Since we last wrote we have entertained ourselves in London on the weekends. We have visited the Borough Markets, which is a sort of farmer’s market right in the heart of London, quite near London Bridge actually. They are very busy but worth it as the food is delicious. That same weekend we visited Kensington High Street to shop a little for some much warmer winter coats – but alas despite the abundance of ski and outdoor shops we didn’t get any.
One Sunday we paid a visit to the much touted Madame Tussauds that was we must say definitely not worth the 1 hour wait in the queue (or the £25 entry fee each). Sure the wax models were interesting, but the place was jam packed with people, and the wax works being only a small part was supplemented by a lousy ride, a very average planetarium show and a massive touristy shop. That same afternoon we went to the National Portrait Gallery, which was definitely worth the visit – and its free entry.
The following weekend we finally made it down to Notting Hill’s famous Portobello road street market. It was really good, lots to see and buy for sure. The market is about 8km long – and takes about 4 hours to dawdle the length of it, which we did. It starts with lots of antiques, then moves to food, clothes, bits & pieces, more food, then vintage then bric-a-brac. I picked up a great pair of real vintage leather boots too.
Last weekend it was bright and sunny so we went for a wander up to Hampstead Heath, which is quite large. It’s a bit grey as most of the trees are still lacking leaves, but we will visit again in the summer. We also visited the London Transport museums annual depot opening and miniature show, but after much drama in trying to get there (both tube lines going that way were down and we had to catch a very slow bus) it really was quite dull.
We visited a comedy club and watched a very funny group of hopefuls in the final judging for the Montreal Comedy Festival (Just for laughs) – well worth seeing. Also Mark went down and picked up some cheaper tickets to see The Producers musical at the Theatre Royal. We actually got great seats, 2 rows from the front, so a bird’s eye view. The show was brilliant – really funny and lively.
This weekend we don’t plan on doing much, as yesterday I didn’t go to work as have an awful cold. Though this weekend it is Crufts (the famous dog show) in Birmingham, so very much tossing up if I could make it that far, but not likely. But on the job front, it is good news for Mark who has a job starting on Monday for City and Guilds (like TAFE), so no more sleeping in for him.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Monday, February 27, 2006
Edinburgh..still early days.
Last weekend we headed to Scotland to visit Edinburgh, bright and early mind you. We caught the 7am train on Saturday morning, and after several tube changes (the tube line we needed was undergoing weekend works so we detoured via central London and back to Kings Cross) we finally made it to the train.
Traveling on the train is quite good, like a plane but without the hostesses – yes they even bring food trolleys down the aisle. The London countryside, even in the middle of winter, is really quite pretty. In our 5 hour journey we went through countryside shrouded in deep snow like frost; thick fog; sunny bright fields and towns; cloudy dense foothills; fields with green trees (moss grows thick on the bark) and icy looking streams and blustery coastal towns.
I thought about napping on the train but there was far too much to look at and you go through so many different towns. The seaside towns along the North Sea as we approached Scotland were by far the best, Berwick-upon-Tweed being one of them, and we definitely have plans to visit them.
We arrived in Edinburgh around lunchtime, and although it was very cold and cloudy it wasn’t raining, yet. Our hotel was in the New Town area of Edinburgh so we dropped off our bags and headed to the nearest authentic, non-chain pub. We found a really nice little pub (cannot remember the name) and had, yes I know a long time coming, our first pub meal.
We then visited Edinburgh castle, which is just amazing- with brilliant view right across to the Firth of Forth. It’s in the Old Town and way above the town – Edinburgh is quite a hilly city – as we discovered when we took a windy path from the Princes Street gardens all the way up to the castle. We spent a good 4 hours exploring the castle, its dungeons, kings apartments, chapels, gun batteries, dog cemetery (yes - and there are only 2 of its kind!), memorials and museums. The audio tours are really good and tell you a lot about the history of the place, your own personal tour guide.
After we got shuffled out of the Castle military museum (what a shame!) at 5pm, we got the times mixed up and thought it closed at 6pm, we checked out a tartan weaving mill. It was just to visit though and so alas we skipped out on the part where you get photos taken in full tartan garb.
At this point it is raining and we are freezing cold, Mark has a cold too, so we head back to our hotel and book dinner at a nearby restaurant called Wildfire, this after many phone calls – seems we had needed to book everywhere weeks in advance.
The next day we discovered that our quite nice and roomy hotel room had a downfall, no hot water – ugh. Despite much protest the boiler was down, so I braved a lukewarm shower and Mark went without.
Our first stop, Day 2, was a wander around the new town, which was actually quite boring except for a very old cemetery that had amazing crypts and tombs. We then headed back up to the old town to visit the Queen’s Edinburgh home – Holyrood Palace. It absolutely bucketed down with rain on the way there, and we sheltered from the rain in the new Parliament buildings, which as it turned out were right across the road from the Palace. The Palace is actually quite lovely, with grand decorative ceilings, old tapestries and portraits – all very elaborate; and if you didn’t know it was originally the home of Mary Queen of Scots!
Right up from the Palace is a spot call Arthur’s seat which is a rocky outcrop, the remains of a volcano. We thought about walking up it, but it required serious walking shoes and the will to brave the weather. So we just wandered around the old town instead, as we still had a few hours to kill. We checked out all the little side streets, the Museum of Childhood (it was free), whilst counting the seemingly immense number of stores selling – scotch, cashmere, tartan, shortbread and fudge (seems these are what Scotland is famous for!).
We then hoped on the train and headed back to London. We had a great time, and there you have it our first trip away - to Edinburgh. We shall keep you posted on our future adventures, though this weekend we are sleeping in….
Traveling on the train is quite good, like a plane but without the hostesses – yes they even bring food trolleys down the aisle. The London countryside, even in the middle of winter, is really quite pretty. In our 5 hour journey we went through countryside shrouded in deep snow like frost; thick fog; sunny bright fields and towns; cloudy dense foothills; fields with green trees (moss grows thick on the bark) and icy looking streams and blustery coastal towns.
I thought about napping on the train but there was far too much to look at and you go through so many different towns. The seaside towns along the North Sea as we approached Scotland were by far the best, Berwick-upon-Tweed being one of them, and we definitely have plans to visit them.
We arrived in Edinburgh around lunchtime, and although it was very cold and cloudy it wasn’t raining, yet. Our hotel was in the New Town area of Edinburgh so we dropped off our bags and headed to the nearest authentic, non-chain pub. We found a really nice little pub (cannot remember the name) and had, yes I know a long time coming, our first pub meal.
We then visited Edinburgh castle, which is just amazing- with brilliant view right across to the Firth of Forth. It’s in the Old Town and way above the town – Edinburgh is quite a hilly city – as we discovered when we took a windy path from the Princes Street gardens all the way up to the castle. We spent a good 4 hours exploring the castle, its dungeons, kings apartments, chapels, gun batteries, dog cemetery (yes - and there are only 2 of its kind!), memorials and museums. The audio tours are really good and tell you a lot about the history of the place, your own personal tour guide.
After we got shuffled out of the Castle military museum (what a shame!) at 5pm, we got the times mixed up and thought it closed at 6pm, we checked out a tartan weaving mill. It was just to visit though and so alas we skipped out on the part where you get photos taken in full tartan garb.
At this point it is raining and we are freezing cold, Mark has a cold too, so we head back to our hotel and book dinner at a nearby restaurant called Wildfire, this after many phone calls – seems we had needed to book everywhere weeks in advance.
The next day we discovered that our quite nice and roomy hotel room had a downfall, no hot water – ugh. Despite much protest the boiler was down, so I braved a lukewarm shower and Mark went without.
Our first stop, Day 2, was a wander around the new town, which was actually quite boring except for a very old cemetery that had amazing crypts and tombs. We then headed back up to the old town to visit the Queen’s Edinburgh home – Holyrood Palace. It absolutely bucketed down with rain on the way there, and we sheltered from the rain in the new Parliament buildings, which as it turned out were right across the road from the Palace. The Palace is actually quite lovely, with grand decorative ceilings, old tapestries and portraits – all very elaborate; and if you didn’t know it was originally the home of Mary Queen of Scots!
Right up from the Palace is a spot call Arthur’s seat which is a rocky outcrop, the remains of a volcano. We thought about walking up it, but it required serious walking shoes and the will to brave the weather. So we just wandered around the old town instead, as we still had a few hours to kill. We checked out all the little side streets, the Museum of Childhood (it was free), whilst counting the seemingly immense number of stores selling – scotch, cashmere, tartan, shortbread and fudge (seems these are what Scotland is famous for!).
We then hoped on the train and headed back to London. We had a great time, and there you have it our first trip away - to Edinburgh. We shall keep you posted on our future adventures, though this weekend we are sleeping in….
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Early Days...
Well its been about 1 and a half weeks since we arrived in London and sooo much has happened. Some of you may not have received the first round of emails, as we didn't have them all in yahoo already.
Last week was spent doing sight seeing, looking for accomodation and looking for jobs. We had success on the second day looking for a place to live last week and its a nice big one bed room flat in a suburb called West Hampstead (address below).
However we only just moved in yesterday and tonite was our first home cooked meal since last Sunday when my Auntie Anne cooked for us when we visited her at her place in Brighton.
During the week we have also visited the London Museum, the British museum (though we need to go again), Hampton Court, Kensington Gardens, Bridget Jones flat (near Borough Markets - you all know I am a big fan), Tower Bridge, Brick Lane, we saw MouseTrap at the Theatre (longest running play in history), and we went out with my friend Simone to a nightclub called the Bedroom Bar. Simone also was so lovely to give us a bed for a couple of nights!!!!
On Friday I got a job, and I started today (Tuesday). It is for Multiplex and its a 3 week contract, on Berkley Square in Mayfair. It's good money even though the work is boring, lots of spreadsheet manipulation, but not the fun stuff. Mark has been looking a bit but is still getting us set up at home, phone etc.
Anyway we have to go now as we need to book accomodation for this Sat night, as we are going to Edinburgh for the weekend, as we got cheap train tickets from a friend of Simones. Woo hoo.
Hampton Court - Clock Tower
Kensington Palace
Last week was spent doing sight seeing, looking for accomodation and looking for jobs. We had success on the second day looking for a place to live last week and its a nice big one bed room flat in a suburb called West Hampstead (address below).
However we only just moved in yesterday and tonite was our first home cooked meal since last Sunday when my Auntie Anne cooked for us when we visited her at her place in Brighton.
During the week we have also visited the London Museum, the British museum (though we need to go again), Hampton Court, Kensington Gardens, Bridget Jones flat (near Borough Markets - you all know I am a big fan), Tower Bridge, Brick Lane, we saw MouseTrap at the Theatre (longest running play in history), and we went out with my friend Simone to a nightclub called the Bedroom Bar. Simone also was so lovely to give us a bed for a couple of nights!!!!
On Friday I got a job, and I started today (Tuesday). It is for Multiplex and its a 3 week contract, on Berkley Square in Mayfair. It's good money even though the work is boring, lots of spreadsheet manipulation, but not the fun stuff. Mark has been looking a bit but is still getting us set up at home, phone etc.
Anyway we have to go now as we need to book accomodation for this Sat night, as we are going to Edinburgh for the weekend, as we got cheap train tickets from a friend of Simones. Woo hoo.
Hampton Court - Clock Tower
Kensington Palace
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Welcome to our site!
We have decided that emailing our adventures overseas can get a little crazy and we decided to set up our own website so you can visit and see our updates anytime you like, plus pictures. We will try to update at least once a week so its all nice and fresh.
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