gauguin 

Van Gogh

Detail of painting above

Loved seeing their Impressionist paintings and spending time with each one.  And it was so quiet there that it felt like we had the museum to ourselves at times!

We were going to do something else downtown but it was too chaotic so we got a cab to Hyde Park and took a long leisurely walk through it. The cab we got was special to us as it was a Bridgerton cab and we have a very good friend who is now the show runner. 

Starting in the Hyde Park Italian gardens, 

then along the river to the Peter Pan Statue, 

watching birds nesting and children feeding the pigeons and swans out with their babies….

We came out of the park on the Kensington side and passed the Albert & Victoria Museum which is only a block from our hotel. It had large & small chunks taken out of it and what looked like bullet holes along its side exterior. 

When we arrived back in our room, I read that it had been bombed during the Blitz of WWII and although they had to do some structural repair work, they chose to leave some damage to show future generations what it had gone through. Impressive. 

Dinner tonight was at PJ’s Chelsea Brasserie which is about 4 blocks from our hotel. It was wonderful, casual, delightful and walkable! Yay. Great meal, wine and cozy atmosphere. Three thumbs up. 

Walked back to the Pelham and went to have nightcap in their bar. The bartender made us each designer drinks that he invented and both were delicious. 

Good day & good night!

Hopes, Dreams and Goldfish - Part 2

 

Guess what?

 

We are now in London and have been here since Saturday.  I have been a little behind on my posts so I'm going to jump ahead to current time and post some of our fun travels in Edinburgh when I return home. 

 

This morning we saw the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. There were horses & marching bands & grand uniforms & bear fur hats (yes - bear hats so they can't wear them in the rain)!  It was the perfect weather today for watching all of the pomp & circumstance.

 

Then we walked over to The National Gallery to see the Impressionist Exhibit.  After about an hour of trying to locate the right room, I asked a guard.  It's closed for refurbishing!!!  But there is nothing as cute as little school girls chatting away and going to see a Michelangelo Exhibit. 

 

So we walked and walked and walked towards our next gallery but I was too hungry so we stopped at a little French Bistro and sat outside.  It was delightful.  We noticed a tour guide showing people down this pedestrian alley so after lunch we went to check it out and this is what we found.....

 

Mozart was 8 years old at the time and played for the King! Unfortunately there was now a Starbucks and a Chiptole on the corner!  

 

We have angels guarding our Chipotle at home too!

 

We walked through the theater district to get to our next gallery - the Courtauld in the Somerset House and..........it was closed because there were some VIP's in town.  (Insert Jeanette's sad face here)

We took a cab back to our hotel to rest our tired bones and feet. 

 

Now Mr. B is pouring me a glass of wine in our hotel lobby before we head out for dinner. (Insert Jeanette's smiley face here)!

Phrase of the Day - "Hopes, Dreams & Goldfish" - On the 5 hour train from Edinburgh to London if you found yourself in need of the "powder room" it was located at the back of our car.  You needed a license to operate it but if you were able to push the correct puttons to open the door, insert yourself, figure out how to close the door then push to button to lock it, a woman's voice came overhead on the intercom.  She said "Please do not flush feminine products, nappies, paper towels, gum, old phones, unpaid bills, junk mail, your ex's sweater, hopes, dreams or goldfish down this toilet".  Made my day!  What can I say - I'm a sucker for a laugh.