Wednesday, May 21 The shuttle ride to Heathrow went quickly. Dropped off my big bags and went to the Dot to Dot area. I was in London much earlier than I expected to be. It all worked perfectly. I was totally pleased with the St Giles Hotel.
Clean, comfortable, friendly staff, an ashtray in my room :D and right in the center of things. Hadn’t really planned to do much in the way of sightseeing that day, but, since I was there so early, I explored a bit of Oxford Street and Charing Cross Road.
On Thursday, I decided to do the “Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus”. Bought the ticket at the Hotel. (What they DIDN”T explain there :whoops: , is that there are all kinds of different routes for this…..they all intersect,….. but you have ask, ask, ask, to be sure you are going where you WANT to go)
I could pick up one of the routes from in front of the British Museum, where I wanted to start my day, anyway. This was just a quick walk from the Hotel.
My mission at the British Museum was to find Artemidorus :!: ,…….and hereby hangs a tale, a long one, I’m afraid.
When I was in Egypt in March of 1990, I had palled up with one of the Smithsonian Tour Lecturers and had my own private tour of the Egyptian Museum with him. He was especially interested in the painted coffin portraits from the Fayum. These are beautifully and realistically painted caskets from the Roman period
In Look Homeward Angel, Thomas Wolfe’s character, Eugene, says, on the death of his brother, Ben, “Artemidorus farewell”. Thomas Wolfe was at the British Museum prior to writing the book, saw and remembered this, and put it in the novel.
When Joe Schork, the lecturer, was there, he made the connection and wrote a paper on it.
I found Artemidorus right away :lol: :lol:
Then caught the bus right in front of the Museum and sat in traffic for a looooong time enroute to the route that I wanted to take. Finally got there. Then the new bus us took us past Hyde Park and on to Buckingham Palace, where I made my only “hop-off”…..wandered in front of the Palace, and then took a tour of the Mews (stables)…not many horses :?: , but gorgeous coaches.
Got back on the bus, which then went all over London, finally ending up in Piccadilly Circus. Saw Silver Wind anchored in the Thames
Slideshow
Bus Tour Video. While in the Mews, I filmed at bit of the Coronation procession from the film they run.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X3m3IZqtbo
Back to the hotel and did a Big Mac Meal :oops: in my room for supper, then off to see the Mousetrap. Great fun, and a splendid production (they’ve had 54 years to “get it right” :!: :D ). Not much question as to “who dunnit”, though :wink:
Friday morning, - off to Liverpool. Loved the train ride, North. First class was definitely the “way to go”, despite the expense :shock: Elegant breakfast of salmon, etc :D
Train ride video
http://travel.webshots.com/video/3036321940056925461UQjVdJ
Now this would have been a “different” hostess present :mrgreen:
Train was on time, and Jo & Albert were there to greet me at Lyme Street Station
What a GREAT TIME THEY showed me :lol: :lol: :lol: :love: :love:
First we went to the Panoramic Restaurant on the 34th Floor of the Betham West Tower. It is quite new and revolves. Fabulous food and a view to die for
Then…..off for a DUKW ride. First it was a DUKW out of water, for a street tour, and then, DUKW in water. This was GREAT FUN!!!!! :D
Slideshow
DUKW in water video
http://travel.webshots.com/video/3079310420056925461XHZWZa
Then back to my new "home-away-from-home", where Jo whipped up a great dinner served on their beautiful patio :!: :!: :D
Video
Video
SUCH a GREAT TIME :!: :!: :!: :lol: :lol:
The videos are a lot better than my pictures, but what the heck, it is pretty short
Slideshow
Video 1 Some nice shots of the “Canal over the Canal” on this one