Enjoying a family weekend at our London Hotel in Swiss Cottage, exploring the City by bus and underground whilst visiting Buckingham Palace, The London Museum and then relaxing in and around the hotel pool before a fine dinner as we disregard the bitterly cold and squally show showers
We wake fairly early with Debbie full of beans as usual and call for pots of tea, coffee and hot chocolate which arrive in short order. Baths all round whilst Daniel reads a Dr Who book and Debbie watches ‘Ruba-dub-dub’ on television. Down to a ‘help yourself’ breakfast which the family greatly enjoy – Daniel helps himself to three packets of cereal and Debbie collects a huge plate of toast. Back to the room for our things and then I manage to find the Hostess to get our Red Rover vouchers. We set off and change these at the underground station for ‘Explorer’ tickets and use them to good effect for the rest of the day.
First by bus 2b from Swiss Cottage along Baker Street, Hyde Park Corner to Victoria Station and to walk to Buckingham Palace with the intention of seeing the Guard change. Unfortunately it was not changed today and so back by foot to Victoria Station and then by No11 bus along Victoria Street, passing the DTI buildings, round Parliament Square, along Whitehall passing Downing Street, round Trafalgar Square, past Charring Cross and along The Strand where we alight at The Strand Palace Hotel. By foot to Covent Garden and there Debbie saw a Punch and Judy show whilst I walked around the market. I bought a pretty old 1938 three-penny piece cleverly crafted by paint enamelling into a piece of jewellery for Debbie and also a fascinating ’conche-like’ clay flute (and then another when I broke the first!) Coffee and cake in a cavern café to warm up and then a walk back to catch the No11 bus onward to the city and an even longer walk to The London Museum. The family were reasonably patient whilst I had a good look at the exhibits which are nicely set out in date order bringing the observer from prehistoric times by stages through the middle and more recent history. Time to see the Lord Mayor’s Coach, the Fire of London exhibit, and the old artefacts of Roman times. Eventually to take the long walk back to Newgate Street, past the law court and prison. Then by No11 bus back to Victoria, retracing our historical journey and then to a Wimpy bar to eat a very late lunch in view of our dinner plans later. Cheese quarter pounders for Diana and I and plain hamburgers without relish for the kids. Then home to Swiss Cottage by underground tube train with a change at Green Park and, once back at the hotel, the kids go swimming whilst I enjoy a pool-side drink. We prepare the children for bed and then went down for a fine meal in the King Henry’s Restaurant – Roast Duckling for me and Escallop of Veal for Diana. And so ended a very full and invigorating day. The weather was bitterly cold with squalls of snow showers, freezing wind and icy temperatures for the time of year – but it did not spoil our active day too much.