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Brief trip to London
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Posted by jxbrown (My Page) on Sat, Aug 13, 05 at 17:17
| DH is going to a conference just outside of London for three days and since I am not working this summer, I decided to go on a last minute trip with him. I'll be by myself for three days and then we will spend another four days together. I haven't been in the UK for 20 years and DH is only familiar really with Manchester where his ex-in-laws live. Any suggestions for must sees in London in August? I know I want to see the London Eye and Kew Gardens (good outing on the husbandless day!) I would also like to take a day trip or two outside of London. We won't have a car. |
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RE: Brief trip to London
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| I was recently there with my DD and friend. Spent 5 days in London and 4 days in Oxford. Definitely the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum, as well as Westminster Abbey. Ours was a Harry Potter-themed tour, so we rode the Hogwart's Express from Oxford to Carlisle, and visited colleges in Oxford - among them Christ Church, Keble College and New College. Oxford was beautiful, as well as the ride up into the Lake District. Madeame Tussaud's was on the list for London, as well as the Tower of London. We also went on the London Eye, where we also coincidentally saw Drew Barrymore. (That was a highlight for the girls.) If you want to take pictures, go before noon or after 4; otherwise, the sun's too bright. Covent Garden Market was lots of fun on a Sunday and is a nice walk from Piccadilly Circus. The changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace happens only every other day in August, despite a rather confusing sign stating that it's every day from spring till autumn. We had a nice walk across Hyde Park one afternoon, to Harrod's and other shops in Knightsbridge. Security was stepped up, so one change from 20 years ago is likely to be lots of heavily armed police on street corners and in the tube stations. |
RE: Brief trip to London
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I took my 14yo DS there in July. We went with his Lacrosse team and stayed up in Chester for 7 days, we absolutely loved Chester. Very old city, great place to walk and hang-out.
We came back to London without the team and the two of us did the usual things, Westminster Abbey, The Eye (I really didn't enjoy the Eye, kind of ho-hum IMHO), we also saw a play in the West end which was fun. The surprise of the trip was our visit to "The Cabinet War Rooms", the place where Churchill and his cabinet stayed and strategized during the bombings of London at the end of WWII. Very interesting and something new for me. And it's a quick walk there from Westminster Abbey.
Kew Gardens was breathtaking as usual, and wasn't a bad ride on the tube. My son loved going to see the crown jewels and touring the Tower of London.
If you have the time and the inclination, we also did a one day trip to Paris, which we loved. The surprising thing was how much my "too cool" son enjoyed Paris and has requested another trip where we split equally between London and Paris. We did the Eurostar and really enjoyed it.
So where will you be staying?
Annette |
RE: Brief trip to London
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| Theater in London is quite good, and rather reasonable as well. |
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