Day 4, 5 & 6


Sunday took us on a Notting Hill adventure.  We have the tube and schedules all sorted out now and it’s beginning to make sense to us now.  Mads prefers the double decker buses even if its standing room only….. there appears to be less BO for some reason and a better option for seats to become available.  It is hard to fathom an entire underground system beneath the City of London and then some…  being claustrophobic, I can’t give it a nanosecond of thought further though! 

     The Notting Hill station pops up just by the the famous Portabello Road and market. However, Sunday clearly isn’t the best day for the market….. the only day when there are no fruits, veggies or flower stands.  It was chucking it down with rain and the perfect time for Mads to invest in a pair of lovely, yellow wellies.  Evidently, the name in wellies is Hunter brand complete with special wellie socks.  I’ve since learnt that we can actually buy that brand in Canada and at Nordie’s in the states…no matter, at least she can say she bought them across the pond in a quaint area of Notting Hill.  We legged it the 2 miles and then circled back to Westbourne Grove, a more upscale area of shops, restaurants and cafes.  We found a cute café serving Illy coffee, grabbed a couple of croissants and a vile, triangular Brazilian chicken pot pie.  The smell of the latter involuntarily turned my stomach…. WT, ever the “clean up man”, managed to work it down though.  Good man!

     Hyde Park/Speaker’s Corner just on the edge of Marble Arch.  Hyde Park was actually Henry VIII’s hunting grounds – now quite the lovely, green hub for walkers, runners and resters.  Speaker’s Corner, however, is a place for ranting and venting…an opportunity for those willing to preach their particular persuasion on any controversial social topic. 

     On to Fortnum & Mason, otherwise known as the Queen’s shop…high quality items.  I splurged…I heard THE VOICE.. I had to do it….. a Christmas pud’ in a limited Jubilee edition crock!!! 

     Monday took us schlepping through St. James’s Park to Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guards.  I am a mushy mess when it comes to the pomp and circumstance….nothing a little fish and chips couldn’t help though.  A recommendation from Rob Porter, a bus schedule and determination took us right to the Fryer’s Delight in Holborn.  Wow, it did not disappoint.  We each snatched our paper-wrapped bit of goodness and muscled our way to the little Red Lion Park, found a bench and proceeded to wrap our lips around those tasty morsels.  Haddock and chips….a forever memory such that we are afraid to order it anywhere else now….

     Chinatown and Soho called and we were off and running into the dodgy area of London…and an education on several levels for M&m’s!! 

     Yesterday brought my friend Dave out for a visit.  It was fabulous catching up with him but just too short…we captured a few Sidley memories, had a few laughs then he was off and running in one direction while our direction took us to the museums…namely the Natural History and The Royal Albert and Victoria.  It is quite perplexing how quickly the Tan Clan can march through incredible artifacts in double time!  I’m beginning to feel like M&m’s take after my dad…..”mo hing chui” (not much interest)!!  Who raised ‘em?