Sunday, March 30, 2003

Way East Village
Our overnight flight arrived around 10:00 AM local time on Sunday. The girls were very excited about the individual TVs in the seats on Virgin Atlantic, and that, plus the normal excitement, kept them up for for quite a while. The TVs had individual remote controls for selecting movies, games, live map of the airplane, etc. The only thing you could not do is turn off the BBC news that was shown first on all TVs, so we did our best to distract the girls from the images of tanks, etc., shown on the small screens two feet away.

Clara and Ellie probably slept two or three hours, and Mallary and I slept less than that. I moved further back in the plane to give Ellie two seats to stretch out in. There were some empty seats on the plane, but not many. I guess that the cancellation of flights has led the remaining ones to be rather full.

Upon landing, we had to wait about 20 minutes to get our passports inspected. Our bags were out by the times we reached baggage claim, and as we had nothing to declare, we waltzed -- er, dragged -- out to find the Heathrow Express train to Paddington station. The way was well marked, and the ride was a pleasant 15 minutes, except for the TVs showing war scenes. (We should have gotten on one of the Quiet Zone cars.) We had another longish walk to the taxi stand at Paddington. I hadn't realized that London taxis had a distinctive look and design until then. The girls liked folding down the jump seats and facing backwards, and Mallary and I endured several small heart attacks as the driver seemed to turn into oncoming traffic again and again.

We arrived at the Kensington Manor Hotel at the stroke of noon, and our room (the Balmoral room) wasn't ready yet. We walked toward the Gloucestor Road tube stop (just a block away) to find a bite to eat, and found a nice spot with fancy sandwiches for Mallary and me, pasta for Ellie, and a croissant for Clara. We returned to our room: somewhat tatty, but it has two bedrooms, which helps greatly on extended trips.

Mallary had a light day planned: a walk around Covent Garden. This is a lively area with shops, stalls, and street performers. Clara kept saying London looked just like New York to her. We finally figured out that they hadn't realized London was a big city, and had been expecting more suburban environs. And there was certainly a resemblance between Covent Garden and Greenwich Village on a lovely spring afternoon. We watched and listened to the performers (trying to figure out which of the many British coins were appropriate to throw in the hat); after dinner, the girls rode in a capsule called a Spaceball that caused me vertigo just to watch. Clara was dying to ride, so of course Ellie wanted to go as well. I was sure she would chicken out, but she didn't. A sign claimed that since your stomach stayed in one spot (while the rest of your body spun about two axes), you wouldn't get sick. I took their word for it.

We had an early dinner at a restaurant Mallary had scoped out that had Sunday afternoon entertainment. The clown/magician was patient and gentle with Ellie, who was a little hesitant to go over to the magic show. However even he apparently couldn't resist making some comments about the war. The girls have gotten more exposure to the war in the last day than in the last several weeks combined.

We had an excellent (and gentle) first day in London. Tomorrow we will engage fully by taking a sightseeing bus tour to get oriented.

Monday, March 31, 2003

tourist mode: on!
A prototypical tourist day today. We took a sightseeing tour bus, which turned out to be a very good idea. It helped us get oriented, and figure out where we want to spend more time. And just being on the top of the bus was a big hit, till Clara got cold (wimp). We got off the bus at the Tower of London, and spent a few hours there. The girls were less interested in the Crown Jewels than I had guessed, but they really enjoyed talking to characters from the history of the Tower. There was the wife of a warden of the tower, a soldier, and a lord who was imprisoned for marrying the king's cousin without his permission.

We had hoped to take a boat ride up the Thames from the Tower, but the schedules didn't work well, so we got back on the tour bus for a ride to Hyde Park Corner. Got off there and spent hours walking through Kensington Park on a glorious spring afternoon. Flowers, dogs, boats, ice cream... happy family. We looked for a place to eat on the walk back to the hotel, but didn't find anything until we were back, so we ate at a table outside a pub. I was pleased they had an Indian platter (for Ellie) as well as fish and chips, but Mallary broke down and walked to Burger King to get some nuggets for Clara.

Tomorrow: the London Eye, Westminster Abbey, and whatever else we run across!

Tuesday, April 01, 2003

change of weather
The weather didn't hold, as today was cold and rainy--- a proper London day, in other words. The heavy rain held off until our walk home from dinner however, so we were able to get a full day in.

We started at the London Eye, which was super. They bill themselves as an "observation wheel," which evidently means a very expensive ferris wheel. The ride was great--- in an enclosed capsule that goes 435 feet up. The ride lasts one revolution of the wheel, which takes a half-hour. The wheel moves so slowly that they don't stop it when you get on and off. Clara and Ellie accompanied me on the ride, while Mallary staked out a place at the coffee/hot chocolate bar.

Next stop was the Tate Modern museum, which was wonderful for all of us. There were activities for the kids to do in the galleries, and art that we all enjoyed. I think this was the highlight of Ellie's day, as she would muse aloud about what different pieces made her think of, and wonder what the artist was thinking.

We then walked across the new Millennium Bridge (no longer the Wobbly Bridge) to get a glimpse of St. Paul's Cathedral before taking the Tube to King's Cross station. This was not an optional stop for us, as part of the appeal of this trip to the kids had been the Harry Potter angle. Evidently J.K. Rowling had misremembered the train stations when she was writing the first book, as there is no wall between platforms 9 and 10. However, the transit authority had the good sense to post a sign on a nearby brick wall labeled Platform 9 3/4. Clara was glad to get her picture taken here, but she was disappointed there was no wall to run into. (She had asked in all seriousness if we could come around 11:30, as the train for Hogwarts left at noon.)

Speaking of the Tube, it has made travel around the city quite easy. The basics of the system are familiar to anyone with experience on the NYC subways, and so far, the service has been frequent and pleasant (though we have had to stand quite often). The one bit of confusion (for me) came when we were trying to board the Circle Line on a platform with multiple trains. As the lead train is generally labelled with the name of the end station in the direction it is traveling, I couldn't figure out what the first train on the Circle Line would say, as there is no end station (hence the name). However, the cars were clearly marked, and we got on without a problem.

We had a very nice Indian meal tonight. The price of meals is nothing to complain about, as long as you hold on to the delusion that pounds are interchangeable with dollars.

Wednesday, April 02, 2003

Chilly-Chilly, Dang Dang
The day began with a short bus ride to Hyde Park Corner, from which we could walk to Buckingham Palace. (It turns out that our Travelcards are valid for bus travel as well.) We were well in advance of the time to see the Changing of the Guard--- but that was actually a liability, considering the chilly, windy weather. Also, our collapsible "pushchair" stroller broke after 8 years of service. Perhaps it had something to do with Ellie sitting on Clara's lap as Mallary pushed the stroller? The ceremony was full of majesty, until the end, when the royal marching band began playing a medley of Abba hits. (And the poor guards aren't even allowed to crack a smile when hearing "Dancing Queen" rendered by a marching band.)

After lunch, we went to see Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang at the Palladium, which was quite a good production. The stagecraft was the strongest part of the show. It was the first time the girls had seen a large-scale play. Ellie was certainly engaged enough by the story to crawl into Mallary's lap and bury her head when the Child Catcher was on stage.

With a new stroller, we tubed it to Baker Street, though we turned left out of the underground (away from Sherlock Holmes' 221B address). We went to a great Kosher restaurant called Reuben's, where we ordered from a cafeteria-style line (always a challenge with Ellie). Clara had a well-balanced meal of potato latkes and french fries, er, chips. She announced that on our next trip to London, we were "definitely coming back here!"

Thursday, April 03, 2003

a grand day out
Today we went out of London to see the overwhelmingly opulent Hampton Court. It seems that Henry VIII was very impressed when he saw it, too --- so much so he just had to take it for his own.

The journey was quite easy: take the Underground to Waterloo, and hop on a half-hour train to Hampton Court. I bought tickets at a window rather than a machine, and that turned out to be a good idea, as the clerk gave us discounted tickets since we had Travelcards. On the other hand, no one asked to see our tickets on either leg of the trip.

They were running a special program(me) at Hampton Court that they call Puzzle Palace. We spent lots of time working the puzzles (Clara likes the 3-d type). We then got a guided tour of the State Apartments by a historical character, whose name we missed. It was all spectacular, but to me the Chapel Royal was the most breathtaking. The tour was of course a bit wordy, but no complaints from the girls.

We ended our time on the Palace grounds by walking through the famous hedge Maze, designed by Christopher Wren in the late 17th century. As summer hasn't come yet, the hedges were a bit thin, so you could sometimes see other people through the gaps. It was fun for all nonetheless.

We then walked through the charming village of Hampton Court for a few minutes before getting the train back. We then got off the Underground one stop early (on purpose) and strolled through South Kensington until we found a great spot for a light dinner before heading back to the hotel for cookies and showers.

The staff at our (very small) hotel has been unfailingly polite, but in general not exceptional tour guides. There is one staff member who has provided good information, but otherwise we're glad to have a two-room suite and lots of guidebooks.

Friday, April 04, 2003

odd birds
All week long Ellie looked forward to meeting "Mr. John," the brother of one of the nursing home friends that Mallary and Ellie know from their weekly visits. When Mallary called him on Monday, he had already heard from Miss Alice that we would be in town. We set Friday at 4:00 as the designated meeting time.

Friday was a gorgeous spring day to match those in the beginning of the week. In the shade, a light sweater felt good, but the sun was shining and the wind reduced to a breeze. A perfect day, in other words, for a trip to the London Zoo. We took the Tube to Baker Street and hopped on the 274 bus to Regent's Park. (The zoo is the only London destination we visited not conveniently served by the Underground.)

The zoo was not crowded, and would have been quite empty if not for a number of school groups. The first of our two mandatory stops was the Reptile House, where a Harry Potter scene was filmed (the Parseltongue scene from Book 1). Lots of photos, of course. We spent a bit longer visiting the penguins (this one for Ellie, the Penguin Savant). Unfortunately the birds weren't being fed until 5:00, and mostly they just laid around. We didn't get to see any swimming, for instance, which can be very impressive. However, there was one bird (armband number 0777) that kept roaming around to wherever a crowd would gather, so we got a very close-up view of a Jackass Penguin (a/k/a African Penguin).

From the zoo, we took a short waterbus ride along Regent's Canal. Ellie had been begging for a boat ride all week, and this was an easy one to take. An unexpected bonus was that it dropped us at Camden Lock, a bustling, high-energy market area filled with young people. We stood on the footbridge over the canal and watched the small lock operate (by hand) as a tour boat was raised about eight feet to allow it to continue toward the zoo.

The markets were mostly sidewalk stalls, filled with t-shirts, cheap jewelry, and let's just say other items you wouldn't find at Harrod's (what's a cannabis lolly, daddy?). At this point we had some time to kill before meeting Mr. John, but not enough time to go visit another site, so we just meandered around. Mallary successfully bargained for some sunglasses for Clara, and the girls got some ice cream. They did their best to keep their clothes clean for meeting Mr. John. (Clara had even cried a little because she didn't have a dress to wear to meet him, but she wore a nice skirt.)

We then took the Underground to the Oval stop in South London. The Kennington Oval is a famous cricket ground, but we just took a brief walk in the adjacent park while waiting for 4:00. At the appointed time and place, we easily found Mr. John, as he had brought his black-and-white dog Pepsi with him. He is a warm and hearty 76, which was no surprise to us since Miss Alice is so full of life and energy at 86. We walked back to his flat, on the 9th floor of a building in a group of post-WWII apartment buildings. The austere exterior did not prepare us for the shock to the senses that his flat would hold: the rooms were absolutely jam-packed with collectibles and memorabilia. Each tiny room had hundreds of items on the walls, shelves, and tables. He had many photographs, plus some items from a pub he had years ago with a long-time friend. (Before the pub, he had worked for an interior decorating firm. The firm of Cram and Wedge, perhaps?)

His next-door neighbor Miss Joyce came over and joined us. She had a delightful twinkle about her. Mallary asked her how long she had lived in her flat, and she replied, "Thirty-eight years... and I'm still trying decide whether or not to stay." Mr. John never married, and perhaps Miss Joyce did not either. She left us to go call her sister, who is infirm and lives a few miles away. They talk three times a day.

We brought pictures from the nursing home, mostly of Miss Alice and Ellie. Mr. John reciprocated by going through some photo albums and sending some back for Miss Alice.

We left with souvenirs, handshakes, hugs, and kisses--- as well as fond memories of a new friend.

parents to children: stop reading!
We spent quite a bit on time on the Underground during the week, and Clara quickly got the hang of whipping out her current book as soon as she was seated. However she did not quickly get the hang of disengaging from the book to get off the train when we got to our stop. We'd warn her that our stop was coming up and she would mutter, "Just let me finish this chapter." Once we had penetrated the shell of her concentration, we had to threaten to confiscate the book while riding the Underground. She did get a bit better as the week went on.

Ellie had her own sad story with reading. Her reading skills continue to improve each day. (Actual testimonial, out of the blue: "Mommy, thank you for teaching me about '-ing' words. I just can't stop thanking you!") Friday as we walked past the Houses of Parliament, we saw a group of war protestors across the street. The girls were of course curious about this assemblage, so we explained as simply as we could why the crowd had gathered. Unfortunately Ellie picked out one of the dozens of signs and was able to work out what it said: "STOP KILLING BABIES." She got very frightened and cried, "I want to go home--- our real home, not our hotel." After a long session of hugging and comforting, we found out she thought the war was taking place in England.

[Aside: One of my friends advised me that Clara would be picking up news about the war from school. I argued a bit, saying how oblivious she is to external events. I was then taken aback when one of her second-grade friends came over early in the bombing and said, "Did you hear we may have gotten Saddam Hussein? We are trying to kill him because some people think he will come over here and try to kill us if we don't." I realized that indeed we needed to discuss the war, which we did later. However two weeks later when we told her these people were protesting the war, she said, "What war?" After I reminded her about Iraq, she said, "Oh right." Ellie said, "What Rock?"]

Anyway, Mallary and I were temporarily in the curious position of wishing our girls weren't such avid readers.

Saturday, April 05, 2003

Westward Ho
Today the girls went down to the basement for breakfast by themselves, as Mallary (mostly) and I got things packed. The breakfast provided by the hotel is no great shakes (cereal, white bread for toasting, fruit occasionally, and lame coffee always), but there is unlimited orange juice for Ellie, and of course the novelty for the girls.

Another brilliant spring day, and we walked the few blocks to the Natural History Museum. South Kensington is a great neighborhood, and the museums are one reason. In addition to Natural History, there is the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert. We didn't see either of these, but I have no regrets: we were out of our hotel room from 9:30 until 7:30 just about each day, and the fact that we didn't hurry from one thing to the next was a key to such an enjoyable trip.

We had our last lunch at the same place we had lunch the first day, an unplanned symmetry. The hotel had arranged for a taxi to pick us up at 1:15. When we got back to the hotel at 1:00, the taxi was just pulling up. The friendly driver told us he could get us to Heathrow faster than the Heathrow Express. We were skeptical, since all the guidebooks caution again taxi service to and from the airport. We ended up taking him up on the offer, and he got us to the airport faster and cheaper than the train would have. We also didn't have to shlep our luggage around the train stations, so it turned out to be an excellent decision. Apparently driving to the airport mid-day on weekends is much more tractable than midweek travel.

The flight back was quite full. It was Mallary's turn to sit with Ellie, and I noticed that Ellie got several sodas, which are generally forbidden by Mallary. Mallary shrugged and indicated that if soda and TV kept her happy for the duration of the flight, the exceptional circumstances warranted it. Mallary and I each watched a colorful movie that we knew would not interest the other: she watched Brown Sugar as I watched Blue Crush. Clara finished Lilo and Stitch and noticed the surfing scenes on my screen, so she tuned in as well. I gave her a two-minute plot summary of the preceding 90 minutes, which was entirely sufficient.

We had a strong headwind, and the return flight was over 7.5 hours. Though we took off about 4:00 PM London time, we kept flying in the direction of the earth's rotation, so it was still light when we landed in Newark! We got our bags, and nearly got busted for inadvertently bringing fresh fruit into the country, as we were singled out for apparently random agricultural screening.

Gabby and Sergio performed the unbelievable service of dropping us at the airport for takeoff, and leaving our van in the parking lot on the day of our return. We had agreed that Gabby would leave us a voicemail message telling us where the van was, but in my haze of exhaustion, I couldn't remember how to check our messages. Mallary figured out what I was doing wrong, and we were home half an hour later.

We'll have Sunday to adjust before returning to school and work, short of rest but full of stories.