,We have done an excellent job in checking off our "bucket list" on the trip. There remains one item left. Betty's heritage takes her to a small church and cemetery on the coast of England. Our expectation was to make it a day trip.
During the week, we research and evaluate the trip. After looking at train and bus schedules, our conclusion is that this is a small town and you cannot get there from here. The trip will involve an overnight stay and a degree of luck. The distance is not great, but the trip involves changing trains and catching an infrequent bus schedule.
We decide not to go. Betty suggests that we travel to Hampton Court instead. Sounds good to me.
On Saturday, I take my final long walk. I really enjoy walking. Part of the enjoyment is the exercise. A large part is my continuing education of the complexity and simplicity of the world my fellow humans live it. We are so similar. Languages have not been a problem. A smile and a greeting is universal.
The hotel is in the Kensington/Chelsea area of London. I gather that London is similar to New York and Los Angeles in political and governmental structure. London appears to be made up of small cities within the dome of London.
Kensington/Chelsea is an upscale area. Homes and flats in Notting Hill continue renovations. Kensington is experiencing less. I was surprised on my walk on Wednesday to find a Whole Foods. There was a long check out line at 9;30 AM. The store was similar to the other grocery stores we have experienced in Europe - heavy on prepared foods.. The store also had the Whole Foods food kiosks with wide varieties of very attractive foods.
Today, I walk up Kensington Rd towards Knightbridge Rd. The Knightbridge area is upscale shopping. It is the home of Harrod's. Having been to Harrod's, I go a little further down the street to Harvey Nichols. Harrod's is a temple to consumerism including faux Egyptian temple columns escalators.
Harvey Nichols is just gaudy. You might actually buy something at Harrod's. I walk through the men's section at Harvey Nichols and there is nothing. It is not the prices which are unreasonable. There is nothing attractive. I read later that the department store specializes in food, beauty products and wine.
Further down the street, there is a wedding. The wedding is at the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is early afternoon, it appears to be a traditional circumstances. The groom and the groomsmen are outside. They are walking around the driveway. Obviously, they are waiting for the bride to arrive. It is a small wedding. There appears to be few guests.
What makes this truly London, the groom and groomsmen are members of the Household Guard. They are in uniform including the 18" bear helmets
There is a statute to the left of the front entry. It is Cardinal John Henry Newman. John Henry Newman was a well known 19th century English prelate. The Cardinal was a member of the Oxford Movement at Oxford.
In high school, I read essays by Cardinal Newman. He was my hero. Cardinal Newman wrote long, paragraph length sentences with an excess of commas and semi-colons. As my idol, I felt free to continue my re-invention of English grammar. Unfortunately, despite well offered comments, my teachers never saw the similarities in style.
The area has even more embassies that I found earlier in the week. I walk as I have often have for the last few days into Kensington Garden. I turn left at Kensington Palace and the path takes me to a street called Kensington Palace Gardens, "the most exclusive address in London". There is the Russian Embassy, India and Saudis. An interesting half mile walk on a tree lined street. The beginning of the street has guards. If you enter from the Kensington Palace direction, there are no guards. In Rome, the embassy were easy to identify - very large soldiers in front. Here, there are an occasional plaque or flag. That is all.
I feel I know my way around Kensington/Notting Hill/Chelsea/Knightbridge/Hyde Park neighborhoods. I do not remember the name of the streets. The names of London streets change frequently and with no obvious logic. Moreover, the same street may go from "Place" to "Rd" to "Court" within a half mile walk.
It is a pleasant walk. It is a comfortable distant. The homes are stoned painted white. I wonder what the area looked like in the early part of the 20th Century when pollution was so dominant. There are stories of deadly fog killing hundreds of London residents. Even now, how often do the owners have to repaint or re-surface these facades.
I cross Cromwell Rd several times before I realize that it is a major road in and out of London. Rush hour is to be experienced to believed. Why people drive in London I have no idea. I think it is conspicuous consumption. I believe I read that a auto owner in London pay a fee to drive their car in London. My guess is based on the fact that I saw few mid size or older autos. I did see a great many Porsche, Mercedes, Range Rovers, Bentleys etc. They were showing off.
Cromwell is six lanes wide. The drivers are slow to stop and eager to accelerate.
We have a very busy Sunday planned. Sunday will be our last full day in London and Europe. We fly out of Heathrow Monday morning. Betty has memories of traveling down the Thames to Hampton Court. It will take some planning since it involves trains and a boat. When you travel as an adventure, it often easy to get there, the adventure is often getting back.
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