Continuation of the trip which started on
3/2/2023 - Amsterdam (part 1)
3/4-5/2023 Amsterdam (part 2)
Departing early morning (March 6th), from the cold gray rainy Amsterdam , was substituted for for a cold grey rainy London..
However catching up on some great theater art exhibits, London sites, favorite restaurants and unexpected meeting with friends, was definitely worth the visit,
and are all mentioned in this post.
The View from the 7th floor of the Dillly Hotel in Piccadilly Square
Crossing the Embankment Bridge
Visiting London Tower
As I couldn't recall had I visited the London tower, during my much earlier previous visits to London ,yet really felt an urge to do so, this time, thus paid a visit on my own,
to this enormous impressive historical complex.
London Tower - His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London
The iconic historic castle complex with its picturesque bridge on the north bank of the River Thames in central London., by the open space known as Tower Hill, played a prominent role in English history.
Founded toward the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest, it has accumulated few other castle structures, defense walls, towers and a moat, throughout the course history.
It has served variously as an armory, a treasury, a menagerie, the home of the Royal Mint, a public record office, and the home of the Crown Jewels of England. Many of the structures can be visited on site.
The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078 and was a resented symbol of oppression, inflicted upon London by the new Normanruling class. The castle was also used as a prison from 1100 (Ranulf Flambard) until 1952 although that was not its primary purpose.
A grand palace early in its history, it served as a royal residence. and consist of a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat. There were several phases of expansion, mainly under kings Richard I, Henry III, and Edward I in the 12th and 13th c.
The Execution beheading Site in front of the church
From the East Bank of the Themes
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The LightRoom - David Hockney Bigger &Closer -Lumiere The LightRoom - 12 Lewis Cubitt Square, London (Kings Cross St Pancras-Tube Station)
This collaborative program with David Hockney in February 2023, in use of Lightroom's vast space and revolutionary technology, creates a magic luminary artistic event narrated by the artist - a personal journey through sixty years of his art.
Images screened on the vast walls and the sound system, facilitated a world experience through Hockney’s eyes.
His life-long fascination with the possibilities of new media gives a vibrant expression to the show
Lightroom is located in King’s Cross between Lewis Cubitt Square, and Granary Square adjacent to Coal Drops Yard -
Is a trendy development shopping complex and dinning hot spot - London's most exciting eateries, restaurants cafes, bars, crafts and brand name stores
La Gamme Le Chocolate-Bean to Bar
Alain Ducasse, Great hot Chocolate
It was the first time I visited this charming development - designed by Thomas Heatherwick and opened in 2018, that is situated right next to the Regents Canal off the Themes River, The Regent's Canal was named in 1820 after the Prince Regent, who became George IV the same year.
Cobbled streets and brick arches Victorian heritage and breath-taking architecture characterized the area,
The 2 Victorian coal drops sheds were used to receive coal from South Yorkshire and trans-ship it to narrowboats on the Regents Canal and to horse-drawn carts; About 2000 horses were parked in the built stables on site. They processed 8m tonnes a year.
Coal was the only form of energy available to heat and light the buildings of London, either directly or after having been converted to coal gas in the adjacent gas works. Coal use was challenged by electricity, and electricity prevailed – the coal drops were redundant and fell into decay.
They were used as warehouse units; one was gutted by fire in 1985[ and another used by Bagley’s nightclub, which closed in 2007. The night clubs complemented a vibrant night life of easy drug access, raves and prostitution , which all cleaned up with this new development
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Since I recently (Jan 2023) visited Egypt, I was intrigued to view the Egyptian pieces which were mentioned on the trip and ended on display at the British Museum
At the British Museum
Main entrance on Great Russell Street or the Montague Place entrance.
Tube Stations: Holborn, a 5 minute walk away, and Tottenham Court Road, a 2-minute walk away. Russell Square - 5 minute walk away, are all options.
PharaohAmenhotep III, mentioned in my post on Egypt from Jan 26/2023 (Here)
known as "Amenhotep the Great" was the 9th pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty. who ruled in the 14th BC for 38 years after his father Thutmose IV died.
King Amenhotep III from Luxor
Head and arm of King Amenhotep III
A stela composed of granodiorite inscribed with three versions of a decree issued in Memphis, Egypt, in 196 BC during the the Ptolemaic dynasty on behalf of King Ptolemy V Epiphanes. The top and middle texts are in Ancient Egyptian using hieroglyphic and Demotic scripts respectively, while the bottom is in Ancient Greek.
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At the Royal Academy of Arts -
Spain & The Hispanic World.
At this art institution (founded in 1768) which is one of my favorite in London viewing this special exhibit on the Spanish art of the Hispanic world, was a nice prelude to the continuation of our trip next week., to Spain.
Head of Medusa
The exhibit present a visual narrative
of the history of the Spanish culture reflecting diversity of cultural and religious aspects from Celtic to Islamic Jewish and Christian, across 4 millennia, by displaying 150 artifacts, including paintings by El Greco, Valazquez and Goya, from the collection of the Hispanic Society of America.
Legal document- Patent of Nobility
Hebrew Bible 1450 Spain
This society - museum and library, based in Manhattan, was founded in 1904 by American Philanthropist
Archer Milton Huntington (1870-1955) who established a pubic museum and library for the study of the art an culture of Spain Portugal Latin America and the philistines.
Silk textile ceramics silver-work jewelry, maps manuscripts drownings are also on display.
Giovanni Vespucci (1484--1524) - geographer, cartographer, and cosmographer
World Map 1486
St Gerome 1600- El Greco Portrait of a Girl - Valasquez Pieta - El Greco
Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida 1863-1923), a painter I like a lot, was a Spanish Valencia painter. who excelled in painting of portraits, landscapes and monumental works of social and historical themes. His most typical works are characterized by a dexterous representation of the people and landscape under the bright sunlight of Spain and sunlit water.
Sorolla - 1923
Duchess of Alba 1797 - De Goya
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Russel Park/ Square - in Bloomsbury,
A charming second largest square in the city ,right behind the British museum, which passing through its Gardens that was relaid in 2002, returning them to something like their appearance in the early 1800s by reproducing the original twisting paths and planting new lime trees. is definitely worth it.
The Russell family, earls of Bedford from 1550, gained possession of Bloomsbury by marriage into the Southampton family in 1669.
The area remained mostly open fields until the mid-18th c. until the square was
laid out in 1801 by the great land sscape architect Humphry Repton on land earlier called Southampton Fields, and subsequently Long Fields.
James Burton - the most successful property developer of the time, was the designer of the original buildings that surrounded the square, The large terraced housesaimed mainly at upper-middle-class families. and few of the original houses survived, especially on the southern and western sides..Russell Square quickly became one of London’s most desirable places of residence, home to the highest of high society
It was the prime setting for the events of Thackeray’s Vanity Fair, which is set at the time of the Napoleonic Wars.
Most impressive building on the square, and is worth to go in and explore , is the 19th c Kimpton Fitzroy London ( It was then called the Russell Hotel.) a landmark hotel ,occupying a full block along the eastern side of Russell Square ,
A chateau-style terracotta extravagance, regarded as the finest work of the British architect of the Victorian and Edwardian eras Charles Fitzroy Doll. who specialized in designing hotels.
Fitzroy Doll also designed the dining room on the RMS Titanic, which was based on his design for this hotel when it was Hotel Russell .The tween dragon statue, which decorates the railing on the second floor of the hotel, was also placed in the lost Titanic
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More London Scenes
Saturday was the only day of he entire week, that the sun finally showed up it pale smiley face. It was still very cold, but the dry sunny weather begged an outdoor walk
So the morning of our last stay in London was spent in strolling the Pall Mall
St. and through St James Park the oldest Royal Park , situated in the St James's area
Florence Nightingale
Located on Waterloo Place, at the junction of Regent Street and Pall Mall.
Sculptor is John Bell (1811-1895) features three regiments of Guards: Granadier, Fusilier and Coldstream. Marie Louise Sørensen et al. write,
At St. James Park
The Queen's Horse Guard
The Queen's Household Cavalry is the mounted guard at the entrance to Horse Guards Arch, which is located east of St James's Park
For many other great guided London walks this is a great resource
London Walks - Guided daily walks.
Theater Recommended
"Lemons Lemons Lemons"
Starring Aidan Turner and Jenna Coleman
It is about what we say, how we say it, and what happens when we can’t say anything anymore.
"Lehman Trilogy"
At The Gillian Lynne theater (here)
by Stefano Massini, adapted by Ben Power
Michael Balogun , Hadley Fraser Nigel Lindsay ;
A Small Family Business) play the Lehman Brothers, their sons and grandsons in an extraordinary feat of storytelling told in three parts on a single evening.
the story of a family and a company that changed the world.
"Phaedra" At the National Theater
(here)
Janet McTeer stars in director Simon Stone’s) thrilling new version of the epic Greek tragedy about lust, loneliness and power.
Phaedra has spent years with a single-minded focus on her political career, but it is time to turn her attention to her personal life. When a figure from her past reappears, her entire belief system - the root of her power and success - is shaken to its core
"Shirley Valentine" at the Duke
one-woman play written by Willy Russell, winning him his third Olivier Award with actress . Sheridan Smith
The story of a woman who got lost in marriage and motherhood, who wound up talking to the kitchen wall, whilst cooking for her husband'. But Shirley still has a secret dream. One day she may just leave a note, saying: 'Gone! Gone to Greece.'
"To Kill a Mockingbird" - at the Gieilgud Theater
The play is an acclaimed adaptation by Aaron Sorkin of Harper Lee’s literary classic
story of To Kill a Mockingbird which takes place in 1930s Alabama and centres on Atticus Finch (Modine), a lawyer defending a Black man, wrongly accused of rape.
This is a great production with a fantastic acting cast.
"The Unfriend" - The Criterion on Piccadilly Circus
Written By Steven Moffat.
A Riotous Dark Comedy with an uproarious cast including Reece Shearsmith , Amanda Abbington and Frances Barber
Though a bit silly , it is a very funny excellently acted comedy, that we were blessed to see, on the last night of our stay n London, together with our dear friends- Vera and David, after having a nice dinner
Restaurants Recommended
Tamarind - Indian
44 (0)207 629 3561
Tamarind offers world-class Indian food in London.It is one of the first Indian restaurants in the world to win a Michelin star, which it holds to this day,
Le Garrick - French Bistro
10-12 Garrick Street, Covent Garden, 020 7240 7649 info@legarrick.co.uk
In the heart of Convent Garden,
Le Garrick is renowned for its excellent, regional French food, friendly service and warm atmosphere.
J. Sheekey's -Sea Food
by Leicester Square.
28-32, St Martin's Ct +44 (0)20 7240 2565
One of our favorite, we never miss when visiting London
Margot-Italian Restaurant -
Covent Garden
classic Italian cuisine with a focus on quality. +44 (0) 203 409 4777
45 Great Queen Street,
reservations@margotrestaurant.com
Milos London - Sea Food Restaurant
1 Regent Street St James’s, +44 (0) 20 7839 2080, london@estiatoriomilos.com
We are familiar with the Milos New York which we like a lot, and were delighted to find on the last day of our stay, that this branch exists just around the corner of the hotel. and situated in the former British Columbia House in Westminster, a short walk from Piccadilly Circus
Rules Restaurant
35 Maiden Lane Covent Garden
+44 (0)20 7836 5314;
This charming historical establishment was established by Thomas Rule in 1798 making it the oldest restaurant in London, and Is one I love it decor the best. It serves traditional British cuisine.
specialises in game and has its own estate, the Lartington Estate, in Teesdale
The restaurant has featured in novels by Graham Greene, Dick Francis, Dorothy L. Sayers and Evelyn Waugh. And King Eduard VII carry his liaisons with the famous actress
Lillie Langtry, in a secret room that can be visited, on the restaurant's second floor .
The Dilly on Piccadilly -hotel we stayed
This 1908 historical imposing hotel at the heart of central London near Picadilly Circus, a Le Méridien, formaly fuses its historical grandness with contemporary cool
The rooms are spacious but not completely updated, but the central location compensates for it. Also the public sitting areas, especially the Baron the entrance floor is most charming. The hotel's Terrace housed in a plant-filled conservatory and with an external balcony, offers a change in character – in the 1930s it was the scene of poolside parties before the pool was moved to the basement.
This pool was the main attraction for David who used it every morning
Thus he main feature, is the health club with its large swimming pool, spacious gym two squash courts, steam room and Spa
End of the visit in London
To be Continued.....in Barcelona