Two weeks in London & Scotland
May 6 – 21, 2016
May 6 – 21, 2016
It’s
vacation time again and it’s back to packing & unpacking bags. This summer,
we decided to go off to London (to visit the Queen). Having completed the
necessary visa formalities well in advance, I began to draw up a travel plan
while my husband gave all his attention to booking the accommodation &
tickets. Having done all that, we eagerly awaited the day of our journey to a
place that we’d visited only through the words of writers such as Enid Blyton,
Charles Dickens & Wordsworth.
Mumbai
à Dubai à
London Gatwick Airport
This
time around, we flew Emirates and, I must say, it was a
great experience. The service was worth appreciating and the flight was very
comfortable on account of the ample leg space, wide choice of in-flight
entertainment and, of course, meals. Our journey from Mumbai to London’s Gatwick
Airport was broken by a 6 hour stop-over in Dubai. We spent the time exploring
the extremely opulent airport and browsed through its many department stores
before making good use of the Emirates’ complimentary meal ticket to be used at
Dubai Airport.
The
second leg of our journey lasted about six hours, most of which we spent
grabbing our forty winks and watching a couple of movies. (I watched
Casablanca. Lovely movie that!)
Finally,
exactly on schedule, we landed at Gatwick Airport, went through the Immigration
section and were welcomed into London by a gust of cool breeze. Now, 12o
might not seem like much to others, but for us coming from a 35o hot
Mumbai, it was like….brrrrrr!
Gatwick
Airport à East Croydon à
Crystal Palace
Strangely,
other than a few Route maps at the exits, there weren’t any tourist information
booths at the airport. So, after perusing the map for a while, we took the
Gatwick Express (£10.4) and got off at East Croydon. Here, we did something
that proved to be very sensible and useful – we got our selves pre-paid travel
cards known as Oyster Cards. Using these we took the coach (Route 41) to Crystal
Palace.
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| Crystal Palace Rail Station |
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| Church Road, Crystal Palace |
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| Inside Crystal Palace Park |
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| Breakfast at B&G |
Our accommodation – Euro Queen’s Hotel
For the duration of our stay in London, we had booked
ourselves into the Euro Queen’s Hotel (122, Church Road), an establishment that seems to be very
popular with the tourists, judging by the number of them constantly standing at
the reception counter with their bags. Check-in is at 2 pm, which was quite a
bother since we’d arrived there at 11.40 and having nothing to do, had to wait
in the lobby. Initially, we were directed to a room in one of the many that are
located below ground level / the basement. It was carpeted et al, but we just
couldn’t get ourselves to look beyond the fact that the room had no windows
save for a vent in one corner near the ceiling. Just the thought of entering
the room triggered a feeling of claustrophobia and we immediately asked for a
change of room. At this moment, we were greatly helped by one of the Senior
Managers, Mr. Munir; a jovial, helpful and extremely interesting personality.
With his assistance we were promptly directed to a much brighter and cheerful
room on level four. It had large windows overlooking the main street even while
it blocked all external noise.
All-in-all, the Queen’s Hotel provides really
decent accommodation (I’m ignoring the basement rooms when I say this) at very
affordable rates. Rooms are clean and are equipped with an electric kettle
& 24 hr hot water. The staff is friendly and helpful. Wi-Fi can be availed
of at £3 for a period of 24 hours. The only drawback was that there is just one
power outlet. This meant that we had to take turns charging our respective cell
phones and laptops.
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| Our room in The Euro Queen's Hotel |
After a quick shower and change into fresh clothes, we
stepped out to explore London….and let me begin by saying, it was exactly as
the books of my childhood described it – the cloudy skies, the trees of varied
colored foliage, the pretty houses with their little backyards and chimneys,
and the quintessential red bus that makes its way all across the city. And what
pretty names! Gipsy Hill….Trafalgar Square….Charring Cross…
As we soon discovered, it is extremely easy to get around
London. It has an excellent rail and coach/bus service and, if you have any
difficulty following the maps, you will find that the British are quick to
point the way, if you ask them. Our first evening, we discovered that Crystal
Palace station is to London what Bandra is to Mumbai. It’s centrally located
and connects two major stations, namely, London Victoria and London Bridge.
To begin with, we headed to the former.
London Victoria is a bustling and well organized station. You
just can’t get bored here. While you wait for your train, you can grab a bite
at one of the many restaurants or browse through the pages of the newspapers
that are available free of cost. Before I go on with the wonderful sights of
London, here’s a pic’ of my tourist map, to help create a clearer picture.
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| Tourist Map of London |
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| Key Bus Routes in London |
It might seem easier to take the tube around town, but, if
you really want to see London, I’d suggest you walk around as far as possible.
The sites are not really as far apart as they seem on the map.
From London Victoria,
one can use the over ground train service, head to the tube station or walk
towards many popular tourist destinations. At first, we walked along aimlessly,
admiring the beauty of the city. Everything was so…..er…British! It was
wonderful, the feeling of being in a foreign land and yet finding everything so
familiar. If you’ve grown up with British authors as companions you’ll
understand what I mean to say.
Anyway, following the map, we walked past the Royal Mews and
headed towards Buckingham Palace and the very imposing Victoria Memorial that
stands in front of it.
Buckingham Palace is the official London residence and
official headquarters of the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. This
palace has 775 rooms and its well-sculpted garden is the largest in London.
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| Buckingham palace & the Victoria Memorial |
The Victoria Memorial, unveiled in 1911, is a monument
dedicated to Queen Victoria, the first monarch to reside at Buckingham Palace.
At the top of the monument, on a globe, stands the gilded statue of Winged
Victory. The statue of an enthroned Queen Victoria was placed facing the city, flanked
on either side by Truth & Justice. At nearly 25 meters (82 ft) tall,
the Victoria Memorial remains the tallest monument to a King or Queen in
England.
We sat awhile, admiring the grandiosity of the Victoria Memorial
and the beauty of the garden before heading back to the hotel for much needed
rest.
Two Museums and the Royal Albert Hall
Day two saw us taking a bus from London Victoria to the museum
sector. Now, if you look closely at the map, you’ll see that it this area has
three museums standing shoulder-to shoulder. We planned to visit all three, but
could do only two. There’s so much to see in each of them that it sort of tires
you out if you try doing them all at once. That’s what happened to us.
We first stopped at the Victoria & Albert Museum, the
world’s largest museum of decorative arts & design.
Its collection spans 5,000 years of
art, from ancient times to the present day, from the ancient cultures of the world.
There are large displays of various
items like weapons, silverware, ceramics, fabrics and paintings. The
museum owns the world's largest collection of post-classical sculpture and
Renaissance art. I don’t usually go ga-ga over ornaments, but the jewelry
display had me sincerely wishing I were royalty. Everything was so sparkly and
pretty…..tiaras, rings, necklaces, hair pins….sigh!
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| V&A Museum |
The Natural History Museum that stands
across the street exhibits a large collection showcasing various segments of
natural history.
The museum is home to life and earth science specimens
comprising some 80 million items. My husband found this museum interesting. I
preferred the V&A.
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| The Natural History Museum |
Oh, let me not forget to inform you that entry to both
museums is absolutely free.
For lunch, we feasted on burgers and ice-cream available
outside the Museum, but that was before we visited the Natural History Museum.
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| Flipping burgers outside the Natural History Museum |
Having had our fill of museums, we skipped the Science Museum
(standing beside the Natural History Museum) and took a leisurely walk towards
the Royal
Albert Hall (south Kensington). Since its opening by Queen Victoria in 1871,
the Royal Albert Hall has become one of the most treasured and distinctive
buildings of the UK. After sipping on coffee at the Hall’s in-house café, we
walked around the Hall towards the Albert
Monument situated in Kensington Garden, directly across the street from the
Royal Albert Hall.
It was commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of her
husband, Prince Albert who had died of typhoid in 1861. The monument depicts
the gilt bronze statue of Prince Albert ceremoniously seated facing the Royal
Albert Hall. This signifies his interest in creating a permanent facility for
the enlightenment of the public.
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| The Royal Albert Hall |
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| The Albert Memorial |
Westminster
Abbey, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and a lot of walking
Back
outside London Victoria, armed with my city-map, we decided to skip the bus and
walk towards Westminster Abbey. En route, we stepped into the Westminster
Cathedral, the mother church of the Catholic Church in England &
Wales. This beautiful cathedral is a striped brick and stone structure that was
opened to the public in 1903. We said a quick prayer and continued our walk
towards Westminster Abbey, one of the most notable religious buildings
in the UK.
It is said to have been founded in the year 960 (WOW!) and is the
location of coronations, royal weddings and burials of British monarchs. The
Abbey has so much of history. Entry tickets (inclusive of an audio guide) are
priced at £20 and the Abbey volunteers are always on hand to answer queries or
provide information. For me it was like walking through time. We stood at the
graves of kings and queens we’d studied about. Walking through Poet’s
Corner was almost like shaking hands with the likes of Lewis Carroll,
Geoffrey Chaucer and the Bronte sisters, all of whom we’d only ever met through
their writings. A great number of poets, writers and artists are interred and
commemorated in Poet’s Corner. For me, a student of English Literature and
History, walking through the Abbey and Poet’s Corner was akin to walking on
hallowed ground. I would have liked to capture the moments on film, but,
photography is not permitted inside the Abbey.
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| Westminster Abbey |
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| Courtyard inside Westminster Abbey |
Right beside the Abbey is the famous Big Ben, the Great Bell of the clock at the North end of the Palace of Westminster.
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| Capturing Big Ben |
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| A view of Parliament Square with Big Ben and the London Eye in the distance |
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Trafalgar Square as seen from the British Museum |
The Tower of London & the Tower Bridge
The next day was dedicated completely to exploring some more
of Britain’s rich (and gory) history. Heading towards London Bridge Station on
a rainy & cloudy day, we followed our map, towards what was marked as
London Bridge. Then, walking along the really modern promenade along the
Thames, we made our way towards the Tower Bridge.
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| The Thames and the Tower Bridge |
Built in 1886, this combined bascule and suspension bridge
crosses the River Thames close to the Tower of London. Like the Big Ben, the
Tower Bridge is an iconic symbol of London. The twin towers of the Bridge, the
high-level walkways and Victorian engine rooms are all part of the Tower Bridge
Exhibition.
The Bridge deck is, however, freely accessible to both vehicles and
pedestrians. From here, you get a lovely view of the – to your left. Then, look
to your right and you’ll see the historic Tower of London still standing
strong, surrounded by modern structures of chrome and glass. No sooner did I
step onto the Tower Bridge than I was hit by the sweet fragrance of vanilla
laced with caramel. A vendor was selling hot, caramelized peanuts at £2 a cup.
Greedy pup that I am, I quickly purchased a cup full and proceeded to eat them.
They seemed to be quite a hit with many around me, but I didn’t like them too
much really. Can’t quite remember why, so feel free to ignore my opinion and
try some caramelized peanuts on your way to the Tower of London.
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| The Tower Bridge |
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| The Tower of London across the River Thames |
The visit to the Tower of London was, by far, the
best part of our trip to the UK and, even if history does nothing for you, you
simply must visit the Tower. The Tower that gives this entire castle its
name was built by William the Conqueror in 1078 and, until 1952, this castle
was used as a prison. Early in its history, it served as a royal residence. Today,
individual entry passes cost £25 for access to the Tower and the Crown
Jewels display, exhibitions including Coins and Kings and Line of
Kings, plus the Yeoman Warder guided tour, live historical re-enactments,
Tower tour, children's activity trails and much more! Individual
rate ticket prices include a voluntary donation. The
audio guide is charged an additional £4. I’d suggest you take the audio guide
as it really gives you a lot of information that you’ll never get exploring the
castle on your own.
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| The White Tower |
We began with the very interesting Yeoman Tour. Leading us to the Royal Chapel of St. Peter ad
Vincula, he told us some of the gory details of the castle’s history, the
bloody executions and beheadings. Following this, we made good use of our audio
guides and spent the day exploring the castle. It was an unforgettable
experience that was only heightened by the background music and information
provided by the audio guide. My favorite part was standing at Tower Green, the space within the castle
where those of noble birth were executed away from the eyes of the gawping
crowds.
The scaffold site is marked by an evocative memorial dedicated to those
who died here. I loved the epitaph that was engraved around this memorial;
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| The Scaffold Site |
‘Gentle
visitor pause awhile: where you stand death cut away the light of many days:
here jeweled names were broken from the vivid thread of life: may they rest in
peace while we walk the generations around their strife and courage: under these
restless skies’.
Guided by the audio commentary, I moved away from the
scaffold site and climbed the narrow, winding stairs of the Beauchamp Tower. This tower was used for
housing really important Tudor prisoners and the walls of the first floor rooms
are filled with graffiti left by them. The audio guide narrated tales about
these unfortunate men and women, explaining their plight and the horror of
standing at the window overlooking the scaffold site. I listened to the bone-chilling
account and looked out the very same window, not realizing that the other
tourists in the room had long since left. I was alone in the room where grief,
pain and longing for freedom hung heavy in the air. Overcome by a sudden chill running down my spine, I hurriedly made for the
stairs and was relieved to step out into the open again.
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| The Queen's House |
It was through the audio guide that I also learned about the Ravens of the Tower. A group of six
captive ravens are permanent residents of the Tower. Superstition holds that if
the ravens ever leave the tower or fly away from it, the Crown would fall and
Britain with it. To avoid this, the flight feathers on one wing are clipped,
thus preventing the ravens from flying away. Apparently, the huge birds are very well cared
for, but I still couldn’t help feeling sorry for them. Ravens, like all other
birds, are meant for the skies. I thought it was rather cruel to clip their
wings and bind them to one place. I suppose you could say that the Tower is
still used as a prison of sorts.
Ravens apart, there is much I could write about the Tower of
London and my experiences therein, but it is one of those experiences that
cannot be completely expressed in words. You simply must visit it for
yourselves. Photography is permitted everywhere except in the Jewel House,
where the Crown Jewels are displayed.
Salisbury,
Stonehenge & Old Sarum
Day
saw us heading out to Salisbury and Stonehenge.
The train to Salisbury can be
boarded from Waterloo, for a return ticket priced at approximately £35. From
just outside Salisbury station, you can board the bus that takes you to
historic Stonehenge. We, however, walked into the picturesque little medieval
town and boarded the bus at the City Center (£28 for a round trip to Stonehenge
& Old Sarum, inclusive of the Stonehenge audio guide).
You are also treated to a fascinating commentary whilst
meandering through beautiful Wiltshire countryside to the historic sites of
Stonehenge and Old Sarum. Upon arrival this ticket allows you fast track access
to the Stones site to beat the queues.
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| The medieval town of Salisbury |
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| The Stonehenge Tour Bus |
Stonehenge,
a prehistoric monument 8 miles north of Salisbury, is set in the middle of the
most dense complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments and burial mounds in
England.
The tour bus drops you off at the Stonehenge Visitor Center, form
where you collect your audio guides and board the shuttle to cover the 1.5 mile
distance to Stonehenge. Another option, and definitely a more interesting one,
would be to do what we did. We asked the driver to get us off half way and cut
across a field as we made our way to the environmentally-sensitive center of
Stonehenge. Standing there on the periphery of the ancient circle was an
experience that moved us. As we looked up at the massive blocks of stone, the
heavens decided grace us with a steady drizzle.
There we were, lost in time,
small in comparison to the massive stones surrounded by green fields for as far
as the eye could see. It’s very easy to ignore the fairly busy highway that
cuts through the lush, green landscape not very far from the stones. Here
again, time stands still even as the rest of the world moves on. It is a really
beautiful place, steeped in time. The circular formation of stones seems to
have stood untouched over the ages. The experience is enriched by the
information provided through the audio guide.
Old
Sarum is the site of the earliest settlement at
Salisbury, in England, located on a hill about 2 miles north of modern-day
Salisbury. Today, all that remains are ruins, but it’s worth a visit because
the views of the surrounding countryside are really something. From atop the
ruins of the Old Sarum I could see Salisbury in the distance, with the spire of
the Salisbury Cathedral standing tall and proud. In the Beauchamp Tower at the
Tower of London, I could feel the unrest of harrowed souls. Here, in Old Sarum,
there was nothing but peace and serenity. It was a scene fit for a postcard.
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| View of Salisbury from Old Sarum |
Back
in town, we paid a quick visit to the Salisbury Cathedral, an
awe-inspiring structure built between 1220 -1320. Since we got there after
closing time, we couldn’t tour the tower and the inner recesses of the
Cathedral, but the lawns and inner courtyard were accessible. The cathedral has
the tallest church spire in the UK, the largest cloister and cathedral close in
Britain, the oldest working clock (think AD1356) and the best surviving of the
four original copies of the Magna Carta.
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| Salisbury Cathedral |
Visiting Sherlock
The trip to Salisbury and back had us feeling rather tired,
so all we did on day six was pay a visit to the most famous address in the
world, 221 B, Baker Street. This is the London address for the famous
fictional detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
The Sherlock Holmes Museum is a privately owned museum dedicated to the fictional Mr.
Holmes (entry, £15). It consists of a little store that sells all things ‘Sher-locked’
and the supposed residence of Mr. Holmes who, according to the books, were
known to have resided on the first floor of a lodging
house above a flight of 17 steps. Dr. Watson is believed to have lived on the
floor above. Any Sherlock fan will truly appreciate this museum. The apartment
at 221B, Baker St. has been well-preserved and showcases the life of Mr. Holmes
and the many cases he’s known to have worked on. Even the museum staff is
dressed like maids of old. The main door is mainly used by tourists for
selfies. Access to the apartment can be gained only through the museum
entrance. Not being aware of this, my husband pulled open the main door and
stepped out, startling the tourists who were standing outside half expecting
Sherlock to make an appearance, complete with his deer-stalker hat and pipe.
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| Inside the Sherlock Museum |
Off to Edinburgh
Crystal Palace à London
Victoria à Tottenham Hale à Stansted Airport à
Edinburgh
Getting to Tottenham Hale needed us to take the
Overground followed by the Tube after which, we boarded the Stansted Express
(£18) to the airport. An hour’s wait and we were off to Edinburgh, the Scottish
capital. The city has long been known as a
centre of education and festivals. It’s easy to get to the city centre from the
airport. Just hop aboard the Airlink at £4.5 per person. Do bear in mind that
you must carry exact change for travel around Edinburgh. Drivers do not carry
change and so, you will not be given any. Be prepared.
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| My first view of Edinburgh |
We thought Edinburgh was like something that
had popped out of a fairy tale. Everything looked so ancient…and brown. Like
the entire city had been dipped into a pot of golden honey.
We had booked our accommodation at Ivy Guest House (7 Mayfield Gardens). The rooms here are large, bright and
very comfortable. The proprietor checks you in, hands you your set of keys and
leaves you in peace for the rest of your stay.
From here it’s a ten-minute bus ride to the City Center and the bus-stop
is right across the street from the Guest House (£1.10 per head). If you plan
to make multiple use of the bus during the day, pick up a day pas (£4) from the
driver.
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| Ivy Guest House |
Edinburgh Castle is a historic fortress that stands atop Castle
Rock. The site has been occupied since the late Bronze Age; buildings of the
present-day castle date back to the 12th Century and are still in
use today. It is Scotland’s most visited paid tourist attraction (£16.5 for an
entry ticket. Audio guides are available for an additional price).
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| Edinburgh Castle |
Although not as captivating as the Tower of
London, this castle is fascinating in its own right and commands awe. The
comprehensive map of the castle made it quite easy for us to find our way
around.
The city of Edinburgh grew around the Castle
Rock and the house building continued down what is today known as, the Royal
Mile. The Royal Mile acquired its name over the ages as kings, queens
and royalty have traveled to and fro along this street between the Edinburgh
Castle and the Holyrood Castle, the residence of the British monarch in
Scotland. Today, the Royal Mile is lined with restaurants, souvenir shops and
stores selling kilts and scarves. There are also many museums, one of which we
found very fascinating – The Museum of Childhood (42 High St, Royal Mile).
This museum that houses a collection of toys and playthings
was the first museum in the world to specialize in the history of childhood.
The
collection, which ranges from the 18th to the 21st century, was originally the
work of Patrick Murray (1908-1981), an Edinburgh Councilor and passionate
collector of toys and childhood memorabilia. At first glance, it looked like a
little room with a couple of toys displayed in large glass cabinets. Moving
ahead, I discovered that the Museum was spread across three floors, each of
which was a wonderland in itself. There were dolls, board games, doll-houses,
miniatures, books and so much more. Almost everything brought back such fond
memories of childhood.
I’d read about Golliwogs in the many tales by Enid Blyton, but never ever
had I ever seen one. Here, right in front of me, were not one, but three
handsome golliwogs. Oh my!
The more time I spent down memory lane the more I pitied the
children of today whose childhood is trapped within their cell phones and
computers. Be sure to take your kids to this museum. The entry is free and the
experience is priceless.
The Loch Ness & Highland Tour
For
£45 per person, we boarded the tour bus operated by the Grey Line tour service
and started off on a day-long bus ride that took us through the Scottish
Highlands, to Loch Ness and back. There are other tour operators, but we chose
this one because it included a pick-up from our hotel, free Wi-Fi and a drop
back to the hotel or to the point nearest to it. This basic tour doesn’t make
too many stops, but the driver, Brian, who doubled up as tour guide, made the
trip very interesting with his unending commentary about the highlands and the
various sites we passed by. Not only did we witness the spectacular, rugged
beauty of the Highlands, but also learned about William Wallace, Scottish Kilts
and the Massacre at Glen Coe. Brian punctuated his commentary with a
beautifully haunting song about the massacre and proceeded to inform us that
the story of the massacre was what George R.R Martin used as a base for scripting
the Red Wedding in the Game of Thrones.
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| The Highlands |
We
drove by castles and glens and bens. We drove past the wide expanse used in the
filming of the James Bond movie as Adele’s ‘Skyfall’ played over the speakers
in the bus. Finally, we arrived at Loch Ness. A quick lunch at one of
the restaurants by the dock and we were ready to board the Cruise-boat (ticket,
£15-13 per person). The hour-long cruise provides stunning vistas of the area
surrounding Loch Ness and the guides are quick to provide information of the
local wild life and of Nessie, the Loch Ness monster.
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| Exploring Loch Ness |
On
our way back to Edinburgh, the bus followed a different route, with Brian
telling us more about the Highlands and its history.
Back
in Edinburgh, we relaxed a bit in the many pubs that are scattered around
everywhere. Everyone here seems to be in love with their beer and whiskey. One
trip to a pub and I fell in love with them as well. They have an unending list
of the types of beer and whiskey available – it was very confusing as I knew
nothing about anything. I made up my mind then to educate myself about beer and
whiskey as soon as I got back home to Mumbai.
Back
to London
After
three eventful days in Edinburgh, we went back to London the same way we had
left…by flight. That seems a great way to save time if, like us, you’re around
for a short while. Once again, we checked into the Queen’s Hotel. This time
around, thanks once again to the kind consideration of Mr. Munir, we were shown
to an even better room than the one we had previously occupied.
Our
last two days in London were spent walking along Piccadilly Circus and between
Oxford Street and Covent Garden, completing some last minute shopping for
friends and family. This section of the3 city has plenty of department stores
with almost everything you’ve got down in your shopping list. Browsing through
the stores here is a good idea if the super expensive and super hoity-toity
Harrods is not for your wallet. On our final evening, we had just enough time
(and money) left to visit Hyde Park and take in its beauty. It is quite a
pretty park, but I found it less interesting when compared to Central Park in
NY.
Here, in Hyde Park, there seemed to be a lot of wide, open spaces. Not
something I like much. In fact, I felt rather uncomfortable and felt a strong
need to escape the park and do something other than walk on a seemingly
unending expanse of grass.
All-in-all,
the UK trip was one of my more leisurely ones. The stress levels were almost
absent and London was everything we had expected it to be. Looking at the
natural beauty around I could easily understand why Britain gave birth to so
many poets and writers. And it’s such a joy to hear the British speak! The accent
is pure music to the ears. As said by someone, ‘if I could speak in a British
accent, I’d never stop talking.’
Pics' by Misha & Akshay
(except for the maps of London)
