September 11 - Day 24

Woke to full sunshine and warm temps.  Taking our time before cabbing to the station; direct, non-commuter train, one hour, arriving midday, not rush hour.  Watching TV last night and they are putting on ads with teaser scenes of the last Downton Abbey season starting here September 27.  (I think it will be later in US)  Julian Fellows, the creator, writer, producer, is smart to end the series before it goes stale.  The actors of the show have launched and or furthered careers from it and going off in various directions.  When we descended the main staircase at the castle yesterday, Pat was reminded of the scene where Lady Mary comes down in her bridal gown. It’s been a good story line of memorable characters and historical context.  Glad to be able to be there while the series is still live.

Cabbed to the train station, no problem.  The superfast trains that pass through the station really hurt our ears as they go by.  Got the bags on the train, glad we’re almost done with schlepping bags onto trains.  The height of the newer trains is greater than the height of the platforms and it’s a bit of a leap, not easy with groaning suitcases.  Don’t know why but when we get to London Paddington Station Pat leaves her jacket behind, again.  The woman sitting near us comes by to bring it to me.  Another angel has my back.  We have not taken the train out of Paddington in our memory.  It is one of the grand old stations with beautiful design and it is huge but ornate.  They are refurbishing it and would like to see it when it is done.  Take a picture of Paddington Bear bronze statue.  We cab to the Marriott on Grosvenor Square.  The driver is one of the two worst we have had.  He makes no move to help us with our luggage (all others did and we tipped them appropriately).  Not only does he take us around an extra block to get to our hotel (adding to the fare) but still doesn’t help us with our bags.  He gets no tip whatsoever.  The hotel is located squarely in the middle of London just two blocks from Oxford Street and located on the historic Grosvenor Square where the American Embassy and a few other country embassies as well.  Our room is not ready.  Luckily, we have lifetime Marriott club membership so we get a card to the club room to wait.  They have stowed our luggage so we decide to take advantage of the sunshine.  Walk up to Oxford St, the largest shopping block in the UK.  It’s miles of department stores and small shops.  The UK is the land of small shops, while there are big box stores, the small shop is still the mainstay.  We go directly into Selfridges.  It is still a very imposing building that sits on a whole city block and is has large ornate columns and an ornate clock in the center with a statue overhead. We have been here before but this time we make a special effort after watching the Selfridge series on PBS.  Harry Gordon Selfridge, American with successes in Chicago department stores, started Selfridges on Oxford St.  He pioneered the concept of large department stores in London.  The street display windows are beautiful.  Each window has gigantic flower blossoms surrounded by smaller versions with various kinds and colors in each one.  Some windows have the flowers coming out of the windows and climbing the walls.  The last time we were in London, each window had women dressed in white dinnerware, making various styles of dress.  The store is amazing, every kind of service, specialty food, bakeries, confectionaries, wine, spirits, clothing, housewares, cigar shop and small kiosk restaurants.  When you enter from Oxford St one has to run the gauntlet of store people spraying perfume and offering lipsticks and make up.  There is the Tiffany Store for jewelry and the Wonder Store with exorbitantly priced goods.  We find a 90,000 pound ($180,000.00) bottle of champagne.  But we can’t find any Crabbie’s green ginger wine.  Meet a young man from DC who is there shopping with his wife, flying home from South Africa.  Walk to a small quiet street one block off noisy Oxford St.  We stop at a small Italian restaurant called Fino’s, very authentic.  Pat remembered this place when she and Karen Bitzer stayed at Park Lane Marriott and found this refuge after a hard day of sightseeing.  Shared calamari and a wood fired pizza.  There is an unexpected oasis called Garden Terrace.  A raised garden found up several steps.  Bordered on far ends by follies, a waterfalls, flower pots and a small glassed restaurant with a few chairs or eat on the benches.  On a side street high above the madding crowd but can see Oxford St directly down 2 blocks.  This area is surrounded by close streets of fashionable (aka expensive) flats in conserved red brick buildings.  Rooftops have patios.  There is a Ukrainian Church lined up in the row of buildings.  Found a cute little pub on the way home next door to the hotel.  Sat at a sidewalk table and have a half pint.  Cockney spoken on the right side and Italian spoken on the left, we couldn’t understand either one. But no one cared, it is a beautiful day with perfect temperatures.  Have dinner snacks later at the club in the hotel.  The room is quiet, but oh so tiny.  The bathroom is the smallest yet.  But room space is prime in this location.  It makes the invention of wall mounted flat screen TV’s very smart.  We are located in the interior of the hotel.  Interesting to see what is in the courtyards of these buildings.  There is a beautiful grassed patio and a raised terrace of trimmed bushes.  Can just see the top of Selfridge’s and the flags. We have a full day tomorrow with walking and underground travel.  More adventure.  Must tend to my blisters. Nighty Night.