Tonight I will deviate from my last trip to Europe to share my evening in Washington DC. My friend Gretchen and I were on our way home from a long day of teaching a class of PA students Advanced Cardiac Life Support. We decided to take a detour to see the Cherry Blossoms. Check out the history of the cherry trees; a gift from Japan. https://www.nps.gov/subjects/cherryblossom/index.htm 15th St NW nearly at a standstill. Food trucks lined the street with owners hoping hungry tourists would pick up a quick snack. I jumped out of the car to get us hotdogs and … Continue reading The Sweet Smell of Blossom’s at Sunset

I boarded the Great Western Railway https://www.gwr.com/ at Paddington station, destination to Windsor Castle, and in just about an hour I was there. Before walking up to the castle, I walked over the river Thames to Eton. After a short walk up High Street, I noticed what appeared to be a gothic cathedral but was in fact the Eton chapel built nearly 600 years ago. Boys dressed in traditional black suits with white shirts and ties, looking as though they were going to play in an orchestra more so than attending church, filed out of the chapel. It was nice … Continue reading A Day at Windsor

The sun was bright and the air was cool, with a bit of a wind as I headed out for the day. I took a bus from Swiss Cottage to Camden. Camden, situated on Regents Canal, is known for its market, and bustling nightlife. That morning vendors were cooking food for the busy day. Shops were opening for the soon to come shoppers who wanted to get special gifts for Christmas, or maybe one for themselves. I boarded the waterbus with the London Waterbus Company https://www.londonwaterbus.com for the first ride of the day. The windows in the front had to … Continue reading A Bright Day and a Star at Night

After a day around Lambeth I headed to what would be the first of many plays this visit to London. I booked a reservation at The Refinery Restaurant. It was a good idea because there were office Christmas parties in abundance. Normally this restaurant is set up with individual tables for dining, but this night I sat amongst others at a long table set for a later reservation of a big party. The place was festive and the food was great! I had steak au poivre. https://www.drakeandmorgan.co.uk/the-refinery-bankside/ It was a short walk to Shakespeare’s Globe theatre. The Globe as it … Continue reading Shakespeare and His Globe

The Borough of Lambeth is the site of one of five museums making up the Imperial War Museum. As the first of the Imperial War Museums, it was established in 1917 as a reminder of those who fought in World War I. Since then it has expanded to encompass wars fought thereafter. It’s current location has been used since 1936 in what was once a hospital. Relic’s from the wars can be seen throughout the building. It also hold an extensive archive, and with a pass obtained online, you can conduct research there in the reading room. https://www.iwm.org.uk/ There is … Continue reading Wars to Remember

My major goal of the day was to start research for a book on women in the fire brigade during the blitz of London during World War II, at the National Archives in Kew. First I left Swiss Cottage for Richmond in search of fish and chips. After taking the train from Hampstead, I walked through the little town to meet up with the river Thames. Boats in hibernation for the winter dotted along the shore. Richmond is a borough of London situated on the Thames River; called Richmond Upon Thames. Its Green, a 2,000 acre park, is home to … Continue reading Upon the Thames

The London Underground is one of the best ways to get around the vast city. I have found if you are going to be there for more than a couple of days, it is best to get a pass. The tube as the London Underground is called, uses a card called an oyster card. https://www.londonpass.com/london-transport I purchased a weeks pass in two zones. Having the pass allowed me to move swiftly in and out of the station without worrying if I had enough money on the card. I frequently used the site https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/tube/ to plan my day prior to going … Continue reading Trafalgar Square

Eating a Portuguese roll with ham and cheese, heated by a street vendor next to the Swiss Cottage tube, stop was a nice start to a chilly day. The sky was clear for the moment, but the temperature had dropped. The cold would not be a deterrence; it was a beautiful day. It was a fairly quick ride on the underground during rush hour to get to the London Bridge Station by the Shard building to meet up once again with friends. https://www.the-shard.com/ The Shard is the tallest building in Western Europe. First I walked through the Borough Market. The … Continue reading Another Eventful Day in London