We arrived in Southampton, England, at 6:30 a.m. on Friday, June 20, 2014. UNBELIEVABLY, we were off the ship, showered, fed and in our taxi by 8:30 and ON the train by 9:00 a.m.!!!! We paid Cunard $10 to get us a taxi and have it waiting for us....worth it! The above picture is of our train car in which we were riding. We were able to leave our two huge suitcases in the connector area between the two cars. We heard one woman comment as she exited, "My, that is a BIG suitcase!" The train was immaculate, fast, efficient and a pleasure to ride.
We arrived at London Waterloo Station at 10:30 a.m. Shocked to be there so early!!! We had told David that we wouldn't be there till noon! But he was there to meet us!!!! We immediately noticed all the formal attire and thought perhaps a wedding was happening....not so.....the Royal Ascot horse race is this weekend and all these people and thousand of others were traveling to Ascot for the races. What a introductory welcome to London! |
David and McKenzie's apartment building is a restored school house, built in 1877, now known as Silverthorne Lofts. The larger section on the right was the original building for the boys; the smaller section on the left was added in 1904 for the girls....David and McKenzie's unit is located on the second floor on the back side. Also pictured above is their entryway, the corridor, littered with our two huge suitcases.
The living area seems very spacious due to the double set of windows and ceiling, soaring 20'
David's office area and the kitchen/dining area are located under their bedroom...the ceiling with a traditional 8' height
This is a view UP to the loft where the second bedroom/bath is located...
"our" room....and dozens of other guests who have made their way across the pond to this delightful bed and breakfast....houses a daybed and the bath is behind the arched door....
overlooking the living room from "our" room!
David and McKenzie's room/bath
Out to the parking courtyard of the Silverthorne Lofts.....to begin our first day of touring
Directly across the street from the Lofts is Burgess Park, named after Jessie Burgess, Camberwell's first woman mayor. Unlike other parks in London, this one was carved out of a densely built part of the city, including houses, transport and industry. It is now home to 140 acres of greenspace, including tennis courts, football (soccer), rugby and cricket pitches (fields), a fishing lake, bbq pits, outdoor gym equipment, ping pong tables and gardens dedicated to wildflowers only. Southwark borough, home to Camberwell, is south of the Thames. It is a laborer's borough, one of the most indigent in the metro area.
David and McKenzie's first apartment in London....the one with the open doors on the third floor.
Tree lined avenues are lovely even in the "hood"
McKenzie's "now" alma mater! Our first, foremost, primary reason for this trip is to honor McKenzie, celebrate her work and graduation, and see hers and David's "world" for the past three years.....
The facade
We had a hard time even pronouncing "apotropaic", until Kenzie helped us..app-o-tro-pay(emphasis)-ic
Our graduate glowing, as well she should, with pride and gratification....and immense relief! Well done, Kenz, and in a most impressive manner! Now we truly see why you suffered tendonitis, tensynitis (inflamed and possibly torn tendon sheath of her right thumb), bruised, bloody, swollen hands.....she defined "blood, sweat and tears"!!!!! And it took 17 people to move the bloody thing in to the school!!! As of this writing, we are not sure where this apotropaic wonder will live....
Another interesting work -- the red part....it is made of painted wood to look like a metal structure -- right down to the rivets. Artist Alex Deveraux
And yet another one.....with some humor!
Our tour guide is now charting our course for the remainder of the afternoon
First stop is this rather ugly, but typical, corner store, where one can purchase bus and/or lottery tickets. We are getting our bus tickets.....no lotteries....yet! Our Oyster card is a credit card/pass (buyer determines how much $$$ to put on the card). It is accepted for all public transportation throughout the city
This is our first choice.....all the busses are red and they are all double deckers, different from the tour busses in that they are enclosed.
We will spend this entire afternoon on the South Bank of the Thames which is where Camberwell, Southwark is located
The muddy, tree lined Thames
The London Eye is bigger than big. From a distance, the gondola seats looked like a normal ferris wheel.....as we approached, you can see how large the "capsules" are, each holding about 30 people!
Repetitive, I know, but the trees are magnificent. The London Planes, as they are known, have maple-like, waxy leaves and shed their bark year round which makes them ideal for polluted cities like London and Paris.
At the foot of the Eye.....most of these people are in line to take a ride.
A variety of street performers line the Thames walkway, making it an entertaining stroll.
This is very unique...the performer has a dish towel attached to the end of each of two broom sticks which he soaks in soapy liquid and then fans them through the air to produce GIANT, GINORMOUS bubbles. The children delight in trying to catch and pop them...
"Busking" is what you just saw.....street performing. There are areas where this is not allowed. If it IS allowed, the performer must have a license....probably to collect tax on his earnings??? Or, to control the quality of the performances.
The Jubilee Gardens and Walkway were established when Queen Elizabeth celebrated her silver anniversary.....and enhanced and expanded on each successive Jubilee.....TWO MORE!!!!!
Still on the Jubilee Walkway...and the three pictures below are also on the Jubilee Walkway....
The Undercroft, underneath the Queen Elizabeth Hall (ironically), has been home to the skateboarding community since the 1970's. It was dead space.....the skaters started using it and over the years have claimed it. There has been "talk" of destroying it and making it more appealing to the general "eye". Petitions are circulating to keep it, citing that it has been a landmark for over 40 years.
Man-made sand box, still along the Jubilee walkway
A "pop-up" (temporary) book store along the walkway....old books and maps
A view across the Thames to the North side: the top is the City of London, new and shiny and constantly renewed; the bottom is Central London, hundreds of years old, marked by St. Paul's Cathedral.
River Birch lined entrance to the Tate Modern Art Gallery, formerly an electric power station
Not the original Globe.....that was just a few hundred feet down the walkway and burned to the ground in 1613.....it was not rebuilt until 1996.
Going to meet McKenzie for dinner at their favorite neighborhood restaurant, La Luna. Delicious Italian food.....and early to bed.
