What an amazing trip! I had been to England several times before, but it had been years since I'd been back. There were family and friends to visit, a date to see Anita Dobson on stage, and a beautiful Country to see! I had planned my journey to the UK months beforehand and, when the day finally arrived, I was beside myself.
What follows on this page is
sort of my own personal travelogue. I saved many of my ticket
stubs and brochures, and picked up postcards to document the sites
I saw. I also took several pictures of friends and places to remember
--- for myself and to you.
I spent a total of nine days in the UK, and was graced with good
weather on all but one of them. Most of the time, it was sunny
and in the upper 80's. A little warm by local standards (I witnessed
many a wilting Brit!), but just fine for this Southern Belle.
After locating my hotel and settling in somewhat, I hit the streets in search of my local Tube Station. It was not too far away --- only a ten minute walk --- and pretty straightforward. I purchased a UK Travel Card, the pass I would need to gain entry through the turnstiles and board the train. And then I set off for my first adventure: the UK River Cruise.
The cruise down the River Thames
was a wonderful way to see London at a glance. And, as I floated
along, I couldn't help but reflect that I was, in essence, sailing
the EastEnders Logo!
We passed many popular London attractions, including the London
Eye, the world's tallest observation tower. The Eye was built
by British Airways as part of the Millennium Celebration. It's
basically a giant ferris wheel of sorts, with "pods"
instead of open cars. Each pod holds up to 25 people and, on a
clear day, you can see for miles and miles. The next day, I would
actually board the London Eye to see for myself!
The UK River Cruise also took me past Tower Bridge, the gateway to the Tower of London. Tower Bridge is one of the most ornate spans in all of England. It's certainly something to see.
London Bridge was next, much
smaller than Tower Bridge, and much simpler in design. I was shocked
to hear the tour guide relate that, in the olden days, the heads
of traitors were often displayed along the railings. Yikes.
The river cruise was over entirely
too fast. But I had big plans for the next day.... Big Bus plans!
Blessed with another beautiful day, I awoke early and purchased
an all-day pass for the Big Bus Tour. This would allow me to ride
the Big Bus, hop off to take in an attraction or two, and reboard
another Big Bus at will. There were four different routes criss-crossing
all of London; there was no excuse to miss a thing!
Of course, I HAD to revisit
the London Eye. As promised, I could indeed look out over all
of London. It took about a half hour for the pods to rotate all
the way around, so there was plenty of time to see it all. There
was also plenty of time to chat. I met an older English couple,
somewhere in their late sixties, on the Eye. They were very curious
about my accent, and I confided that I was from America, North
Carolina, the South. --- They had only one question: Did I know
any real cowboys? (Personal Aside to Esta: Thank goodness I was
wearing shoes.)
Boarding another Big Bus, I took note of an interesting sign: "Humped Pelican Crossing." --- Humped Pelican Crossing?! In England, a "Humped Pelican Crossing" is actually a "Speed Bump" warning. (I have no idea.) Also, the "Zebra Crossing" signs are merely pedestrian walks. I found the Pelican sign amusing and captured it on film.
It was getting warmer and warmer,
and I was DYING for something cold. Ice cold. But in England,
they don't really serve things ice cold. Soft drinks, which are
never cold, but cool, don't even come with ice. The only thing
that's truly served "ice cold" is beer.... So I decided
to take a break from the Big Bus Tour to satisfy my thirst. I
ventured into the Bag O' Nails Pub, ordered a bottle of beer,
and proceeded to run the freezing glass across my forehead. Ah,
bliss.
Walking back to the Big Bus
bus stop, I couldn't resist asking a Londoner to snap a picture
of me in front of a real English Phone Box. (Oh, come on. You
would have done the same!)
Back on board the Big Bus, I peered out as we traveled through Kensington Gardens. I disembarked yet again, this time to take in Albert's Memorial. Prince Albert, of "in the can" fame, was not only Queen Victoria's husband, but her Secretary and Chief Advisor. His memorial was an impressive 175 feet high, with a statue of his likeness done up in gold plate. It was beautifully crafted and a real tribute to the man.
After touring the sight across
from Royal Albert Hall, I returned to the Big Bus and found myself
looking out the window at the Queen Victoria Memorial --- right
in front of Buckingham Palace. I thought about going in for the
official tour; but the line was so long, there was no hope of
getting in on that day. Instead, I opted to hop off and take a
few photos of the "Changing of the Guards." --- Guess
what? You really CAN'T make them crack a smile. No matter WHAT
you do.
At Trafalgar Square, the "Washington
Square Park" of London, I stopped off to do some people watching.... What I actually ended up doing was PIGEON watching!
I have never seen so many pigeons in one place. Aggressive pigeons.
Pigeons that would land ON you if they even got wind of a breath
mint.
I passed many other points of interest on the Big Bus Tour, including Westminster Abbey, the site of almost every British Monarch's crowning and Diana's Walk, a lovely memorial to the late Princess located in Saint James Park. It was another wonderful day in London.
One of the highlights of my trip involved accepting Anita Dobson's personal invitation to see her on stage. She was performing in a play called "Frozen." It was a remarkable piece; and Anita was simply brilliant. Afterwards, I was invited backstage to meet with Anita. Once again, she made me feel very welcome. She also made me laugh when she commented, "Melissa, I can't believe you're even more tan than you were in Miami!"
Before I tell you about my days in York, I want to tell you about the pubs of London. First, pubs have always been a love of mine --- and not just because of the wonderful lagers they have! It has always been my dream to eventually live in the UK and OWN my own pub. So I made sure that while I was in London I stepped into every one I encountered. I have no idea how many that was; but suffice it to say that there were scads.
Most of the pubs had the ambiance of the Queen
Vic: They were crowded with people bellied up to the bar ordering
pints and ha' pints. People sat in booths eating fish n' chips
and having a good old natter about their day with friends. There
were also a few loners who sat playing the fruit machines.
Many of the pubs cater to locals who come in with their mates
daily for a quick one after work. (Very EastEnders.) Others are
geared more to tourists. I preferred the local public houses ---
the ones that weren't quite so fancy, the ones where you could
pop in and have your crisps and ales and eye the other punters.
In one Pub there were four ladies having a nibble.... Dot, Ethel,
Pat and Pauline perhaps? Probably not. But I couldn't help but
wonder if they had watched EastEnders on the telly that day!
My time in York was a real pleasure. After
years and years of e-mails, I finally got to meet one of my "online
friends...." Initially, Rod and I got to know each other
through a shared interest in English History. We began e-mailing
each other regularly, graduated to phone calls, and eventually
had our first face-to-face in August. Rod hosted me in his home
for three days during my visit to the UK. We spent one of those
days touring York.
We visited "Old York," walking every mile alongside the wall that encircles the Old Town. We also toured Clifford's Tower, an impressive structure that, at one time, was a prison and the principle site of executions in York. I picked up some additional postcards depicting other points of interest in York including Kings Arms and River Ouse, and Yorkminster and Five Sisters.
Castle Howard was next on our sight-seeing tour. It was quite the showplace. Situated on THOUSANDS of acres, how could it not be?! Considered one of the most ornate castles in all of England, it boasts libraries, music rooms, and an extensive art collection featuring original oil paintings of King Henry the XIII, detailed bronze castings, and various sculptures from China, India, and beyond. Many of you may find that the photos of the castle look somewhat familiar.... "Brideshead Revisited" was filmed there years ago.
Atlas Fountain stands majestically on the front
lawn of Castle Howard. The pool at the base of the fountain is
big enough for all the Western North Carolina EastEnders Fanatics
to swim in. Together. Even after GabFest cake.
After spending a few days with Rod, it was time to catch up with
an old family friend. Ken, who lives in Normanton, is a fellow
I've known for, well, ever. He agreed to meet me in Knaresborough
and escorted me into a pub where I experienced my first-ever British
Lemonade. It was crystal clear. And delicious.
We walked around town and found ourselves at Mother Shipton's Cave, one of the oldest tourist attractions in England. It's a wonderful outdoor arena for modern art. Ken insisted on taking a picture of me in front of "Hangings," a display made up of old sheets hanging from trees. I happily obliged.
I enjoyed every one of my nine days in England. I spent my last night at Victoria Lodge, a lovely Bed and Breakfast in Horley, Gatwick. I occupied a lower room with a beautiful bay window. The Innkeepers spoiled me with an authentic full English breakfast and a ride to the airport. --- Oh, and I was really, really lucky: I got to eat grapes on the steps with the owners' son, James. And I couldn't think of a more perfect way to end the perfect trip.
