Penultimate Trip Into London

Today was possibly our final trip into London: we may go for lunch with Matt on Monday. We decided to spend some time in Kensington Gardens and environs. We left Rod and Vic on the 390 bus and we got off at Queensway. Rod and Vic went to Portobello to check on the wool jacket (sadly not available in the right size) Rod wanted, and we went to Whiteleys to pick up a couple of things. We walked to the Orangery for a delicious lunch -- we were too early for tea. After lunch we walked to the Albert Memorial and down Exhibition Road to the Hyde Park Chapel. They recently redid the visitors' center and it now features a poor reproduction of the Christus. Paul and Dixie Reynolds, former 13th Ward friends, are missionaries there. We caught a bus from the V&A to Harrods for a quick look around. It was PACKED and everyone wanted to get the heck out of there. Our time was up and we headed back to London Bridge for our train home. Edenbridge is also packed tonight, everyone is tired, and we will probably just stay in and imagine the bonfire.

 Waiting for the train at Edenbridge Station

 Why sit downstairs when you can go up?

 Queensway and Whiteleys

 Interesting notice on a gate that locks

 The round pond

 The Orangery

 A delicious lunch

 My braised ox cheek with horseradish mash

and caramelized parsnips: superb

 Kris's wild mushroom salad

 The group in front of the Orangery

 The new entrance scheme at Kensington Palace

 We have a model of this door on our shelf

 A spectacular afternoon

 Headed toward the flower walk

 Victoria, Albert, and Rodney

 The Albret Meorial

 The remodeled Chapel with the really bad Christus copy

 The Reynolds

 We have a model of this V&A door, too

 Harrod's gave us claustrophobia today

 Everyone here is wearing Lucy Jane's glasses 

 Harrods food halls

 Fresh fish

The view looking up at the Shard from London Bridge Station

We are winding down now, so I am not sure how many more England posts there will be. We shall see. That's all for now.

OXO

D.