The Orient Express

Skipping Ahead

I am skipping ahead a little. I will fill in the blanks after I get home tomorrow. Well give me a couple of days anyway.

Her Majesty's Theatre

By the way an absolutely perfect seat - Loges in the 4th row - dead center - seat D-19. The last seat in the theatre for that showing. See there is something to be said for being a party of 1.

Phantom

Phantom of the Opera for, I think, the 15th time. This was a fabulous production and I couldn't help think of my son Jeff (aka ffaelen). London, I understand, is the original home of the Phantom so the set was well done. I know Jeff, someday, would love to do that set. It is great to have two creative/artistic kids. No clue where they got it!

What is this - you will have to ask

It is the little things that keep me thrilled

More bus day

Great Lunch - Salmon - it was delicious

More bus day

More Stonehenge

A Trip away from London

An all day bus ride took me to Stonehenge, Bath, and Stratford on Avon with a great lunch at some small town that I hope to remember the name of. I will just upload some pictures from that day if I can keep the connection.

I am getting behind on uploads as it has been almost a week since I was in London. I have seen Rome and have some great pictures and I am now with the PLL group in Venice. Train time tomorrow to Budapest and then on to Paris. We all seem to be anticipating the Orient Express.

Who is this?

I am now in Rome but I will finish the pictures from London when I get a faster Internet. In the meantime ????

A little prose

It is time to add a little information. When you think of the history of our area it is difficult to find something before 1906. When they start talking about 52 A.D. for plumbing and bathing and 1069 for building a castle it simply boggles the mind. I was sitting at a restaurant today that it said on the outside of the building 'Built in 1423'. At least it didn't say 'Under the same proprietor'. I will be putting up some more pictures in the next couple of days of the London area. I have only touched the surface of what is here but is definately a place I will want to return. I love the history, the weather at this time of year is beautiful and I love the people.

To Michelle

Happy Birthday Michelle -

Have a Great Day

Dad

The QM? My daughter says it's in Long Beach!

Another Hint as to who he is

Now Where Am I?

It is not the gin - but many women died at this location - OFF with their heads and on to the next one.

Guess Who ??

Guess who?? No it's not Napoleon but his statue is at Trafalgar Square.

Prince Albert Hall

Now the real London

First a picture of the map then the real thing

Finally on the bus

How quaint - Kentucky in London

Buckingham Palace

By the way (BTW in the future) my hotel is 2 blocks from the palace. I did not choose it that way - I wanted something fairly close to the Theatre District. I did see the changing of the guards but not the formal changing. BTW I am staying at the Crowne Plaza-St. James; an upgraded Holiday Inn. Shhh - I hope Joannie Joutz, Foster City doesn't see this post.

Then some one took my picture

Then someone took my picture - Ok here is how it works - you find a couple trying to take each others picture and you offer to take their picture together. They are thrilled and then you hand them your camera. Sure meet lots of people this way. So first picture in front of Buckingham Palace and then I will follow that with a picture of the palace. No she wasn't there!

Ticket

......and this guy sold me my bus ticket. He was born in Paris- now lives in London but is Turkish. Name? - I don't know but I can tell you I was across the street from Buckingham Palace

Some Direction

Some Direction - This blog site works from bottom to top - the oldest stuff on the bottom. I have tried to only put things I know- like a picture of myself or a map or name of what it is. Sometimes you just might have to guess. So the first thing I am putting on is a brochure from the bus company which should tell you I started on a bus an saw some sights. If I know what the sight is I will tell you otherwise you get to guess. Ok I will figure out how to turn it later

The trip across the pond

Arrived London about 6:15 am after a nine hour trip. It then took about 2 1/2 hours to get to the hotel. Leaving at noon on day one and arriving at 6 in the morning on day 2 does give your body an experience but as luck would have it (or an unbusy hotel) when I checked in I got a room immediately. That was an invitation to crash and I did for about 4 hours. It seems like I lost a whole day - not just 8 hours.

A Tune Up Workshop