Nobody else appeared to share my concern over Swansea’s city center and it was time to embark on the next leg of our trip which would prevent me from running down to County Hall screaming and shouting about the abject demise of a once proud regional center. Out of town shopping is not acceptable as an alternative to a city center which should be maintained and nurtured as the flagship of its conurbation. I must be getting delusional in my old age.
Typically it was grey and overcast with a persistent drizzle when we left the friendly confines of Tycoch and headed for the M4 which would take us to our next destination on the outskirts of London. I dropped my wife off in Staines where she was to spend the night with a girlfriend exchanging recent nomadic travel experiences; not to mention consuming copious amounts of chardonnay.
Meanwhile I continued onto Bracknell to stay the night with my son. I traveled through the little town of Ascot and didn’t realize that the famous and historic race track dominates the town. It was difficult to imagine on an overcast late afternoon in November that the monolithic stadium was home to Royal Ascot during one week in June.
I finally caught up with my son and we headed for a local hostelry. I continued my quest for nostalgic meals and promptly ordered a plate of liver and onions. It was slightly congealed around the edges but was palatable enough washed down with a couple of pints of local ale.
I spent a sleepless night in my son’s flat fighting the virus given to me by grand daughter earlier in the trip. During the night I lurched from bouts of shivering and high temperatures. Needless to say daylight finally arrived and I felt much better. Hopefully, my son would change the sheets before reclaiming his bed.
My wife and I were reunited and returned the rental car to Heathrow before heading for our hotel in Shepherd’s Bush which we used as our base for three nights; taking in the sights and sounds of the nation’s capital.
First port of call was Gordon’s Wine Bar in Charing Cross. It is considered to be the oldest wine bar in London and probably the world. It was established in its present form in 1890, having served for many years as a warehouse until the river was embanked and the building became landlocked.
As we entered the bar down a narrow flight of stairs we found ourselves in a room with wooden walls covered in historical newspaper cuttings and memorabilia faded with age. Making our way to the cellar we needed to stoop to claim our rickety candlelit table.
The owners have maintained the original décor, kept music out and sell only wine while providing traditional and well priced pub grub. In its colorful history, the building has been home to literary giants Samuel Pepys (1680s) and later Rudyard Kipling (1890s.) My wife discovered the place on a business trip and was determined to share the experience with me. Wonderful!
We didn’t necessarily have a bucket list, but I wanted to visit the new Wembley stadium to make a comparison with the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Quite frankly I was disappointed. I was expecting “a state of the art” type of structure but was confronted with a concrete bowl devoid of a atmosphere and character. The guide proudly announced the stadium cost a staggering 750 million pounds, but I could not comprehend how they could spend so much money on a nondescript finished product.
However there were a couple of highlights; the Bobby Moore statue at the stadium’s entrance is a lasting and well deserved tribute to a great footballer and captain of England’s world cup winning team of 1966. Luckily we spotted another legend, Bobby Charlton, entertaining members of the Japanese FA in the lower echelons of the stadium. One prominent feature on display in the museum was the infamous cross bar from the world cup final held at the old Wembley between England and West Germany.
My wife lived in London for eighteen months and she loved attending plays and musicals in the West End with her girlfriend. My brother had enthusiastically recommended “The War Horse” to us but it was sold out until next spring. Suddenly I had this brilliant idea of buying tickets for “The Mousetrap” which was celebrating its 60th anniversary. Let me just say this was not one of my finer moments. The play was simply awful; the actors were wooden, and the plot reminded one of cold, clotted custard.
The newest tourist attraction in London is the London Eye which is a cross between a giant carousel and ski lift. It does provide great views of traditional landmarks: The Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey. But the entry fee of 18 pounds and fifty pence for a 30 minute ride seemed exorbitant to me. Come to think of it; everything in London costs at least 18 pounds!
On our final evening in London, we caught the tube to Richmond to reunite with my son and meet his girlfriend and her little boy for the first time. We went up the high street to a pizza restaurant and discovered that my son’s girlfriend and I have a mutual liking for anchovies on our pizza. Unfortunately we were both disappointed to be informed by the waitress that anchovies were not available. Never mind, anchovies have bonded us for life.
I hope y’all have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful new year. Here’s looking at you Kid!
