31 March 2004 (cont.)

From Waterloo, we bravely decide to use the Tube to get to the Westland Hotel in Bayswater in Notting Hill. It's rush hour and we've got all our luggage. Some trains, surprisingly are packed while others still have plenty of seats...we opt to wait for those with room

We dine in our room at the Westland (123) - it's funky looking but spacious with a balcony and king bed and table and mixer faucet - We find an Internet café in a strange labyrinth of shops in a sort of "Underground-Internet-Kasbah." What are all these languages? Who are these people and what are they doing? Why is it so hot?

1 April 2004

Poor Gil is suffering the aftereffects of last night's "American Dinner" of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Oh the irony of it! We'd survived 2 ˝ weeks of eating whatever came our way from street vendors and what have you only to be poisoned by "American Food!" While we had planned to do two London Walks for our last day, he must remain in bed. I decide to head off through Kensington and Hyde parks. Before the day is done, I shall have walked miles. I am armed with toast leftover from breakfast, as I know from past experience I shall encounter many hungry swans and ducks.

I walk past the Round Pond, the Serpentine, the Lido (near the swimming area, where a dripping older gent in skimpy trunks briefly startles me as he emerges from the bushes). Still heading east, I cross the wide dirt horse track known as Rotten Row, and enjoy the hilly pastoral glade brimming with daffodils and hyacinth known as The Dell. The photo below shows the new Princess Diana memorial under construction, to be opened by the Queen this summer (2004).

At last I reach the southeastern corner of Hyde Park. I decide to visit Apsley House, which was the home of the First Duke of Wellington and even now, although the house was given to the government following WWII, the present duke maintains apartments there. Didn't see him, though. Not many visitors, so it was pleasant roaming the rooms myself. Surprisingly, from the rear windows one looks down onto a nice sized suburban back yard. That is, the rear garden of this magnificent mansion consists of an ordinary green and slightly rough lawn, with scattered trees and shrubs with a rope swing and seesaw.

Inside: the lovely oval staircase spiraling up and around the very large Canova statue of a very nude and muscular Napoleon. Oh, and a small strategically attached marble fig leaf. Wellington and Napoleon never met in person, but Wellington certainly kept Napoleon's image surrounding him, not only the statue but also paintings. The dining room upstairs, designed to seat 35 comfortably, is magnificent. Note the silver centerpiece, a gift from the grateful king of Portugal. Here began the Waterloo dinners, held annually by the Duke to celebrate the victorious campaign. He invited his principal officers but found the room too small, so had the magnificent Waterloo Room built on the west side of the house.

Next, I crossed the busy street to the Wellington Arch.

I took the elevator up to the viewing area, and took a shot of Apsley House. Then I walked west up Piccadilly for a while, through Green Park. My destination was the old perfume shop known as Penhaligon's. It's was in the Burlington Arcade, the first enclosed shopping mall, created in 1818 by the (later) Earl of Burlington. Tophatted beadles still roam the arcade, maintaining a sense of decorum. I found Penhaligon's but was completely intimidated. It's a tiny overheated shop where most items are behind the counters so you have to know what you are looking for and who knows what the prices are and I feel terribly out of place. I do ask if they have any honeysuckle-scented items, for Aunt Ruth, but they have none. I escape clutching two generous samples of their famous bluebell and lavender perfumes.

I wander through the moneyed quarters of Bond Streets old and new (golly, I guess that's where they buy their diamond tiaras!), then pick up a sandwich at Pret a Manger and catch a 94 bus back up Bayswater to our hotel. It's time to check on Gil - poor thing, he's still asleep and not feeling much better. I eat my lunch, then head out again, this time on a London Walks tour of the London Blitz.

I join Helena and about 30 other walkers at the entrance to St. Paul's tube station. We learn that 30,000 Londoners were killed in the air raids, and one in ten were made homeless. We see the remains of one bombed church,

a memorial to the firefighters,

and pockmarks on St. Paul's from bomb damage, and lots of new building put up in the nineties.

Also a glimpse of the Exchange, the Bank of England, and The Mansion, which is the home of the Mayor of London.

We end up at the Guildhall, still, after many centuries, where London is run. Attached to the hall, which has walls from the 14th century and post-war roof, is the Guildhall Gallery of Art. I just missed getting in - last entry is at 4:30. Inside are some jewels of art and remains of one of two Roman amphitheaters. Next time…

Home to the Westland and Gil again. Alas, our last night.

2 April 2004

Our flight is at 11:00. We rise at 6:00 and catch the 7:26 A2 Airbus to Heathrow. It takes 1 1/2 to get to Terminal Three. Eight pounds for the one-way trip. Once at the airport, we have to wait 45 minutes in our first line, to check in at Virgin. It's a walk to get to the next line, at security, where we wait another 20 minutes. Then, after a very long walk to Gate 36, we find ourselves waiting another 25 minutes. More security - I am body searched. Bottom line: do leave yourself plenty of time!

Our flight home is helped by Virgin's newest in-flight entertainment system. We have our choice of some 30 movies to choose from, along with 15 TV episodes (mostly British) and many games. You can play them whenever you want, and even fast-forward, rewind and pause. You can play games interactively. You can send emails for a small fee, and send text messages free to someone in another seat.

At last, we arrive back in San Francisco, having not slept a wink. That darned entertainment system was way too distracting! We immediately catch the shuttle back to El Rancho, enjoy (?) a sleepy glass of lemonade in the cafe while waiting for our motel room to be ready, then finally throw ourselves on the bed and sleep the fitful sleep of jet-lagged innocents everywhere. It's good to be home!