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!

A Change in Plans

 SONG - Bring it on Home to Me by Sam Cooke

(Or in my case “If You Ever Change Your Mind”)

Day 32 - Fri. May 31

Breakfast at the Crêperie across the street which was fun and reminded us of France. Then off to Westminster Abbey….which was sold out for the day. What?  It’s huge so how can it be full?? Drat….that made me sad and I had to quickly rethink our plans for the day. Where to next?  

The National Gallery has several rooms of Impressionist painting. That will cheer me up. Well done, it kind of cheered me up but it was packed and difficult to get close to a painting. But we preserved!! 

Van Gogh

Sorolla

Monet

Morisot

I thought of the close crowds & Covid halfway through but didn’t have a mask. There was an “sporting event” right in front of the museum at Trifalger Square which made movement outside on foot or in cabs impossible. We limped into a nearby cafe to get a cold drink and re-assess our next move. We suddenly realized it was almost 3 pm and our grandsons were going to FaceTime us shortly.

 We had a lovely visit with the boys where Henry warmly, calmly greeted us & said he really misses us.  Then Charlie got hold of the phone and ran around yelling “My YaYa, My YaYa, hi YaYa Papa” and everyone chasing him for the phone. So very sweet and thrilling in their own ways. 

The phone that I called them with…

Mr. B took this from a moving cab but it is 

Harry Potter playing at the Palace Theatre 

We walked down a few streets that Mr. B recognized as the theatre district and finally found a cab to bring us home. However it took us over an hour due to road construction, closures and barriers put up for a big event happening in a few weeks.  I felt sorry for the driver but after we paid the bill, I felt sorry for Mr. B!  Oooh, la, la. 

Dinner was at a Lebanese restaurant across the street that we had been to in 2017. Even though it was cold and windy we sat outside as they had heat lamps on. We had a good dinner and good wine. 

After dinner we walked to the “Thin House” which was interesting to see and only a block away. 

I decided last night that the rumble of the Underground reminds me of being at the ocean and hearing waves roaring in. Kind of a more soothing thought than a train in a tube beneath your room!

Tarasque Creature - Day 19

Song - Under Paris Skies Medley by Lee Terry Meisinger

The first stop of the day was the Flea Market in Avignon.  Lots of fun things to explore!

 But the cutest thing I saw there......

 .....was this little guy riding in his mama's purse!

 As we worked our way to the car park under the Palace, we came across some Roman architecture dating from the 1st century. Above it now sits a clothing shop!

Mr. B is pausing to look at the Pope's Palace built on rocks and to admire a song being played by the man on the right with an accordion. The sounds bouncing off the stone walls was magical!

On the way to Arles we drove along the Rhone River past some more bright red poppies and into the town of Tarascon.

 We passed by the Chateau de Tarascon with cannonball holes in the top (so Mr. B informs me).  It is a well preserved castle on the Rhone that was built by the Anjous in the 1400's.

 And the statue of the Tarasque creature is nearby. We originally drove into Tarascon to see if we could find a Tarasque T-shit for Mr. B but no T-shirt shops that we could find! I did get a ton of photos of shuttered windows and beautiful ancient doors depicting the colors of Provence.

 After parking the car in Arles, we stopped for a bite of lunch sitting outside at the Grand Cafe Malarte and then headed into the ancient part of the city.

The Roman Theater

Arles Amphitheater

 We walked around the Amphitheater and enjoyed street music, lively shops and people watching.

Van Gogh lived over a year in Arles before his breakdown.

 Streets radiated out from the arena like spokes on a bike.

 And more photos of shuttered windows for me!

Unfortunately we had to leave Arles before we were ready as our hotel had made us dinner reservations and we had to be on time!

Once again an ancient city built on rock...........it just boggles the mind....well my mind anyway!

We arrived at the restaurant just as they were opening.  It was modern and chic.  Avenio is the ancient name for Avignon we later found out.

The staff was very friendly and the food..................was incredible!

Mr. B ordered a smoked haddock for his appetizer......

While I dined on an artichoke salad with Mangalica ham & Parmesan cheese.

For our main course I ordered the asparagus risotto with morels........mmmmm......

Mr. B enjoyed Iberian ham on seasonal vegetables topped with a saffron sauce.

Dessert was shared but I can't remember what it was......yikes!


I highly recommend making reservations here if you're anywhere nearby.  The chef Jerome Nolin worked for several Michelin star(s) restaurants before opening his own place in Avignon.  You can taste and feel his passion for food!

"Seize the moment.  
Remember all those women on the Titanic 
who waved off the dessert cart."
--Erma Bombeck