London - Day 4

Anna and I were on our own for much of today, as Michael had to work (the internet is both a blessing and a curse).

Our first stop of the day was back to the Royal Opera House.  The Royal Ballet gift shop was closed when we arrived for the ballet last night, and Anna had been saving all her money specifically for this.  I don’t want to say how long we spent there, or how much we spent there, but it was definitely the shopping high point from Anna’s perspective.  And we got photos of cute little mini-tutus...

After lunch at M&S in Covent Garden, we took the tube to St. Paul’s Cathedral, where we happened upon a wedding just as the wedding party and guests were leaving the cathedral.  We spent an enjoyable time watching and snapping photos of hats from a distance!

Anna and I also took many photos of St. Paul’s.  Again, no photos allowed inside, but given our success yesterday at Westminster Abbey...

St. Paul’s was designed by Christopher Wren after the original St. Paul’s burned in the 1660’s.  It is classical and stunningly beautiful.

Then I looked at my watch and realized we were going to be late meeting Michael at the British Museum.  This was high on Anna’s list because of the Rosetta Stone and the excellent collection of Egyptian funerary items, specifically the cat and kitten mummies, although I think she also rather enjoyed the tiny fish mummy, which you can see in its wooden fish case at the left of the photo.  The girl has her priorities!

Outside the British Museum

And one of Michael’s priorities was to eat Indian food in London, which is how we wrapped up our day.

London - Day 3

*** Note:  As you have probably noticed, I’m a few days behind on my blog posting.  Like Anna, I’ve been writing a little about each day before bedtime, but the photos - downloading, selecting and resizing - is the weak link in the operation.  That, along with wifi only available in the common area, has caused a backup of posts.  And really, what’s a post from England without photos?  So, let’s get back to Friday...

Today was an especially long day, beginning with a trip to Westminster Abbey and ending with Anna’s official birthday present (three days early), a performance of La Fille Mal Gardee at the Royal Ballet.  Anna and I also managed to get in a little shopping in Sloane Square while Michael was back at the hotel.  We loved the fact that the Peter Lewis department store had a “knitting wool” section and were especially impressed by the number and range of throw pillows in the home section - racks and racks of them.  It was hard to resist the owl and union jack pillows, but we ultimately bought only 2 cookbooks which would easily fit into our carry-ons.

At this point, Anna is quite comfortable taking the tube everywhere.  She has commented more than once that London is nothing like NYC!  Everyone is very friendly and helpful, and quiet, just like Anna.  There have actually been a couple loud, unruly kids, and a few adults that didn’t have a good sense of their own personal space.  What did they have in common?  They were French.  

We passed by Parliament and Big Ben on the way to Westminster Abbey.  Anna was especially proud of capturing the flag flying over parliament.

I love the way the British are loathe to cut down their old trees...

We took some rogue photos within Westminster Abbey (where no photos are allowed). I was not struck down, so I think someone above also feels that if you pay nearly $50 for family admission to a church, you should be able to take a few photos.  The Abbey is truly awe-inspiring. William the Conqueror was crowned here in 1066, and it is the burial place for Kings and Queens of the last thousand years.  We walked next to the ancient tombs, and were able to touch the stone.

The stained glass windows and the ceiling of Henry VII’s Lady Chapel were so delicate and lovely...

Contrasted with the nave (not the best quality, but I did what I could from my coat pocket)...

We were allowed to take photos in the Cloisters...

Anna and I then walked to Buckingham Palace, stopping at the Royal Mews, which is the cleanest stable I have ever seen.  There was also an impressive collection of carriages.  The Royal Mews was interesting in that it is a little village.  Above the stables and the carriage rooms are apartments, where everyone who works with the horses and tack, as well as the chauffeurs, live.  Anna is always very happy around horses!

But not quite as happy as she is doing ballet, and going to the ballet!

The performance was excellent (to be expected), and it was nice to see this particular ballet because it was a Sir Frederick Ashton ballet originally choreographed for the Royal Ballet.  It’s one of our favorite ballets (actually the first ballet we saw at Boston Ballet when Anna was just 5 years old), and I don’t think any other company can perform it quite so well or so true to the original choreography.

London - Day 2

Today could best be described as the Tower Bridge Day, although, ironically, we didn't actually go there.  

The Tower Bridge was on a short list of things planned for the day, but we ended up spending the entire day at the Tower of London, where Anna took photos of the Tower Bridge from a distance and at every possible angle.  (It seems clear that we are not going to visit all the sites we intended during this trip!)

The Tower of London with a new skyscraper "the Shard" nearing completion in the background

Inside the Tower of London

The Tower of London is actually an old village consisting of many towers, which were often used as prisons, although they weren't originally intended as such.

Anna in front of the Queen's House and the Tower Green

Also within the Tower we saw the Queen's House (meaning Anne Boleyn), shown above, a chapel that has been in continuous use for over 500 years, ramparts, old Roman foundations, a medieval palace which was the Royal Residence, the royal ravens kept by the monarchy for good luck,  the Tower Green, which was the prime execution location when that sort of thing was popular family fun, and numerous residences currently in use by various heads of State.  And of course, there are the crown jewels (no photos allowed).  Most of the photos (and this is just a tiny selection) were taken by Anna, who I think is developing a good eye for photography.  See how many images of the Tower Bridge or parts thereof you see (there are 5 below)!

On the walk home, I couldn't resist taking a photo of this beautiful espaliered magnolia tree just around the corner from our hotel.  It is incredible!

And Little Miss Anna has been very good about wrapping up her days by writing in her journal.

London - Day 1

Little Miss Anna's first glimpse of England from her window seat...

"The tea just tastes so much better in England.  The cookies are good, too." -Anna, whilst relaxing in the hotel after the flight over

After another cup of tea, we left for a leisurely afternoon at the Victoria and Albert Museum.  It is walking distance, and the walk could not have been more pleasant, passing beautiful old apartment blocks and gardens with plants I can only dream could grow in New England.

 This garden is directly across the street from our hotel...

Speaking of dreams, we also stopped at an Aga showroom...

After just one afternoon in London, Anna has decided that the Royal Ballet is the company she aspires to.