London Memories

My first time in London was fifty years ago! I was a student in Germany, and visited London and Ireland with a friend on our Easter break, in late March. What I remember:

The rickety wooden escalators in the Tube

Apple crunch and custard at a Lyons Corner House

Cheap tickets to see Fiddler on the Roof from the last row.

But most all, the beautiful drifts of daffodils 🌼 in Hyde Park.

Well my first time was about 20 years ago , so I will skip to my best meneories over last five visits .

How much we enjoyed the Beefeaters tour at the Tower of London , how interesting the Imperial War Musuem was ( specifically the "how we lived during WWII" and Holocaust sections ) , and how nice it was on a sunny day to take the cruise up to Greenwich , and stopping in a cute pub there . ( nice to get out of the hustle bustle of the city for an afternoon )

I went in 1985 with my sister. I remember taking the doubledecker bus tour, shopping in and having tea at Harrods, having the best fish and chips and for a dessert eating spotted dick. Going to St. Paul's cathedral to say a few prayers for our recently deceased Grandmother. It was a quick trip but I remember it very distinctly.

I've been watching the UK Parliament since it was first televised. I woke up very early to see the first broadcast which was carried by C-Span in the USA. Going to London, touring the Palace of Westminster and standing in front of the government dispatch box and looking up at the Speaker's chair is a memory I still treasure to this day.

I'll also never forget crossing Abbey Road for the first time. I've been a Beatles fan since I was a kid. The second time I crossed Abbey Road, I also listened to the side 2 medley streamed on my phone while crossing the road and walking around the area of the studio.

Lola: surely apple crumble . And unfortunately the wooden escalators went on to be a major cause of the 1987 Kings Cross fire disaster.

Barbara: the best fish and chips come from a good fish and chip shop at the coast. You buy them as a take-away, find a place to sit with a view out to sea and eat them from the wrapping paper. And if possible do it at sunset.

"Cheap tickets to see Fiddler on the Roof from the last row."

This makes my heart happy.... I wish we could find cheap tickets to see anything anymore!

My first trip was in the mid-eighties with my husband, when we were thirty somethings. I remember leaving our B&B after breakfast and returning after nights at the theatre, day after 15 hour day!
A few years later I brought my 12yo daughter to London for her first trip to Europe. We stayed at the Norwegian YWCA in Holland Park for 10 nights, about $25 each for 2 meals and a private room. We had a list of the plays and musicals we wanted to see most, so on our first day we went box office to box office to buy our tickets for Cats, Les Mis, Starlight Express, Kiss Me Kate.... (In June I'm bringing her 10yo son to London for a week!)
My biggest concern about traveling alone with my daughter was keeping up with our money. I know we had AMEX traveler's checks and pretty sure I brought no credit cards. I'm an artist, not an accountant, and my worst case scenario was making a big money mistake when I had no easy backup. Every night I took our my tiny notebook and listed what was left in traveler's checks, what I had in pounds, and a general idea of what I had spent that day. If my numbers generally made sense, I could sleep peacefully that night!

Seeing Spamalot at the Playhouse Theatre; staying at a fantastic B & B in Muswell Hill-we loved it. Our London Walks tour, led by Ann Marie, was really special.

Waaaay back in 1976, as an American, used to traffic coming down the right-hand side of the road, I immediately became aware that, when crossing the street, I needed to look right, not left. I made a point of developing an automatic reaction when I got to a curbside, to look right, then left, not the other way 'round.

On my trip this summer, the words "Look Right," with arrows pointing that direction, are on curbs all over the place. Not sure if that labeling was in place back in '76.

My first visit was 25 years ago and just one day. Being a Georgette Heyer fan, Rotten Row in Hyde Park was memorable during that first trip. Alas, it was just an afternoon and I did not have time then for my favorites: visiting the Globe Theatre and Liberty of London (the fabric floor).

Now, in my opinion, Globe tickets are reasonably priced and can be purchased online and in advance. I try to go as often as I can. Even if I have just a one or two day stay, to the Globe I go, if I can swing it. The afternoon matinee is manageable on landing day despite jet lag. The evening show is not. For me, anyway.

I also try to fit in a London Walks tour. I would never learn as much wandering on my own. Great fun and can often be fit into even tight schedules.

Enjoy. Debbie

First visit was 19 years ago and a mid twenty girl with my boyfriend ( now husband). It was my first time In Europe and I loved seeing the double decker buses, telephone booths etc.
I remember walking to Buckingham Palace and being so amazed that it was right there!
We just went back this summer with our kids and we loved revisiting some of the same sites but we also all enjoyed the Churchill war rooms and Hampton court palace.

First trip in 1990. Charles and Diana were living in Kensington Palace. My sister and I went to the Orangery for high tea then took some sort of tour that included seeing Diana's wedding dress. I remember being amazed that they might actually be under the same roof as us!

My first and only visit to London was in 1997 and was only 2-1/2 days so everything we did is a favorite memory. Riding on the top deck of the double decker bus, visiting Westminster, Tower of London and the crown jewels, a night time cruise on the Thames, searching for and finding 84 Charing Cross Road and speakers corner in Hyde Park, Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Sq and most of all our visit to Hampton Court (still one of my favorite castles/palaces of all time). Packed a lot into those couple of days, but unfortunately no time for museums, maybe I'll have to go again.

1972 with the then boy friend.

Piccadilly Circus, before they curtailed the insanity.

The pigeons in Trafalgar Square. They are no longer there but you could buy feed and have your photo taken with them eating out of your hand. Still have that exact photo.

Hearing Big Ben chime for the first time.

Not having any ice in my coca cola.

Seeing Dame Judi Dench and the late Sir Donald Swindon in a farce. Had no clue it was Judy Dench till years later when I was looking at the theatre bill. Just remember him towering over her. Both were exceptionally talented.

Besides seeing Hair in San Francisco that was only my second experience watching a theatre performance. Laughed so hard nearly hurt myself.

BUT the real reason I remember the evening is that the elderly man in front of us removed his shoes and his socks STUNK to high heaven.

We were also offered ice cream cups at intermission and I thought and STILL think that's the best thing ever!

Having a Bobbie help me with directions. So pleasant, even walked with me part of the way.

And no CYN those life saving Look Right, Look Left curb signs weren't in place in the 70'S. Definitely took a bit of trial and near death moments to adjust.

1985: The drama teacher from my school led a gaggle of teenage girls and a couple of bemused boys to Europe, including London.

We saw "The Mousetrap." We visited Foyle's. On a bus tour through the City, I saw the HQ of the company my dad worked for. When I bought something for my mom at Harrods, I had to visit the shipping department to have it sent back home; the clerk treated the teenage me like I was one of the aristocracy!

Our group stayed in dorms at a college near Kentish Town. A few of us girls got a bit lost in "downtown" London one day and had to resort to asking people how to get to Camden Town (our Tube stop). Several times we were told, "Oh, no! You don't want to go there, love!" But actually, we do!

The Live Aid concert happened while we were there. In the afternoon we looked up and saw the Concorde and knew that Phil Collins was on board. Our brush with fame! :D

Hoping to catch a glimpse of Queen Victoria.

My fondest memory of my first trip to London (only last year, hope to go back next year) was stopping in at a random fish and chips takeout place between visiting the Tower of London and the Old Operating Theater. It was our first experience with fish and chips in England. The weather was nice so we took it to a little park and had lunch in the park. It was so good (much better than anything we get at home) and I couldn't believe that I was in London eating fish and chips and all of my co-workers were at home starting their work day. Best feeling in the world.

Other memorable moments:
Visiting Hyde Park on our first day in the city.

Attending a play and meeting some of the actors at the stage door (Sir Patrick Stewart and Damien Molony.)

Just being there, really, and seeing all of the famous sights of Big Ben, Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Tower. Fell in love with the Round Pond in Kensington Gardens. Falling asleep with jet lag while waiting and waiting for the waiter to bring the bill at the restaurant we first ate at; we finally realized that Americans need to ask for the bill if they don't want to wait forever! This was in 2000.

Walking through a silent city on mild Christmas morning (little traffic!) to join Londoners on a walk through St. James' Park.

First glimpse of Big Ben and hearing the chimes. Tour of Westminster Abbey and seeing room where King James Bible was translated. Strolling thru St James Park and seeing a very tall, handsome soldier in full dress strolling there as well. All mad me pinch myself and say Yes I am in England!!

One great memory I had of my first trip to Britain in 1994 was not about anything I saw or did. The week I arrived saw the announcement of the first IRA ceasefire. I remember there was a great deal of optimism at the time. That particular deal did come unstuck, but it was the start of a lot of progress in that area.

It almost didn't seem like I was in London until I saw the Parliament building for the first time. Loved everything about London, but visiting St. Paul's Cathedral was a highlight. And when we went downstairs there was a wedding taking place in the chapel. I heard a familiar song as a choir sang a choral anthem by John Rutter that I have sung in my choir here. It was awesome in that setting. And afterwards, while we ate in a square/plaza outside, we saw the wedding party leave the church in red double-decker buses. Fun!