From Dr. Johnson’s house to Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is a journey of about 120 yards, 360 feet. A somewhat square sign alerts visitors to the pub’s entrance in the alley. The dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral beckons for later in the afternoon. Located at 145 Fleet Street, EC4A 2BU, YOCC was rebuilt in 1677 [...]
The Symphony of Lights, Victoria Harbor
If you’ve never visited Asia, just walking the streets of Hong Kong will be endlessly interesting and entertaining. The rhythms of every day life in Hong Kong are familiar and yet somehow totally different. After a day soaking in the differences The Symphony of Lights in Victoria Harbor requires little other than allowing the laser [...]
Big Buddha
and 5,973 miles away is the Big Budhha – which seems a slightly irreverent but nonetheless accurate name for the really big Budhha which sits atop a peak of the mountains on Lantau Island.
St. Paul’s Cathedral, London
St. Paul’s, the actual building, doesn’t move me in the same way that Canterbury Cathedral does; however, as a symbol of the resilience of the British people during WWII, there are few buildings which strike a deeper chord. During the rain of bombs ordered by Hitler to destroy both London and the will of its [...]
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England
Dr. Samuel Johnson’s House
Dr. Johnson’s home is as sparsely furnished as Sir John Soane’s home is profusely furnished which again may give insight to the man and his life. For many years, Johnson toiled in near poverty; after his death, his home passed through several hands and physically deteriorated for more than 120 years. Johnson was thought to [...]
England
Sir John Soane’s Museum
My first thought upon entering the inner collection rooms of the eclectic and very personal Sir John Soane’s Museum was, “Who dusts all this stuff?” My second thought was, “How amazing.” Housed at 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields (Soane also owned and renovated the homes on each side), the museum was donated to the city by [...]
England
Krispy Kreme, Trafalgar Square and lunch…
Next morning we were greeted by pouring sheets of rain as we made our way to the Seven Oaks train station for our trip into London. Despite the fact that we had to buy umbrellas and find correct change for parking, we still made our train, thanks largely to a knowledgeable ticket clerk. Later on [...]
England
Back to The Royal Oak
Passage to our room at The Royal Oak led us by (well not exactly by, more like, within shouting distance of) the hotel’s bar so, of course, we had to stop for a post prandial drink; both the drink and the bar were pleasant but not exceptional – the young man behind the bar though [...]
England
Sevenoaks, The Royal Oak Hotel and Loch Fyne
We set off for Sevenoaks late in the day, confident that it would be easy to find both Seven Oaks and a room for the night; we were wrong on both counts.
Even after several trips to the UK, I am stymied by British road maps so I was not only no help in finding Sevenoaks, I added to the problem. We pulled into the city after dark and set about looking for lodging and after a couple of circuits of the city landed at The Royal Oak Hotel.