London, England, was established by the Romans at the narrowest part of the Thames River to facilitate crossing the water and as a focus point for trade. The name originally was “Londinous” that derives from the Celtic language and meant “to be bold.” The actual city of London, affectionately referred to as “The Square Mile,” is only 1.2 miles square and is home to 7,500 residents, although some 50,000 people work here. It has city and county status and is the historic center. Greater London is over six hundred square miles with almost nine million inhabitants.
This is not a story about sightseeing the great city of London and describing the world famous Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, or Buckingham Palace. It rather is about our experiences of exploring the center of this great city, enjoying the vibe of the Londoners, and just soaking in the local scene at pubs. A day and a half did not allow us to do much more, but it was a wonderful trip of recapturing old memories. My wife, Jill, used to live, work, and attend college there and I was often there for business. Obviously, there have been many changes, but much is still the same. Despite massive downsizing of the British Empire, numerous scandals within the Royal Family, the death of immensely popular Queen Elizabeth, and the staggering cost of the sovereign upkeep, most of the British still support the monarchy. The unique, roomy London taxis are still the most popular taxis, but many more colors have been added to the original black ones. Unlike other taxi companies and Uber, these drivers still receive rigorous training that normally takes between two and four years. The first bright red double-decker buses were converted to electric power back in 2015, and today some 60% run on electric or hydrogen fuel cells, aiding in the London goal of zero emissions in the next years.
We stayed at the Doubletree Hilton Hyde Park right on Baywater Road. The staff could not have been more pleasant, the room and bathroom were clean, and the breakfast buffet was sumptuous. It even included specialty coffees.
There is also a pleasant terrace bordering Bayswater Road surrounded by plants and trees. From here to the well-known Notting Hill and Portobello Road area is only about a mile away and makes for fun window shopping along the amusing funky shops and street market where a variety of pubs invite sampling the local ware.
We spent our time around Hyde Park, Bayswater Road, and Notting Hill, strolling through the park in awe of Kensington Palace, birthplace of Queen Victoria, and a Royal Home for over 300 years. Despite being the official residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, it is open to visitors and offers special cultural evenings to the public. Security must be tight here but walking around the grounds we found no obvious display of it aside from small, unobtrusive black and white signs restricting photography. Back across Bayswater Road and Notting Hill, known mostly from the hilarious movie of the same name that was filmed here starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts. The small bookshop featured in the movie is located at 142 Portobello Road, but it was never a real bookshop. Instead, antiques were sold here at the time. Presently, it is a very typical tourist souvenir shop. However, a sign “The Travel Book Shop” is attached to the wall from when the movie was filmed. The surrounding area is a bohemian collection of old London pubs, eclectic shops, and side streets lined with pastel-colored townhomes and restaurants, culminating in the famous Portobello Road Market. There are few treasures to be found today, but it is an interesting flea market.
Famous Carnaby Street.
The next day we walked from our hotel on Bayswater Road via Marble Arch to Selfridges, the iconic store on Oxford Street selling luxury goods and functioning as a social get-together since 1909. People watching here included not only customers of the store, but typical English smartly dressed staff as well. We continued to Bond Street, New Bond Street, and the renowned Claridge’s Hotel, and a venerable landmark of so many novels and movies. Via St. George Church we rounded Picadilly Circus with the Eros Statue. Many people believe it is the Greek God of Love, but in fact it was erected in 1893 with the Harftsbury Memorial Fountain to commemorate the work of Lord Shaftsbury and all his philanthropic endeavors. The statue is of the Angel of Christian Charity, Atheros, and also contrary to beliefs that Picadilly Circus once was a circus. In fact, the name came from the Latin word for “Circle” instead.
We continued walking past the very popular Lego store where people were waiting in line as the maximum store occupancy was constantly challenged by tourists from all over the world to see the display of the Aston Martin, the British sports car made famous by the James Bond movies, completely built with Lego bricks. From there we continued into Chinatown, where several restaurant kitchens had large windows for viewing their chefs at work. That tour ended at a traditional old pub in the Carnaby Street neighborhood.
In spite of balmy sunny weather, Londoners were carrying raincoats and umbrellas as they always do, because everyone here understands the weather can change rapidly. And indeed, they were proven correct with a very short downpour that only lasted about fifteen minutes. But the general mood was amiable and terraces outside pubs were filled with people enjoying the sun. According to the city administration, London has so much green space and tree coverage that the ecosystem reduces pollution, purifies the air, and regulates temperatures, saving the city over one million dollars a year in cleanup. The side streets of Bayswater Road are lined with unique townhouses with white painted stucco facades and a short set of stairs to each ornate entrance. Today, many function as hotels and Airbnb’s due to the high cost of maintenance in London.
Our short stay in London was certainly not long enough, but we managed to fit in local pub fare like “Fish and Chips” and “Cider Vinegar Sea Salt Crisps,” as well as a fabulous Indian curry meal at one of the many Indian restaurants in the area. We drank the lukewarm beer served in the pubs and gin and tonic served with one small ice cube. As the British say: “Why ruin a perfect drink with all the ice you Americans fill your glasses with!! We stood in orderly queues for the double-decker buses with Londoners who had been educated from a young age to stand patiently in the queues, never push, and acknowledge the driver with a “Thank You,” or “Cheers” when leaving the bus. And we learned again to pay attention to “Look to your right” signs painted on the roads for the non-British visitors. Before leaving, we enjoyed the tradition dating back to around 1840 of afternoon tea with tiny open sandwiches, butter scones, and clotted cream. As the British say: “Lovely!”
Ewout Rijk de Vries and his wife, Jill, brought America Travel Arrangements to Marco Island 40 years ago. They specialize in high-end adventure tours and small safari groups for clientele all over the world, but also are experts on high-end cruises with the help of longtime assistant and friend, Michelle Wegman. In combination with his writing and photography, Ewout has visited over 100 countries. Please direct your comments or questions to ewout@coastalbreezenews.com, as he likes to hear from readers.
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