To Winslow, Buckinghamshire - April 28, 2012

Saturday

I'm almost as glad to be leaving London behind on this blog as I was for real back in April. The big city isn't for me. That said, there is still so much I missed so it would be nice to go back some day. 

It was raining that morning so that took care of the notion of going to see the Changing of the Guard. It was news to me that it takes place only every second day and not at all in very rainy weather.

At breakfast I sat for the last time with my breakfast buddy, the pleasant older man from New Zealand who had invited me to sit at his table the first morning. His wife didn't want to make this trip and his friend who was supposed to be with him, had a stroke and had to cancel. So here he was on his own, about to tour the country with a 30 day Britrail pass.

I checked out of the hotel in London and took a taxi to Marylebone train station to catch a train to Aylesbury. Why does there have to be two choices on the board? Apparently I want the Aylesbury Vale Pwy one at 11:57 am.

Even here there are Cornish pasties. Don't mess with the English and their pasties. There was such a furor over the idea of taxing them - it was frequently in the news, but I believe that was shot down before I left the country.

Scenery is usually dreary near train stations but before long we were rolling along through the Chilterns (wow, the Chilterns) - green hills, sheep and some yellow canola-growing (rapeseed in England) fields.

At the train station in Aylesbury I didn't feel like traipsing around in the rain to find a bus station so caught a taxi. Negotiated 2 pounds off the price. Driver drove the 11 or so miles to Winslow like a madman. What would the town be like I wondered.

Leaving Greenwich by boat - April 27, 2012

Friday

'Proper hamburgers' read the lettering on the window of a restaurant near Greenwich Pier. Sounded good to me. Well, it may have been proper but it was just ok, nothing special.

If I'd known how easy it is to catch a ferry boat on the Thames, I might not have bothered with the train. From Greenwich the fare was £6, if I remember correctly. Here too, the Oyster Card can be used.

Maybe this was the bridge I'd walked over the other day.

Poor light and dirty windows make for less-than-exciting pictures. But what a trip this must be on a nice summer day.

The boat docked near the London Eye, on the other side of the river.

Ha, the guy is dressed up with 'blood' on his face and a noose around his neck and everyone walks by as if it's business as usual.

Not surprisingly, lots of tourists are in this area.

I had an enjoyable walk across the bridge while the bells rung six times. The chiming brought back memories of Diana's funeral. But on this day there was an energetic, festive feeling - even the bridge was crowded with people.

The Houses of Parliament are such a grand sight in person.

Alas, it's getting on, the light is fading and I've a long way to go to get back to the hotel.

The first of my three worst days in England - April 27, 2012

Friday

Back then I wrote: If I'd been in The Amazing Race today, I would have lost. This was the day of unhelpful people.

It's hard now to write about this day. Unfortunately, it was so stressful (you had to be there) that I didn't want to think about it let alone take notes, and now I've forgotten the details. Things might have gone very differently if I'd just gone straight to Greenwich that day, but I wanted to get back to the Guildhall Library for the family history information, and that seemed to set the tone for a series of unfortunate events. Could the staff have been any less helpful? Probably not. The library, at least that part of it, was very disorganized and machines weren't working properly, so I had to go to the desk to get help every time there was a problem and wait for somebody to begrudgingly give me the time of day. Once I had found the required information I then had to go to another machine in order to print it, but the printer wasn't connected. One would think it would be standard procedure to get everything functioning at the start of the day. So, there was a lot of time wasted just to get a tiny bit of information that wasn't terribly useful.

My advice regarding the Guildhall Library? Don't go there!

It didn't help that it was pouring, and I mean pouring, rain.

Passing by St. Paul's Cathedral again, I went up the steps and inside the door but, upon discovering there was a fee of £15, I turned around and left.

I seemed to have difficulty finding my way from this part of town to where I needed to go in order to catch a train to Greenwich. I sloshed over to what I thought was a Tube station but only found trains. I went to the information desk, which I believe was, oddly, sort of across the street, and the guy there just gave a vague wave of his hand. 'It's over there', indicating around the corner somewhere. But around the corner was construction - not a station in sight. This is where I learned what a difference it makes to get clear, concise directions as I'd always got from the nice chap over at the station in Bayswater. There, my movements clicked along with ease. Here, they turned into a frustrating, tangled mess. I believe I finally figured out that the Tube was indeed at the train station but on another floor.

By the time I reached whatever station it was for the train for Greenwich I was at wits end. It didn't get any better there. Again information was unclear. Maybe I would have handled it better at another time of my life, but there I was in unfamiliar surroundings, feeling very alone. Admittedly, my brain wasn't working too well. At that point - and it wouldn't be the last time - I was overwhelmed and felt like plopping down and crying like a baby.

I jumped on a train in a bit of a panic and then wondered what I'd done. It didn't seem right. Where was I going? The scenery changed drastically. The slums of Detroit came to mind, not that I've been to Detroit. Surely this couldn't be the way to Greenwich. At a stop, I leapt off the train. Now why on earth didn't I ask anyone on the train, assuming I didn't, if it was going to Greenwich? Surely someone must have been in the car. Did they not speak English? Did they look too creepy to even ask? I honestly don't remember.

At the platform were some construction workers. I talked to one and learned that I'd been on the right train all along. The rain was pelting down so hard it was gushing through openings in the overhang, rendering it useless. I had to wait half an hour or so for the next train.

Greenwich, though, was like a whole new world.

A play in London April 26, 2012

Thursday

I went to breakfast late but will try to avoid that in future. It was too busy then. Will aim for 7:00 tomorrow.

Have a lot lined up for the rest of the day but am looking forward to resting my tired feet at the Barbican Theatre where I had a pre-booked ticket for a play called Big and Small (Gross und Klein). I got there on the Tube. 

Barbican Theatre - inside & outside. 

While waiting in the lobby I had a bottle of 'English apple' juice which sounds better than plain old apple juice, and saw some interesting outfits.

Great seat!

I was the first one in the theatre! My seat was fantastic, 4 or 5 rows back with stage slightly below eye level, completely clear view.

Cate Blachett did the first segment entirely on her own, then others joined. I don't really know what the play was about but it was fascinating to see her act. She has a strong, slightly husky voice. Very expressive face. The play wasn't without a few raunchy bits. I probably gasped aloud when the father's shorts fell to the ground!

Anyway, it was quite an experience. Never seen anything like it. It went on for nearly 3 hours, intermission included.

Afterwards I went to the Barbican Library - in blasting wind. They have newspapers only up to a week old. I was told that I needed to go to the Guildhall Library. Got there 2 minutes after they closed. I was looking for an obit for someone in the family - the man who so kindly wrote about grandma's family and about ancestry research. So, I'll have to zip out there first thing in the morning before heading to Greenwich.

I don't recall why I stopped in at Liverpool Street station. Most likely it was to find out about plans for Saturday's train trip from London to Aylesbury. I would head off around midday Saturday. There was no need to prebook this particular trip - the price would be the same either way. From Aylesbury I could probably get to Winslow by bus. Evenings should be more relaxed once I get there.

 Snazzy post.

More modern buildings. 

While in the area, I walked over to St. Paul's Cathedral,
which is quite grand.  

 View from front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral.

Well I'll be - I'm on Fleet Street. 

There seemed to be a lot of business people and tourists in this northeast section of the city.

I walked too far before getting on the Tube. Got my Oyster card topped up - getting the hang of figuring out the system on the fly. I had to transfer on it both ways today.

Luckily the Italian restaurant in the nearby mall was open so supper was decent - chicken in wine sauce, green beans and roast potatoes. I like it there. Realizing I haven't had chocolate in days.

A friend had given me lavender cream for my feet, which is always nice to put on at the end of the day.

A walk through London April 25, 2012 - Part 3

I found out I could take the train back to London, except it went to Waterloo Station which is a fair distance from my hotel. Maybe there was a closer stop I didn't know about. Used handy Oyster card again. 

I was on the wrong side of the river and had to cross. The Hungerford Footbridge perhaps?  

I didn't have my bearings, so on the other side I stopped in at a store to ask directions. The clerk advised against walking all the way to Bayswater as it was quite far. Once I got semi-oriented, I walked by the London Eye and with so many interesting sights around, I just kept going.  

A sign said 'Welcome to Whitehall Gardens', 'City of Westminster'. A lovely spot.

'Per ardua ad astra'. (Through adversity to the stars). This was a little 'Glenn moment' because it was something he sometimes said. 

It was fun to be in this classic-looking part of London. 

Eventually I got to ... St. James's Park, I'm guessing. 

There was a lot of birdlife, including nesting swans and coots.

And then, all of a sudden, there was Buckingham Palace! Also - The Mall where you see all the processions, and English people waving their flags on TV. (On that note, I've noticed very few flags around. Very different from the States in that way.)

Over 250,000 daffodils bloom here. (These aren't daffodils though - they must have bloomed earlier.)

Canada Gate, installed in 1908 at Green Park, right next door.

Interesting pink pavement.

I got going in the wrong direction because there was no way to cross the road due to construction. I was annoyed for a moment but then figured I was probably going this way for a reason. And there it was - I was right at the place where the Bomber Command memorial was being built. Most of it wasn't visible since it was not to be unveiled until June. I just wanted to see where it was. A neighbour had wanted me to leave flowers for her brother but of course that wasn't possible. 

I hoofed it through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. This sculpture is called 'Physical Energy'.

I'd done a lot of walking in one day and my feet were very sore. Back in my room, the sun was setting and I was thinking about Glenn. I looked out the window to see a big rainbow.