Today is our last full day in London. What's more, it is the last full day we three will be sharing this adventure. So, rather than get sad and melancholy . . . we've got places to go, food to eat, and photographs to take! The Gods are shining down on us — it is a glorious morning. Already warm with bright blue skies and puffy clouds. Over breakfast, Julian suggested we hit the Brick Lane Market and then on to Hampton Court Palace. Since the market doesn't start until 11 AM, we've plenty of time to get ourselves sorted for the day, which for me means doing some preliminary organizing and packing. Ready to roll, we "Map Me" into our phones with directions to Brick Lane Market, and head off to the Tube. |
Brick Lane Market is a large East End flea market with stalls selling fruit and vegetables, clothes, antiques and bric-a-brac (stuff) by the Old Truman Brewery. No sooner do we exit the Tube then find everyone walking towards the Market . . . impossible to get lost!
Luck for us it is Sunday because that is the best day to experience the chaotic and bustling vibe of the Market. Besides lots of food vendors, there are many ethnic restaurants and cafes lining the street — from authentic bagel shops to curry houses. We opt to try a variety of street food including homemade empanadas which we take with us to Kahaila Café for cappuccinos and hot chocolate.
Fortified, we explore the market for collectibles and clothes. There is also great graffiti to photograph on the industrial buildings in the area. Around 2 PM we part company with Petunia opting to head back to Cable Street Inn, while Gypsy and I head off to Hampton Court Palace.
Luck for us it is Sunday because that is the best day to experience the chaotic and bustling vibe of the Market. Besides lots of food vendors, there are many ethnic restaurants and cafes lining the street — from authentic bagel shops to curry houses. We opt to try a variety of street food including homemade empanadas which we take with us to Kahaila Café for cappuccinos and hot chocolate.
Fortified, we explore the market for collectibles and clothes. There is also great graffiti to photograph on the industrial buildings in the area. Around 2 PM we part company with Petunia opting to head back to Cable Street Inn, while Gypsy and I head off to Hampton Court Palace.
Hampton Court Palace is situated in the Richmond borough along the River Thames. A brief history of Hampton Court is that building of the palace began in 1514 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Archbishop of York, a favorite of King Henry VIII. By 1529, Wolsey fell out of favor and the King seized the palace for himself and (of course) enlarged it. It is one of two surviving palaces out of the many owned by old King Henry VIII. In the 1600s, King William III initiated a massive rebuilding and expansion project with the intent to rival Versailles. Work halted in 1694 that left the palace in two distinctly contrasting architectural styles — domestic Tudor and Baroque.
Tourists enter the Palace through the Tradesman's Entrance. So, our exploration began in the kitchens — Henry VIII's first building project — which are so vast they were capable of feeding his court of 1,000 people (no typo). All goods passed under the archway we used that leads to a cobbled courtyard where they were unloaded and checked by a team of accounts known as "The Board of the Green Cloth." Goods were then carried into a series of small kitchens or into the stores. Each room in the kitchen area had a specific function — bake-houses, Great Kitchen for roasting meats over the large fireplaces, etc.
Food was washed down with gallons of wine and beer. The wine cellar next to the kitchens had barrels of wine sent from Europe, while beer was stored close to the Great Hall.
Tourists enter the Palace through the Tradesman's Entrance. So, our exploration began in the kitchens — Henry VIII's first building project — which are so vast they were capable of feeding his court of 1,000 people (no typo). All goods passed under the archway we used that leads to a cobbled courtyard where they were unloaded and checked by a team of accounts known as "The Board of the Green Cloth." Goods were then carried into a series of small kitchens or into the stores. Each room in the kitchen area had a specific function — bake-houses, Great Kitchen for roasting meats over the large fireplaces, etc.
Food was washed down with gallons of wine and beer. The wine cellar next to the kitchens had barrels of wine sent from Europe, while beer was stored close to the Great Hall.
Then . . . being such a gorgeous afternoon, we quickly headed outside to the gardens, including the world's largest grape vine — which still produces a yearly crop of black, sweet grapes — and the oldest hedge Maze planted in the 1690s by George London and Henry Wise — according to the Guinness Book of Records — consisting of half a mile of winding paths surrounded by towering yew tree walls. It was created for the court of William III and Mary II as a humorous diversion.
Nearing closing time, we hustled through as many rooms as possible, but quite honestly, another visit (or more) is needed to give Hampton Court Palace its due.
Meeting back at Cable Street Inn, we reconnect with Petunia and make plans to Uber to The Shard for our last night celebration. Our first choice was Gong of the 52nd floor, but it was fully booked. Next we tried Oblix on the 32nd floor, but it was closed on a Sunday. Thankfully, we were able to score a table at Aqua Shard on the 31st floor — with great nighttime views facing north over London — London Bridge and Tower Bridge and across the Thames to the Tower of London! Cheers to us . . . a fabulous multi-faceted holiday in England!!!