Karsten's Blog: September 2011

We didn't make it to "The Swan" but otherwise this was a great weekend. We had rain showers when we were in buses or riding the tube, and had nice fall weather otherwise (with one exception, though: we got totally soaked just in the middle of the Tower Bridge where there was no escape anywhere in reach).

We walked from Waterloo Station by the London Eye over to Houses of Parliament, Westminster, St. James' Park, Buckingham Palace, St James' Park (where we had lunch on a terrace), Trafalgar Square (where we watched a one-man show that took too long: a man shouting at the audience for 45 minutes before he finally stuck his head through a tennis racket and pulled the racket's frame all down his body), Leicester Square, Picadilly Circus, Regent Street, Oxford Street and then ended up in a Pub in Soho. From here down to Charing Cross, then Soho again, and finally dinner at Patara, an excellent Thai restaurant with a stylish both modern and traditional interiour and great dishes.

On day two we started on the southern Thames bank and walked the Queen's walk eastward up to Tower Bridge. Very nice architecture on the way. Just inside the southmost pillar of the Tower Bridge is a nice little bar which was, to our surprise, almost empty. We had a table right at the Thames-facing window - nice! And then Fish 'n Chips for lunch. Huge portion, good taste. After getting soaked on the bridge we took the bus No. 15 to St. Pauls, then walked to Charing Cross underground station, and went up to Camden town, spending the afternoon strolling through the shops, markets and staples. Great! A first beer in the Fogg's bar came with darkness, and then a rich, colorful and exotic-tasty Grand Thali at Masala Zone.

On Sunday we paid Harrod's a visit, had lunch in a hidden side road, and then had to head back home. We have to come back (and if it's for The Swan!)!