We took the Eurostar train from Paris to London and it was a very pleasant two hour train ride. We arrived in London on Saturday evening and after we checked into the hotel, we took a walk to Covent Garden to have dinner.
On Sunday we took a walk to Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace in the morning, then took the train to Purley Station to visit Sam's relatives who live in East Croydon (about a 25 minute train ride from London). We had a lovely lunch with Sam's relatives Miranda, Alan and their daughter Meryl-Jo. Unfortunately we had such a good time talking and catching up, that we completely forgot to take photos, so unfortunately there are no photos to share. After a short visit in Croydon with Sam's relatives, we took the train back to London and got ready to go to Battersea, to our friend Luigi's apartment for dinner. Luigi cooked us a three-course meal that evening and we were treated to more delicious food. It was wonderful to have some home-cooked food after being away from home for over a week.
David worked that week from Monday to Friday, while I explored the city and did some sightseeing and window shopping. We had the following Saturday to spend time with friends and do more sightseeing, before leaving London on the Sunday morning for Birmingham to visit David's family. Although I enjoyed the week in London, I came to the conclusion that it is not the kind of city I would want or like to live in. In terms of safety, security and cleanliness, there is no beating Singapore. I guess that is why I really love living there!
Afternoon Tea at The Savoy
On our last Saturday in London, we invited a few of our friends to afternoon tea at the Thames Foyer in The Savoy Hotel. We were very happy to experience afternoon tea with Gerry, Luigi, Luigi's friend Alessandra and Achille. David, Gerry, Luigi and Achille all worked together when David lived in London ten years ago.
The Thames Foyer is a gorgeous room with the focal point being a garden gazebo in the centre. In the garden gazebo is a grand piano, with a pianist providing relaxing music during high tea. The ceiling has a glass cupola that allows lots of natural light in and this helps create a lovely setting that is ideal for afternoon tea. We were very fortunate to get a reservation on such short notice, as we read afterwards that people typically have to book 3 months in advance, especially for afternoon tea on the weekends.
There were two selections for tea, either the Afternoon Tea or the High Tea menu. The High Tea menu was more savoury with things like finger sandwiches, eggs, salmon and crumpets, while the Afternoon Tea menu was of a sweeter nature with finger sandwiches, scones, pastries and cake. Most of us wanted to try the scones and clotted cream, so we selected the Afternoon Tea menu, with only Gerry opting for the High Tea menu. The tea menu itself was very impressive, as there was a huge selection of different types of teas - everything from white teas, to green teas, to black teas, to herbal teas, to scented teas, definitely something for everyone.
For the first round, we had a selection of savoury finger sandwiches that included honey-roasted ham, egg and dulse, smoked salmon and cucumber. We then had a choice of two scones, plain or raisin served with Devonshire clotted cream, strawberry preserve or lemon curd. The sandwiches were good, but the scones were heavenly and were exactly what we had all hoped for. Both the sandwiches and scones were replenished as the plates were emptied, and most of us had two scones each (they were that good!). For the second round, we had a choice of six different French pastries that included profiteroles, macarons and strawberry tarts. To end, our waiter brought around a trolley with three of the Thames Foyer's signature cakes - banana cake, fruit cake and carrot cake. Everything was delicious!
We spent about three hours at The Thames Foyer, chatting, eating and drinking tea. What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon!
West End Musicals
The one thing that we did indulge in while in London, was the theatre. During the week that we were in London we managed to see 4 musicals - Ghost the Musical, Jersey Boys, Crazy for You and Legally Blonde the Musical. Ghost the Musical and Legally Blonde the Musical are based on the movies, while Jersey Boys tells the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (this is not the first time we have seen this show, but we wanted to see it again as it is excellent). Crazy for You was the wild card in that we weren't sure what to expect. Featuring the music of Ira Gershwin, Crazy for You had a weak story, but fantastic dancing. We really enjoyed these musicals and we both agree that this is one of London's main draws.
Borough Market
Borough Market is situated near London Bridge and is a major tourist attraction. Only open from Thursdays to Saturdays, it is one of London's most renowned food markets. On the afternoon that we went it was extremely busy (but then again, we had read that it is always busy). It is obvious why it so busy and a favourite amongst foodies - it is a wonderful market with great food! There is something for everyone, from rare meats, to fruits and vegetables, to cakes, to speciality cheeses, to oils, to teas and breads. A gastronomic delight! We had a very enjoyable time walking around this market, sampling some of the food and stopping for a bite to eat.
Borough Market is situated near London Bridge and is a major tourist attraction. Only open from Thursdays to Saturdays, it is one of London's most renowned food markets. On the afternoon that we went it was extremely busy (but then again, we had read that it is always busy). It is obvious why it so busy and a favourite amongst foodies - it is a wonderful market with great food! There is something for everyone, from rare meats, to fruits and vegetables, to cakes, to speciality cheeses, to oils, to teas and breads. A gastronomic delight! We had a very enjoyable time walking around this market, sampling some of the food and stopping for a bite to eat.
Fortnum and Mason
Fortnum and Mason is one of London's old establishments. Founded in 1707, it is still one of London's premier department stores. I popped in here for a quick visit and was not disappointed as it is a beautiful store. The ground floor was impressive with all the speciality teas, confectionery, biscuits and cakes, while the lower ground floor featured an array of fruits, vegetables, cheeses, meats and fish. The 4th floor is where the St. James' Restaurant can be found, and this is where one can have lunch and afternoon tea.
Fortnum and Mason is one of London's old establishments. Founded in 1707, it is still one of London's premier department stores. I popped in here for a quick visit and was not disappointed as it is a beautiful store. The ground floor was impressive with all the speciality teas, confectionery, biscuits and cakes, while the lower ground floor featured an array of fruits, vegetables, cheeses, meats and fish. The 4th floor is where the St. James' Restaurant can be found, and this is where one can have lunch and afternoon tea.
Harrods
Situated in Knightsbridge, Harrods is synonymous with luxury shopping. To say that Harrods is huge is an understatement - it boasts over one million square feet of shopping space with over 300 different departments. With all this shopping space and ready to cater to customers' every needs, Harrods claims to sell almost everything.
We met our friend Gerry here and walked around Harrod's famous food halls. David and Gerry then went for a drink while I explored some of the other floors. It was a very short visit to the store, but I was very impressed with the vast selection of different goods for sale, not to mention shocked by some of the price tags (1200 pounds for a party dress for a five-year old is a little outrageous!) Harrods is a great place to shop if you have and want to spend lots of money. That said, it was great doing some window shopping, as everything is so beautifully displayed.
In 2010 the department store changed hands when Mohamed Al-Fayed sold it to Qatar Holdings for a reported 1.5 billion pounds.
