Trifter

London has to be my favourite city.

I’ve just come back from a weekend visiting my daughter who lives there.

She met me at Euston station early Friday afternoon. I strode up the platform into the hustle and the bustle of the busy station, we greeted, and straight away she whisked me off down the escalators to the even more busy underground. She knew where she was going and I just followed meekly getting caught up in the wave of people from all walks of life and from many different countries of the world.

We boarded an underground train, went a couple of stops, and then changed onto another.

Back up to a normal train station and there we found out which platform to go to.

We asked a very friendly guard how long the journey would take, he was very obliging, and then I was able to contact my friends who live in the suburbs, who we were visiting for the evening. Once there, we chilled out for a few hours.

I didn’t want to get back to the City too late, so we left around 8.30-9ish.

The train journey was quite populated for that time of night, getting busier and busier as we travelled nearer to London. At the connecting stations there were no worries about safety, there were so many people. It got a bit quieter as we moved to the Woolwich area but even around mid-night there are a number of people walking from the station through the near deserted streets, a couple of times I noticed an urban  fox or a cat on the prowl.!

Tucked up in bed I reflected on what had happened to me in just a few hours.!

Saturday was my daughter’s graduation day, after the ceremony we wanted to celebrate so we went to a theatre in the West End. The show was in an old theatre with wonderful architecture and ambiance, a little worn but this added to the charm. After the show, the journey back to Woolwich was as busy as in the day time, lots of people, I had a fear that I would be surrounded by drunks and muggers!! No worries.

Sunday. We started the day with a stroll along the tow path of the river Thames up to the Woolwich ferry area, again we felt safe, people were out with their dogs, and there were early morning joggers. The river was amazing, so wide, so still, the blueness reflecting the clouds, all was calm, we could see the Thames Barrier and beyond, the buildings of the City bathed in sunlight and the structure of the O2 Dome fitting nicely into the scenic picture frame.

We decided to catch a Thames shuttle boat into London, but the Sunday time table gave us a little more time to waste than expected, so we took a short walk into Woolwich finding the military museum for the Woolwich Arsenal, an area well worth a visit on another trip.

Onto the Thames, a good experience in my opinion much better than travelling on a bus, train, or underground, it maybe takes a little longer but one just sits and takes in the scenery. A view of London from the river is steeped in history and it makes me re-collect stories of romantic tales of times gone by.

As you arrive at each port along the route there are more and more things to observe, Greenwich, Canary Wharf, the Tower, Traitors gate, London Bridge, HMS Belfast, St. Pauls Cathedral, South bank, Embankment and further along to the London Eye and The Houses of Parliament.

Our destination was the Embankment, from there we walked to the Waldorf Hilton Hotel. We were having a treat as my daughter had booked us into a room for the night in this luxurious Hotel, again this building is steeped in history, the décor was exquisite, the walls covered with framed photographs of historical famous people that have stayed there and more recent ones as well.

The room was lovely, everything one needed for comfort giving a taste of grandeur and lavishness.

Out again, this time for a walk to Trafalgar Square, walking through the streets of London always gives me a thrill, surrounded by old tall buildings, crossing little side streets that lead off to squares etc. taking great care in crossing roads, having to notice which way the cars are coming at you!

We reach our destination,  lots of people are just hanging around on the square, visiting the National Gallery,  taking photo’s of Nelsons Column, looking at the fountains or special for the summer of  2009,  watching the art performers doing their hour on the 4th plinth! A project thought up by the artist Anthony Gormely of putting a person on show to freely perform anything they desired. It has been a great success.

We head off to the Trafalgar Hilton hotel to see if the roof garden is open for lunch, we’re happy to learn that it is and order a most amazing lunch,  so well thought out for tastes flavours and presentation, well worth a visit, but the location excels all expectations. There is a clear view of the ‘roof tops of London’ and many London landmarks to look at.Very enjoyable.

Whilst we were watching Trafalgar square we noticed a build up of police activity and a police helicopter overhead. After a while it became obvious that there was a demonstration about to take place ending up in Trafalgar Square. It seems this happens quite regularly. We decided we didn’t want to be caught up in this kerfuffle so we decided to depart, the police were noticeable organised and in control and were being very friendly, helpful and agreeable.

Next we took an underground to the Southbank Centre a lovely complex always vibrant and with a guaranteed music event happening, the sounds of music echo through out the area, and in the building of the festival hall the acoustics bounce around the walls, where one can sit happily sipping coffee watching, and experiencing the goings on.

Behind the festival hall is the IMAX with its huge screens and 3D cinema regularly showing incredible movies, all of this in the vicinity of Waterloo station.

We headed of to the Hard rock Café for a great meal very busy and very innovative, lots of music and lots of music memorabilia on show.

A brisk walk back to the Embankment to let our mega dinner settle and discovered that there were fireworks about to take place on the river to celebrate a festival week  that was going on. We found a good vantage point on one of the bridges and waited with eager anticipation along with a growing throng of people, we were not disappointed, the show was well organised and spectacular with an amazing backdrop of St. Pauls cathedral etc.

Back to the Waldorf for a well earned sleep.

The next morning I had a refreshing shower with luxurious comforts provided, along with soft big fluffy towels, bath robe, and slippers. We had a very nice buffet breakfast, settled the bill, and again basked in the antique surroundings as we left the building.

Again we walked, not with a chore but enjoyment, we could have hailed a cab, caught a bus, or got on a tube, but I find you encompass much of London’s unique character walking through streets at your own pace.

We found ourselves on the Mall, a visit is not complete for me unless I visit Buckingham Palace in all its splendour, a beautiful building and always popular with tourists taking photographs and hoping to catch a glimpse of a member of the royal family.

Alas it was time for my week-end to come to a close, we had a short walk to the underground to take us to Euston Station. We said our farewells, my daughter went off to her busy and exciting life in London and I boarded the train back to my quiet cottage in the country.