London and Paris 1985, Part 2
Sunday, January 6, 1985
The alarm went off at 6:50 AM. Not a good thing considering we didn't get any sleep. We looked out of our bleary window to find that it had snowed and, in fact, was still snowing. We heated our wonderful continental breakfast. Margaret decided to try the croissant instead of the usual roll.
We went down to the lobby to wait for the sisters so we could go to Mass. As usual, they were late. They complimented us on being on time and in control. Ha! Ha! Glad we gave that appearance. We all bundled up and headed out into the Antarctic. At least that was what it seemed like! Even Londoners are not used to snow.
The Church we went to, and we can't remember the name of it, was very small, but pretty, decorated with a lot of gold. It was very cold inside. The Mass was like our own at home, but the Mass booklets were just for the day and contained only one Eucharistic Prayer. The altar boy was an older gentleman also. We're used to seeing school boys. The collection was done with a red pouch which was taken up to the altar with the other offerings. The service lasted for an hour, beginning at 8:00.
Then it was back outside into the snow. We wanted to get to the King's Cross station to catch the tube, or subway, as we know it. However, the sisters were not sure of their directions and wouldn't listen to us. We ended up going in circles and finally ended up back at the hotel. We eventually made it to the station. Sister Edward Therese tried to convince us to buy a four or seven day pass for four pounds instead of paying as we went along. We decided it was too much trouble. We weren't going to be in London that much longer. After purchasing regular tickets, we went down to the platform to wait for the tube for Westminster. Of course, we got on the wrong one, the Central Line, and ended up at Aldgate. Wrong! Margaret wanted to push the button that said "push to open," but Sister Edward Therese said, "No, don't touch!" Ugh! We finally got off the tube at Liverpool. The sisters told us to tell the ticket agent that we accidentally got on the wrong tube so we wouldn't have to pay again. We had already paid the forty pence. We just read the signs and found out we could cross over to the other track without handing in tickets. We finally got on the right tube, the Circle Line, and got off at Westminster.
Westminster Bridge - yes, it was snowing! It was the snowiest winter in London in 20 years!
We ended up taking the long way around to the gate at Westminster Abbey. Sister Edward Therese bumped into the sign for it and then went the wrong way! Ugh! We arrived during a service and couldn't walk through. We stood around in the back feeling like idiots, trying to thaw out. After a while, we decided to leave and try to find some lunch. Margaret and I had turkey soup and bread and a couple of Pepsis at Grandma Lee's Bakery and Restaurant. Not bad. At least it warmed us up!
The sisters couldn't decide whether to try to go to Hampton Court (it was rumored to be closed) or go to Petticoat Lane for shopping then the Victoria and Albert Museum. Margaret had been looking at our map and read that Wimbledon was closed on Mondays, so if we wanted to see it, we had to go then. So we said good-bye to the sisters and set out on our own.
Center Court at Wimbledon covered in snow!
We made our way back, which seemed a much shorter distance for some reason. We took the tube all the way back to King's Cross for 90 pence. Then we asked for directions to the Royal Scot after doing some shopping. I bought a magazine featuring the rock group Duran Duran for my friend Colleen and one on Princess Diana. Margaret bought a Kit Kat since she was pretty hungry. We ended up lost several times before finally finding the hotel. We made it back about 4:00, frozen and sore!
We wrote out some postcards, watched American football on TV. The Redskins were playing. Then we changed for dinner. We found someone else who had an electric converter - Lynn Bittenbinder. She said she would let us borrow it the next day.
We left for the medieval banquet at 7:30. Hurray, the sisters finally left on time! We arrived at the "castle" - the Beefeater at 8:00, after a treacherous walk over ice. The banquet was fabulous! Once inside, we checked our coats and found King Henry VIII and a beefeater ready to greet us. Once we were seated at tables, we were served honey wine - yuck! - and some other drinks. The ale wasn't too bad. The meal included six courses: pâtè (not so good) and bread, cream of celery soup with potatoes (which we had to drink from the bowl - no spoons, of course), fish, chicken and spare ribs with a sweet and sour sauce served with carrots and russet potatoes, peach pie, and sherbet, which was delicious! The courses were served in crocks and we drank out of tankards, but the wine was served in regular glasses. We had knives and forks and finger bowls. The salt was in a wooden holder decorated with carved circles.
We collected our coats and started back to the hotel, arriving about 12:30 AM. We went straight to bed and had no trouble falling asleep.
The London Tube (subway)
https://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/tube/?cid=fs109
Westminster Bridge
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_Bridge
Westminster Abbey
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_Abbey
Tour of Westminster Cathedral
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX40Sc6pHbc
Wimbledon
http://www.wimbledon.com/index.html
The Medieval Banquet
http://www.medievalbanquet.com/
Medieval Banquet London
http://youtu.be/60OWWLqUf8w
London and Paris Part 1 - http://wheretothistime.com/travels/londonparis/londonparis1.html
London and Paris Part 2 - http://wheretothistime.com/travels/londonparis/londonparis2/londonparis2.html
London and Paris Part 3 - http://wheretothistime.com/travels/londonparis/londonparis3/londonparis3.html
London and Paris Part 4 - http://wheretothistime.com/travels/londonparis/londonparis4/londonparis4.html
London and Paris Part 5 - http://wheretothistime.com/travels/londonparis/londonparis5/londonparis5.html
London and Paris Part 6 - http://wheretothistime.com/travels/londonparis/londonparis6/londonparis6.html