We are having such a great time in London. We've had gin cocktails at a Victorian/Steampunk style place called Phineas Foggs.
I got to visit Daunt Books in Marylebone.
And I picked up the new Tracy Chevalier book A Silver Thread. Tracy wrote The Girl with the Pearl Earring if you recall. This latest book is about Violet, a young woman who has been made very much alone by the loss of her fiancé in WWI. To support herself and make a life that is meaningful to her, she joins a group of women who do embroidery for Winchester Cathedral. After WWI, due to so many men being lost, there was a huge surplus of single women with no prospect of ever marrying or having families of their own. This book explores the "thread" that ties women together as well as how these women were trailblazers at a time when single women were considered a pretty worthless drain on society. I can't wait to read this one!
We saw the changing of the guards and toured Buckingham Palace.
We took a boat ride down the Thames.
And had cream tea with scones in the Cotswolds.
We really are having a fantastic time. We toured Buckingham Palace yesterday, which was amazing. That being said, we felt very "herded" through things, and there was an awful lot of just standing around waiting for things to happen, like the guards marching by etc. We also toured Kensington Palace, which was pretty blah imho. They do have a lot of Queen Victoria memorabilia, which was very interesting to me. Do you watch the British TV series Victoria on Amazon? It is so good. Anyway, a lot of her gowns were on display and it was wonderful to inspect them close up. Did you know when her dear Prince Albert died she went into mourning for the rest of her life and never wore anything other than black dresses and a gold charm bracelet he had given her?
We are doing a tremendous amount of walking. T.r.e.m.e.n.d.o.u.s. Between 6.5 and 7 miles per day. With luck, I won't gain weight from all the clotted cream and jam on the scones I have been consuming at every opportunity.
9 Responses
Oh, what a lovely adventure!! I’m so glad you’re extending the time you’re “in the neighborhood” and seeing all there is to see (within reason, of course).
enjoy it all!
Hugs!
Sounds like a wonderful trip. That’s a lot of steps! Safe travels.
Mary
Sounds like a wonderful time and experience!
What a nice surprise to find a post on Sunday! or, was it your Monday? The cocktails look delicious! The new book sounds intriguing. Keep enjoying your trip & time with Ahren!
Blenheim Palace is worth the visit. It’s Churchill’s ancestral home. So glad you are having a lovely time.
Sounds like a really wonderful adventure.
Thanks so much for sharing. My ancestors are from England and I will never get over there. Enjoy every moment spent with your husband and son.
Glad you’re having a wonderful holiday. I’m in France right now and consuming far too many croissants, there is no where in Canada (that I’ve tried) where they taste as good. At least you’re doing plenty of walking, I’m not doing half as much . . .Yikes! I’ll pay the price when I get back home and return to my exercise classes. Enjoy the reminder of your trip. Karen
Loved Chevalier’s “Remarkable Creatures” — such interesting characters in her books!