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England 2003

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On May 28, 2003, Melissa and I departed for a two-week tour of England. After months of planning --- with daily checks on plane fares, web-crawling for lodgings, excited telephone communications, and the occasional frantic e-mail --- we were finally on our way.

Throughout the trip, Melissa and I collected flyers, snapped off picture after picture, ran video tape, and took notes so that we would have a record of the occasion. Many of those remembrances appear below. And we hope you enjoy them.

The flight aboard American Airlines was an event in and of itself. We were seated next to the rest room and, despite sleeping aids, did not sleep a wink because of the "potty traffic." We passed the time watching movies, talking at length about our upcoming holiday, and discussing the fact that we should not, under any circumstances, nap upon arrival. We WOULD NOT give in to jet lag!

Our airplane touched down a little after 6 am, London time. We were through Customs quickly and began the process of train hopping to the Emperor's Gate, our apartment in Kensington, and beginning DAY ONE of our holiday abroad.

(The Emperor's Gate at Knaresborough Place, Kensington.)

After lunching at the Stanny, Melissa and I hopped on a Big Bus and proceeded to tour London from the top of a double decker. It was wonderful to get right out there and see the major attractions. Plus, it really helped me get oriented to the city. Melissa had been there before, and was way better than the guide at pointing out the sights! It was sunny and bright and warm; and the breeze generated by the bus travel was just what we needed.

(Jennifer and Melissa on the Big Bus.)

We passed by many of the places we would later tour, and disembarked at what would become one of our favorite destinations: Trafalgar Square. What more could you possibly want in a public gathering place? Fountains to play in and soak your feet in; plenty of good people-watching; and pigeons that would happily sit on your shoulder in exchange for food.

(Having lots of fun at Trafalgar Square.)

Signing on for the Big Bus Tour also garnered us tickets for the Thames River Cruise. We stepped aboard our ship at Tower Bridge, and ended up in the shadows of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.

Melissa and I wandered around the riverfront for some time, listening to Big Ben chime in the dinner hour. We then jumped on another Big Bus and headed back to the flat for dinner and some much-needed sleep. We had been up and at 'em for just over forty hours. To say we slept the "Sleep of the Just" would be an understatement.

DAY TWO proved to be as "warm and fine" as the previous. (The weather reports in England are quite interesting. You rarely get any actual temperature data. And such colloquialisms as "warm and fine" actually translate into "hotter than hell.")

We continued to have problems with the water controls in the shower (This time I saw Melissa naked.), and coined the phrase "Tissue Issues" when we discovered that we could not satisfactorily flush the toilet in our flat without first revving up the handle. In triplicate. And even that was no guarantee.

Melissa and I decided to spend our second day in London roaming the streets of Soho, checking out the shopping in Covent Gardens, and locating 86 Charing Cross Road, the inspirational site of one of my favorite movies. We did it all, getting around town via the London Underground, or the "Tube."

(The London Tube map; a real Soho Fruit and Veg guy!)

(Jennifer pledges her love to Chris beneath Eros; Melissa pledges her love to Stella's outside the Red Lion!)

We wrapped up our second day with dinner at Bistro Benito, home of the teeny-tiniest drinks you've ever seen. Melissa and I teased our host, Simone, about this relentlessly, asking him if he measured out the Cokes in a Dixie Cup and proclaiming America to be the "Home of the Super-size." Amused to no end, Simone favored us with "Limon Cello's" --- on the house.

Our plan for DAY THREE was to activate our London Passes and use them at the Tower of London. We did that, receiving one of the most interesting tours of the trip with Yeoman Warder Mick. We learned all about the beheadings that took place at the Tower and on Tower Hill. We were able to go inside the small Chapel on the grounds where Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey are buried. We walked through the White Tower, taking in an armory of armor. We perused the impressive collection of Crown Jewels. We saw the Ravens who are always on site; legend has it that if they leave, the Kingdom will fall. And we met many of the handsome Beefeaters who guard the Tower.

(Melissa and Beefeater Jon Kirby; Melissa and Jennifer with Beefeater Guide, Mick.)


(Scenes from the FABULOUS Tower of London.)

We spent our FOURTH DAY in London at Kensington Palace. The manor itself was breath-taking. The furniture and decor were absolutely grand. But the gardens and the grounds were even more impressive. Melissa got very friendly with a squirrel; and I joined in the fun.

(On the grounds at Kensington.)

After touring Princess Diana's Palace, Melissa suggested a stroll through the real East End. It was similar to what we are used to seeing on "EastEnders," but even grittier. There was quite a bit of "rough trade" on the streets and in the pubs. We wandered up the main thoroughfare and discovered a small canal wending behind the neighborhood houses. We couldn't help but be reminded of Den meeting his demise.

(Getting to the real East End.)


(The East End Market, closed for the day; one of the Canals.)

By the time we finished in the East End, it was getting late. It was time for our London Walks Tour: The Ripper Walk. Our host was to be Donald Rumbelow, Author of "The Complete Jack the Ripper." The tour was amazing; and Mr. Rumbelow was expert not only in Ripperology, but in setting the scene and essentially "taking you back." It was eerie and exciting and a true thrill.

(The Ripper Walk with Author Donald Rumbelow.)

Melissa and I went to the London Dungeon the following morning --- on DAY FIVE. It was a kitchy attraction that featured displays and demonstrations on everything from the Ripper to the Great Plague to 18th Century tortures of choice. And it was a good way to blow off steam before the Graham Norton Show....

(Melissa meets Jennifer at the chopping block in the London Dungeon.)


(What's unusual about this picture? The guy behind us is REAL.
And we have no idea where he came from.)

(One of the many goodies that Graham messengered over to us.)

Melissa and I got a late start on our SIXTH DAY in England. We shopped on Oxford Street, searching out comfortable flip-flops for Melissa's swollen feet. We picked up a few souvenirs and began collecting silver charms for commemorative bracelets.

After finishing up in Oxford, we made our way to Leicester Square to purchase tickets for the show, "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." We had discussed the possibility of seeing several plays in London, but thought Chitty would be the most fun. It surely held great appeal for two "child-at-heart" women!

We began to make our way back to Kensington and the Emperor's Gate to rest up and then get ready for the play we would see later that night at the Palladium. We popped into a few pubs along the way where we were recognized time and again as "the two Americans from the Graham Norton Show."

(Artists at Leicester Square.)


(Paul and Michelle, two Graham Norton fans who had us pegged as "the two Americans"
from the moment we walked into the St. James Pub.)

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang couldn't have been more wonderful! The music was resonant and rich. The acting was superb. The sets and costumes were colorful and exciting. --- And Chitty actually "flew" out over the audience. Both Melissa and I were transported back through time; we were six again; and it was good.

(Chitty Ticket; Jennifer outside the London Palladium.)

It was DAY SEVEN, and Melissa's friend, Rod, was due in late that afternoon from York. We thought we would do some sightseeing, with the Millennium Bridge and Saint Paul's Cathedral high on our list. We also enjoyed a nice picnic on the Thames River Walk.

(Mo and Jenn on the Millennium Bridge, or the "Wibbly Wobbly,"
with St. Paul's in the background.)

(Beautiful St. Paul's Cathedral.)


(Melissa and Pete, a regular at the Lucas Arms.)

Rod's train was scheduled to arrive just before dinner. Melissa and I made our way to Kings Cross early and enjoyed an hour of down time at the Lucas Arms Pub. We met quite a few interesting characters, including "Peter," who desperately wanted to teach Mo the Tango!

Rod, a fine English Gentleman with an amazing sense of humor and an unlimited supply of patience (He had to put up with Mel and I, didn't he?), arrived safely; and Melissa and I whisked him away to Kensington. After settling in, we decided to try some Indian food (with Rod as our guide) at a local restaurant called the Delhi Brasserie. It was spicy but delicious fare. For "afters," we headed back to the flat for some Cadbury's chocolate and a few refreshing G & T's.

(Rod and Melissa catch up; Jennifer shows off the well-stocked refrigerator.)

The G & T's worked their magic, and Rod and Melissa and I were effectively "silly" for the night. We stayed up late swapping stories, marveling at the subtleties of the English language(s), and staging "Gray Poupon" commercials on video camera. After a lot of laughing, Rod went to sleep on the "Zed Bed." Melissa and I stayed up into the wee hours giggling. (Aside to Melissa: SNAUSAGES!)

It was another gorgeous morning in London when the three of us set off for a cruise to Greenwich on DAY EIGHT. We spent the better part of the day there, checking out the Cutty Sark (One of Dot and Ethyl and Pauline's favorite spots.), lunching at a Noodle Bar, browsing through an impressive Antique Market, and visiting a couple of local pubs.

(Disembarking at Greenwich; Rod and Melissa in front of the Cutty Sark.)



(Riverscape on the return trip from Greenwich.)

Returning to London, we visited Westminster Abbey for Evensong Services. The entire ceremony was performed by the Choir, with calls to worship and responses sung. It was a beautiful service, and unlike any other Melissa and I had ever seen.

(At Westminster for Evensong; Jennifer and Melissa with Bobby and Ben.)

(Rod and Melissa, just outside of Leicester Square.)

After a quick soak in the fountains at Trafalgar Square and a lovely dinner at the Aberdeen Angus Beef Steak House in Leicester Square, Rod, Melissa and I returned to the flat for some quiet conversation and rest.

Rod left for York the following morning and, while Melissa saw him off, I walked a few blocks to Holland Park. I strolled through the rose gardens and watched a Cricket game before the rain forced me back to the flat.

(Roses at Holland Park.)

The weather being what it was, Melissa thought DAY NINE would provide the perfect opportunity to go to Harrod's. She had told me about her previous trip there: the amazing Food Halls, the beautiful Boutiques, and the Perfume and Make-Up Counters --- each individual section the size of a football field. But nothing could have prepared me for that Shopping Mecca. It was beyond impressive.

Melissa and I purchased a few goodies from the gourmet food counters and candy shops, including tempura courgette, battered prawns, and silver and gold Jordan almonds, before heading upstairs to the jewelry counter where we were, once again, asked "Are you the two Americans from the Graham Norton Show?" by the wait staff. It was too funny.

It was hard to believe that DAY TEN was here. But it was. And Melissa and I headed out to Waterloo Station where we would meet our guide for a walking tour of the Salisbury Cathedral and Stonehenge. It was a brilliant, sunshiny morning as we boarded our train to the English Countryside.

Salisbury was a pretty little town, quaint in every respect. Everything was lush and green and beautiful. Even the people were just a bit pinker!

The Salisbury Cathedral, which boasts the tallest spire in all of Wiltshire, was built between 1220 and 1258. It is an exquisite structure rich in history. And it's one of the few churches that allows photography. Mel and I took full advantage of this, as you'll see below.

(The Salisbury Cathedral; horses cool themselves in a tributary of the Avon at Salisbury Green.)


(The quaint downtown area of Salisbury.)


(Melissa and Jennifer in the Close leading to the Cathedral.)


(The arches of Salisbury Cathedral; the pipe organ beside the High Altar.)


(Tomb of William Longespee; Melissa captured this shot of the spire through a Cathedral archway.)


(Jennifer and Melissa in the Cathedral Courtyard; lunching on the Salisbury Cathedral green.)

After touring the Cathedral and enjoying a leisurely lunch on the green, Melissa and I and the rest of our tour boarded a coach to Stonehenge. The driver took us in "the back way" through more English Countryside. We passed by several small cottages with thatched roofs, wide, open fields dotted with sheep and cows, and Sting's Manor House, which is actually a castle.

Visiting Stonehenge was entirely surreal. Our guide was very knowledgeable, giving us much information about and pointing out many details of the stones. But I didn't retain any of it. I just kept standing there in front of those huge rocks thinking, "I'm at Stonehenge. I'm at STONEHENGE." I'm pretty sure Melissa was thinking the same thing.

(Stonehenge and the Sacrifice Stone; Melissa poses at the entry gate.)



(Jennifer and Melissa at Stonehenge.)

The walking tour ended at six; and we were back in London by nightfall. After such a busy and incredible day we made an early night of it, opting to stay in and get to bed early.

That extra rest came in handy, as DAY ELEVEN found us chasing down the Royal Horse Guard in Green Park for the better part of the morning, then staking out the perfect spot to watch the Changing of the Royal Guard at Buckingham Palace. It was well worth the effort and the wait, as there was a special musical celebration for the 50th Anniversary of the Queen's Coronation.

(Melissa and Jennifer at the gates of Buckingham Palace.)


(Jennifer and Melissa arrive extra early for the Changing of the Royal Guard.)


(The new Guard moves in: a Royal Guard Band Member prepares to sound his horn.)

(Our lodgings in Horley.)