United Kingdom
Hackney

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    • Day 36

      Last day last minute shop

      October 9, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

      Well the day has come. Last official day left to do any last minute shopping and ensure all the holiday money is spent. Couldn’t quite manage to do that and suitcases are full!
      Spent the morning at Spitalfields market, found a whole area we had missed the other day. Grabbed a few more bits and bobs as did the others. Popped down to Angel/Islington to get a security tag off an item Lulu had bought a few days before, quick bite to eat and then back to the apartment.
      Nice little rest before out to dinner at a great place with Dan and Cami, just a few minutes walk away. Food was delicious, company was great and a great way to end an epic 37 day trip.
      Early rise tomorrow. I leave here at 8 and the rest of the crew at 10 ….. did I mention we had a problem with no hot water today and the men were at the apartment when we got back from dinner. It’s not looking good!
      Could be a quick wash only in the morning. 😝
      See ya in NZ. Thanks for coming along for the ride
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    • Day 6

      Day 4 - Brick lane

      May 28, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

      Hier ( un peu de retard 😅) nous sommes enfin allés à Brick Lane, qui est vraiment un endroit génial, ancien quartier industriel totalement transformé ! Pleins de supers boutiques ( de bijoux par exemple 😉) et une place au cœur du quartier remplie de food trucks ! Après un gros déjeuner nous sommes passés par le flower market de Brick Lane puis nous nous sommes dirigés vers la City, le quartier d’affaires de Londres, à la recherche de paires de chaussures que nous voulions absolument 😅. Nous étions assez fatigués alors nous sommes rentrés nous reposer un peu avant de passer la soirée à discuter avec Steven ( discussion au cours de laquelle on a appris que le quartier était rempli de renards, dans les jardins et les rues, donc aujourd’hui on va essayer d’en voir !)Read more

    • Day 191

      Film developed !

      November 16, 2022 in England ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

      Here is London film that worked semi. Got it developed in Brick lane :)
      A lot of the pics we took we forgot to put the flash on and the camera had a few issues. Or maybe it was our fault too.
      But here is when we met Anja and Carla for coffee.
      Then Didi and I when we went to Cambridge to see her choir.
      Then scout and I with our Tesco meal deals in St James park.
      Buckingham palace x2
      Chinatown
      Sara and Elisa
      Sara and I with our ciders on the most freezing night
      Anja and sara
      One pic of me opening the door on Sara’s series of documenting the journey home because the camera was only semi working so we just wanted to finish the roll.
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    • Day 24

      Bethany Green, London

      July 8, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

      Our Airbnb is terrific. It’s on the 3rd floor of a block of flats and has a lovely Juliet balcony overlooking a park.

      The underground is just a quick 10-minute walk so we are all set to have our first day in London.

      Local Middle Eastern brekkie was awesome. This area is really multicultural and is expected to be rainy and humid. Sharon decided she wants her nails done so I will observe and listen to the Dees game back home.

      The London Underground is so easy to use, and you no longer need an Oyster card, just tap on and off with a debit card now.

      We popped up at Oxford Circus and started with a walk down Carnaby Street. Window shopped right through to Piccadilly Circus, and it was time to meet Steve for lunch. We were a bit early, so we had a pint in a pub, as you do.

      Steve is one of our buddies' cousins. We stayed with him and his partner Ricky last year. He was so excited to see us as we were him. He took us to one of his favourite pubs. The Clachan is a public house and is a Grade II listed building, built in 1898.
      I ate Bangers & Mash washed down with a pint of London Pride.

      After lunch Steve wanted to take us next door to Liberty which is the oldest department store known best for its fabrics and haberdashery.

      Said goodbye to Steve. He had to drive back to Headley Down, so we decided to walk to Buckingham Palace. Even though we have been here quite a few times it still captures your imagination.

      It is very wet and very busy today our favourite moment was a peddle powered bar that seats 14 people and a bar person. The one we watched was a hen's party. So funny watching 10 drunken ladies trying to peddle to move through the intersection.

      Next stroll was through St James Park along the Princess Diana Memorial Walk. All of London’s beauty was on display and we even had a squirrel check us out.

      Our show tonight is Groundhog Day which is a musical adaption from the original movie, but the lyrics and music was written by Tim Minchin. We were early so we enjoyed a mojito at a Cuban bar opposite the Old Vic Theatre.

      The show was outstanding. Lively choreography, singing, stunning set changes and even some illusions. Minchin put his unique way with words into the score and we thought it was one of the best shows we have seen. The cast received a standing ovation.

      What a great day. Our feet are sore.
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    • Day 7

      Adventures in London

      October 6, 2022 in England ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

      I have had another 2 exciting days. I really thought that it was going to be tough to top the Cambridge day. Perhaps I haven't topped but I have had an interesting time.

      My first stop yesterday was the John Soanes museum known informally as British museum light. Soane was an infamous British architect who lived from 1753 to 1837. He was known for neo-classical architecture-think Greek and Roman like. He collected pieces of architecture from antiquity and art. When he died he left his house with contents and his estate to be maintained as it was in 1837 for a public museum. I toured the house by myself and then was able to get on a tour. Nothing is labelled in the museum so there is no guide to know what to look at. I bought a program which helped a little. I had purchased a video from the museum before my visit that didn't work so they added me to the tour. I had tried to book a tour myself. The tour was very good and got me into parts of the house that normally one doesn't get into. Soane had even purchased an Egyptian sarcophagus. It was a neat place to visit.

      That afternoon I did another London walk up in Hampstead, once a village north of London but now merged with London. I have wandered around Hampstead before but it was good to be shown some of the pretty spots. These tours turn somewhat into trivia walks of London as on learns which famous British people lived along the wall. John Keats the poet, John Constable the countryside painter and Daphne Dumauier the writer. Many of the people I had never heard of.

      I am not to far from the Sadler Wells dance theatre. A woman on the train had recommended it to me. I have had to sit through lots of dance competition including a lot of bad Hip Hop. Zoo nation England's premier HipHop group was performing so I thought I should go and see some good Hip-hop for once. I wasn't let down. It was spectacular.

      Today I went to the Imperial War Museum. I think to do it justice one would have needed three days but I could only last for three hours. That still allowed a lot of time for all of the fighting and killing that the British have been involved in during the 20 century. Afterwards I was so exhausted I had to go back and have a nap at my accommodation.

      After a morning of death and destruction, I needed something for my soul. Westminster Abbey does a free Evensong service with choristers daily at 5. If you arrive in good time you get to sit in the chorister section of the abbey. I got there in good time and sat right behind the choristers. The singing was incredible and being in Westminster Abbey right behind the choir was very unique.Sitting beside me was a gregarious American from Colobous Ohio who had retired to London 20 years ago. He lived around the corner and attended the services daily. He therefore had gotten to know many of the choristers and the clergy. When his wife passed away he had also left an endowment to the abbey which had placed in good standing at the Abbey. He had even attended the Queen's funeral and had a photo to prove it He reminded of my friend Brian who also was from Ohio. We hit it off and afterwards we went out to eat together at the Laughing Fish and Chips.
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    • Day 30

      Back to London and good coffee😁

      October 3, 2023 in England ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

      We arrived back to London on Monday after a 1.5 hour delay. Everyone frayed and tired. Didn’t make it to our accommodation till nearly midnight, so everyone just wanted a shower and bed. Lulu isn’t staying with us but bunked on the couch for the night due to the late hour. Accommodation is A1 with four bedrooms, easy access to everything and very close to transport. Great selection Kel.
      Tuesday up and out to get some breakfast nosh and coffee and back to cook bacon and eggs on toast, and then Lulu was off to her friends in Henley for a few days. She will be back on Friday for our Tina Turner night out.
      Kel went to meet up with her boy Dan for the day and business friends over here. Susie Beth and I off to the nail spa to get some much needed foot and hand work done. Found a great place and enjoyed the massages and conversation. Lovely bloke told us where to get the No 55 bus to Oxford Street and off we went like seasoned pros!
      Had a lovely tapas style lunch at Emery Road, and finally a decent Pinot Gris slipped down my throat. First real wine since we left London all those days ago.
      Shopping went well 😆 and the girls both were able to get their new suitcases for the extras.
      Came back to the house and dropped everything off then out to find dinner. Went into a bar and ordered a pinot gris, it had filo pies and I was looking forward to that! Well, until she said they had no stock! The pinot gris turned out to be off, and even though I did offer to pay as she had poured it out (of a new bottle I thought) she said, oh no, it was one we already had opened in the fridge…no charge.
      Down the road, and saw a Sticks N Sushi place, decided that would be fab and in we went, and oh what a gorgeous place. Staff were fantastic, food magnificent, prices 😵‍💫 but hell ya only live once.
      Went and got a few more essentials from Tesco’s and back home. A busy fun day, walked our tushes off and sleep is needed.
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    • Day 5

      London

      August 23, 2022 in England ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

      Staying near Lizzie near Angel & Islington and enjoying part of London that is unfamiliar to me. Really like the area - it feels a bit like Paddington - bustling, restaurants and shops in the main area and then a lovely calm residential feel just a few streets back.

      Regents Canal is at the end of her street- some great cafes along the towpath.
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    • Day 3

      Hotel Portsmouth

      October 24, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

      Meine Reisebegleiter möchten gerne das Bett mit nach Hause nehmen. So gut habe ich lange nicht mehr geschlafen.

      Allerdings - so nett das Personal ist - das Frühstück war unterirdisch. Da isst man in jedem Greasy Spoon besser.

      Die Einkaufsliste für heute ist lang. Es scheint die Sonne (zumindest jetzt) und ich nutze den Parkplatz hier, um das Auto umzuräumen.
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    • Day 1

      Sightseeing

      December 18, 2019 in England ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

      - Westminster Free Walking Tour
      - Eichhörnchen füttern (im St. James Park warn sie sehr zutraulich)
      - Modern Tate: Museum + Aussicht vom 10. Stock und schönes Cafe im 4. Stock
      - St. Dunstan in the East: sehr schöner Kirchgarten
      - Trafalgar Square: hier ist auch eine Kirche, bei der es sich lohnt reinzuschauen. Sehr interessantes Fenster!
      - Camden Town
      - Shoreditch
      - Hyde Park
      - Covent Garden
      - Coppa Club Cafe (unbedingt Iglo im vorhinein online reservieren)
      - Neals Yard: Instaspot nahe Covent Garden. Sieht super aus, sind tatsächlich aber nur ein paar Häuser.
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    • Day 176

      Regent's Canal to Mile End

      November 1, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

      Back to St Pancras Lock and we carry on walking east along the Towpath reaching the Islington Canal Tunnel; this takes the Regent's Canal 960 yards (878 m) under Angel, Islington, the longest such tunnel in London.  We access the Eastern portal after a diversion via Islington High Street, and enjoy great views before passing Sturt's Lock and on to Haggerston Bridge - where there are sharks!  The Haggerston Sharks are a controversial art installation that has been changed several times to suit local council demands.

      Then we reach another installation; this time, the conversion of the Bethnal Green gasometer to very nice and expensive residential apartments (much like those at the Kings Cross Gasholder Park).  We soon reach Victoria Park, a large park in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (formerly the traditional East End); we visit the southern part of the park and see the Dogs of Alcibiades (guardians since 1912) and the Chinese Pagoda (a folly on an island in the Western Boating Lake).  We leave Victoria Park and follow the Towpath to reach the Mile End Lock to end this leg of the walk and have lunch.
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    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Hackney, London Borough of Hackney, HCK, ჰაკნი

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