Tea at 3pm

Royal Tea at The Rubens

From the Rubens Hotel website:
"Our delicious afternoon tea features mouth-watering pastries that were heavily influenced by Royal events and dining trends throughout the centuries. 

From Her Majesty the Queen’s much-loved jam pennies, the red velvet cupcakes influenced by the House of Stuart, or the chocolate biscuit cake, a favourite of Prince William and Prince Harry of the House of Windsor, The Royal Afternoon Tea at the Rubens will leave you feeling like royalty."

We'll also receive one glass of champagne with our tea! Welcome to London!

Dinner Cruise on the Thames

Bring your camera and enjoy the lights of the landmarks of London.  We'll be on the Showboat!

Enjoy a evening of food, wine and entertainment as you cruise down the River Thames. Glide past some of London's most spectacular landmarks ias you cruise from the center of London to the Thames River barrier and back.

Highlights

• Free drinks included
• Travel by boat and see the sights from the water
• Dinner included

Begin your cruise in the heart of historic London, as you are welcomed aboard the London Showboat with a glass of sparkling wine in the lounge saloon. Following this, you will enjoy a four-course meal, with a choice of a half bottle of red or white wine included. During your cruise you will be entertained by a live singer, followed by more live entertainment, and plenty of time for dancing!

Starting in Westminster, you will see the historic buildings of St Paul's Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament; pass under the iconic Millennium Bridge and Tower Bridge, and see the more recent iconic constructions of Canary Wharf, the O2 Arena, the Thames Barrier, and the London Eye. 

Included with our dinner cruise:

• Pre-cruise glass of sparkling wine
• Delicious 4-course dinner
• Choice of half bottle of red or white wine with your meal
• Live singer performing songs from West End shows

 This is a sample menu:

First course:

• Oak smoked Scottish salmon mousse with a mustard and dill center
• Vegetarian option: Feta salad with walnuts, green beans, cherry tomatoes, roast peppers, pumpkin and olives

Second course:

• Tomato, roast pepper and basil soup

Third course:

• Roast chicken wrapped in parma ham, dauphinoise potato, mushroom, seasonable vegetables, served with a thyme and red wine sauce
• Vegetarian option: Lasagne, made with artichokes, spinach, saute of mixed mushrooms and goat cheese, and served with seasonal vegetables

Dessert:

• White, dark and milk chocolate truffle cake with raspberry sauce, served with tea or coffee

Departure Point:

Cruise departs from Westminster Pier

Departure Time:

7:45pm with boarding at 7:30pm

Duration:

3 hours (approx.)

Return Details:

Returns to original departure point at approximately 11:00pm

What to Wear? Oh dear.

You are setting your clothes aside this week, right?

Next week you'll be doing your "practice" packing, right?
And you know that layers will give you many options, right?

Here is some helpful advice: Click here for the Central London Tourist advice

I am sharing this blogger's thoughts...I do agree with her!
"Some rules for what to wear in London will apply, depending on where you will be visiting.

If you are planning to go the the Theatre check first with the venue if they have a dress code.
Usually there is no formal dress code but they do advise smart casual. 

I always know what to wear in London theatres now because I have been so many times.
Sometimes I will wear a nice top, with black trousers and some nice shoes. Usually flat shoes that are smart and comfortable.
I would never go 'over the top' and wear dresses and heels etc. I would probably look out of place, unless it was an opening night.
I personally wouldn't wear trainers (sneakers/tennis shoes) and I would advise you don't take the chance.
Sometimes, for some performances this may be frowned upon or even not allowed.
Dress in a smart/casual manner and make sure you will be comfortable enough to sit in your outfit for a couple of hours.  
Most theatres will not have air-conditioning either, so if it is really hot keep that in mind, or bring something to keep off any chilly drafts in cooler weather. "

"If you are wondering what to wear in London restaurants, I would always says check with them first.
If you are not sure where you will be going and so are not sure what to wear in London restaurants, then make sure you come prepared.
Not all restaurants will require you to dress a certain way, it really depends on which ones you will be going to.
Bring smart clothes and shoes if you think there is a possibility you will be going for afternoon tea or visiting a classy hotel or restaurant."

NOTE: We are staying in a "classy hotel" and we are having the Royal Tea at Rubens Hotel on Friday afternoon 3pm.

Have you any Pounds?

Undoubtedly you will need some spending cash.

Best for small amounts: tips, cafes (some won't take any credit cards, most will only take those with a "chip.") and cabs. Be prepared!  And if you plan to use an ATM, realize each time you utilize the machine, a charge will occur.  And sometimes they "eat" cards...again, you must have a 4 digit code for European ATMs and the first digit cannot be a zero.  So act now, and take along a bit of money...honey!

PS. Don't forget to notify your bank that you are traveling in the United Kingdom, so they won't think your card has been stolen and deny you the ability to use it.  If you have a chip card, but no PIN, apply for it TODAY! Some banks allow you to do this online, others take 2 weeks to mail. 

By the way, American Express is NOT the preferred card in Europe.  Visa and MasterCard are the best.

FYI> from the internet

One POUND consists of 100 pence.

The singular of pence is "penny". The symbol for the penny is "p"; hence an amount such as 50p is often pronounced "fifty pee" rather than "fifty pence".

We have both coins and banknotes.

Current coins are:

1 penny, 2 pence, 5 pence, 10 pence, 20 pence, 50 pence, 1 pound, and 2 pounds.

 

Current bank notes are:

the 5 pound note, the 10 pound note, the 20 pound note and the 50 pound note.

Old money conversions to money used today

• Six pence - 2½p
• One shilling (or 'bob') - 5p
• Half a crown (2 shillings and sixpence) - 12½p
• One guinea - £1.05

On our Way to Windsor Castle

Let's revisit our itinerary:

Day 1 - May 26, Thurs       flight to London (I'll be arriving the day prior at Luton)
Day 2 - May 27, Fri            Heathrow transfer to hotel, afternoon tea
Day 3 - May 28, Sat           Chelsea Flower Show all day
                                            Evening Theatre
Day 4 - May 29, Sun           On your own, or shopping at Harrod's, Selfridges, Liberty London, etc.
Day 5 - May 30, Mon          (Bank Holiday) Highclere Castle
Day 6 - May 31, Tue           Windsor Castle
                                            Thames Dinner Cruise
Day 7 - June 1, Wed            transfer to Heathrow for flight to USA (KO next day to Luton)

This post features Windsor Castle.

We'll be taking a coach from Victoria Station to the castle grounds (coach has restroom aboard).

 Windsor is located 30 miles west of London. 















Colored text below is from the Official website: Note that we will depart the hotel about 10am, for the bus at London Victoria Station around 10:30am; arriving to our destination stop at 11:30am. We will dine for lunch in town before arriving to the Castle.... after the crowds. Once inside you can wander at your own pace and we'll aim for a 4pm return bus, and will adjust the departure for time required to walk back to the bus pick-up.

There is a lot to see and do at Windsor Castle, so please allow enough time to make the most of your visit.  We suggest between 2½ and 3 hours. The Castle is at the top of a steep hill, and the visitor route covers long distances. You are advised to wear comfortable shoes. 

The Admission Centre is at its busiest between 09:30 and 11:30, so you may like to consider arriving after 11:30. You can visit the State Apartments, the Drawings Gallery, Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House and St George’s Chapel at your leisure using the complimentary multimedia tour, which lasts 1½ hours. Guided tours of the Precincts, which are included in the admission price, depart at half-hourly intervals from the Courtyard and last 30 minutes. St George’s Chapel closes at 16:00, although visitors are welcome to attend evensong at 17:15.

Note: No backpacks or large totes allowed, so we must travel light today!
On arrival, you and your belongings will be subject to airport-style security checks. Please try to bring as little as possible with you as it will help you to get through security screening more quickly.
Some items, such as large items of baggage, backpacks, pushchairs, pen-knives and scissors will have to be checked in and reclaimed at the end of the visit. 
Note: We will most likely eat before entering the Castle grounds. An average visit is about 3 hours, and if we depart by 4pm we will have some time to relax before the evening's dinner cruise.


Eating and drinking are not permitted in the State Apartments or St George’s Chapel. You will be asked to place drinks and food in closed bags before being admitted to the Castle. You can purchase bottled water at the Courtyard Shop at the beginning of your visit.
Visitors wishing to leave the Castle for refreshments in the town may obtain re-entry permits from the Castle shops or the audio return point.

Note: The following diagram shows the Castle layout and terrain.

 

In the Mood for London

This post is just for fun!

The countdown for departure begins!  Less than 4 weeks before departure....and it's still cool in London, with temperature still between 62 and 67 degrees so far.  So, please plan for plenty of layers as we are likely to have cool mornings and evenings, even if it warms up a bit in the coming weeks.

While you are contemplating your wardrobe, why not immerse in the culture with books and movies set in the location of our destination?

I just finished reading the book Lady Almina and The Real Downton Abbey.  I'll be sending this up to the Pennsylvania travelers to read if you think you have time before your departure> my roomie couldn't wait and she ordered it for herself.  It really does bring Highclere Castle to life knowing the history of the real American heiress.


Coming up 23 June 2016 is the latest Independence Day sequel...look for it after our return.  Click here for the trailer> Independence Day: Resurgence Official Trailer.
I missed the March release this year of London Has Fallen. But who wouldn't like to see Gerard Butler as the hero? Click here for London has Fallen trailer.

Enough of aliens and terrorists!
Let's get nostalgic with Notting Hill: you may want to stroll the shops on Sunday in Notting Hill.
Click here for Notting Hill trailer with Julia Roberts & Hugh Grant

I haven't seen First Night yet,  though it was released in 2013 in the United States and 2010 for U.K. It is sure to priovide great music, comedy, and lovely countryside English scenery with Sarah Brightman and Richard E.Grant.

It's available at Amazon Nexflix for viewing.
Click here: First Night movie trailer

The same director is known for Much Ado about Nothing and The Madness of King George.







The newest book about the royal ladies is Game of Crowns.
I'm hoping to start this one soon!

PACK This!

More Packing Info: I highly recommend compression knee socks or full pantyhose to wear on the long flight.  Will keep your legs circulating in the lower cabin pressure.  Can be found in drugstores and online.

I also find a dual face watch handy for knowing the time in 2 zones at once.  I bought my last one on Amazon for less than $25.