Isabelle got her mini-tour of Harrod’s today. She wanted a dog. She
didn’t buy anything.

I think I wanted to take Isabelle to Cambridge because after visiting it in September, I thought it was one of the more interesting places I had ever visited.  After today’s trip, I am already ready to return.  With over 30 colleges and numerous ones being religious based with their sometimes extravagant chapels, the abundance of interesting architecture is amazing.  Add to that so many of these structures were constructed in the middle ages and all the impressiveness is compounded.  The magnificence of the King’s College Chapel must be seen to be fully appreciated.  Unfortunately, Trinity College, Cambridge’s largest college founded in 1546, was not open today or in September when we were here so we have yet to see what is likely to be another architectural gem in this fascinating community.

Take the description for Pembroke College.  “Enter Old Court where on the left are the oldest buildings of the college, dating back to the second half of the 14th century.  The college chapel is the first building to be designed by Sir Christopher Wren and completed in 1659.  You will see wide channels on either side of the road.  These formed part of the water supply system for Cambridge in 1610.”  And on and on.  Everywhere you look in this city are interesting building shapes and relationships.  The fascinating structures seem to be endless, at least to me.

I took 150 pictures today.  In the interest of not putting everyone to sleep yet again, I am only posting 32.  I wish I could do the buildings more justice in trying to shoot them.  We had a great day including perfect weather again in Cambridge which included Isabelle’s first trip by train and concluded with dinner at one of our all time favorite restaurants, Patara.

Wrapping up tomorrow and returning to Colorado on Saturday.

We couldn't be more fortunate on the weather here.  Today was cloudless and around 60 degrees.  So we started the day at the London Eye and enjoyed the great views of London from there.  Then to lunch for Isabelle's first visit to a pub followed by Westminster Abbey where we spent most of the afternoon taking the tour covering a thousand years of British history and some time lingering in their Gardens.  After a refreshment break in St. James Park and a stroll through Green Park, it was back to Zanya for dinner at Isabelle's request and another day in the books.

A couple of pretty standard London tourist days on Monday and Tuesday.  We started Monday at the Tower of London when it opened and had a great, gory and entertaining tour covering a thousand years of London history from one of the Yeoman.  Ah, the Middle Ages.  You just can’t beat the fun and frivolity the powers that be came up with during that period of western “civilization.”  After lunch we spent the afternoon touring St. Paul’s Cathedral and environs including a walk over to the Millennium Bridge.  St. Paul’s is probably my least favorite architecturally of any cathedral I have been to but it does have significant history associated with it and is a must for any first time London visitor.  Dinner at the Lebanese restaurant Laya Lina (www.layalina.co.uk).

Tuesday saw us heading to the British Library (http://www.bl.uk/).  Since we are this close, I want Isabelle to be able to say she’s seen the Magna Carta and a Gutenberg bible when she studies them in school and now she can.  I love the Library with its incredibly old books and documents and think it is a don’t miss freebie when you
are in town.  On Tuesday afternoon we went to see Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre.  I first saw it there in 1990 so there’s a clue as to how ancient I am.

Dinner at Ciro’s Pomodoro (www.pomodoro.co.uk).  Now how do I describe that place.  We thought we were taking Isabelle to a nice little family pizzeria.  She was the only young person there.  It was downstairs, tiny and packed with very interesting looking people with every major celebrity’s picture on the wall with the owner.  Family place yes.  We’re just now sure whose.  The food was terrific.  We’re going back on Friday for the last supper.

The highlight British moment of the two days was the announcement on the Underground that there was “no service on the Central Line because of a passenger illness.”  Had to wonder if someone passed away on the train or if it was something more embarrassing than that.

So the plan was to hit the Tower of London and Covent Garden where Isabelle could see how a city should manage its public plazas.  Okay, I didn’t know people could spend that much time on their backs with their eyes closed without needing to call the coroner.  So with the late start and being a weekend, we headed straight to Covent.

Our first stop was La Roche for lunch.  Konnie and I had lunch there several times in September with the manager Sarah from Iran being our server also.  Sarah recognized us right away and even remembered how long we had stayed in London in September.  Another great lunch there with Isabelle diving into an authentic looking Middle Eastern version of British fish and chips.

Isabelle ended up diving into the shops and activities at Covent Garden so that consumed the entire afternoon.  Under the helpful eye of Konnie, she successfully stimulated the British economy.  We strolled from there to a muffin and coffee shop on King Street called Muffinski’s where even the non-fat muffins were great.

From there we strolled to Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus and then on the Underground back to our flat.  Then to dinner at Patara with Gail Hammond, our friend from the Maya Research Program (sorry Jacquie (Gail’s fun loving friend who is now in Oxford with a real job)) and Gail’s friend Robin.  I didn’t receive what I ordered but perhaps I should stop trying to pronounce Thai names??  But it was outstanding anyway.  In seven meals there everything has been excellent.

A lovely evening for sure.

The girls are getting a wake up call tomorrow…!

On March 18, 2011 Konnie and I headed back to London with my granddaughter Isabelle after she had taken her first solo flight the day before from Phoenix to Denver.  While we missed the Denver to London non-stop that we had had the benefit of on our prior two trips, the connection through Washington Dulles worked fine with an arrival in London about 35 minutes early at Heathrow where Isabelle got her passport stamped for the first time.  Then off to our flat in Knightsbridge.

Since we arrived here at 5:30 am, we cheated and took morning naps before an introductory day under a blazing spring London sun that included walking past the barricaded Libyan Embassy with its heavy security (I skipped pictures there…just in case) and an anti-Qaddafi protest across the street at Hyde Park Corner, a walk through Green Park on the way to Buckingham Palace, to the Parliament building and Westminster Abbey.  After some grocery shopping and a stop at the flat it was dinner at Zayna which features Pakistani and North Indian cuisine.  A lovely London spot that we recommend.

Hopefully everyone will be time zone adjusted on Sunday as we explore more London highlights with Isabelle.