london - day 4 - need i say more?

this was the day we went for afternoon tea at the ritz. need i say more?



whoa, whoa... let's back up a bit. we did wake up and have our free breakie at the hotel. deli meats, cheese, buns, toast, jam, butter, cereal, milk, juices, yogurt, croissants, mini chocolate muffins, danishes, tea, coffee, fruit... it was a decent spread considering it was included in our room rate. it filled us up for the morning but perhaps we shouldn't have eaten as much this morning since afternoon tea is always crazy filling. especially if you have it at 11:30 a.m.

we took the tube to hyde park station and checked out the wellington arch. while we were there, some horse guards rode by (at least that's what i thought they were). we had woken up late this morning so we missed the horse guards ceremony so i was very pleased to see at least a few horses with fancy riders.



it was getting closer and closer to our reservation time and i was a little nervous that we'd be late so we walked quickly to buckingham palace and snapped a few photos. it was quite busy and it looked like people were waiting for the changing of the guard ceremony, which was also scheduled for 11:30 a.m. i think the boy wanted to see it but as we were leaving, we saw a sign that the day's ceremony was cancelled.



we walked through the park area outside buckingham palace to the ritz hotel. if we ever go back to london, i'd like to spend more time in this park - it was so calm and serene. i'd also like to loiter for hours outside the palace.



a quick change of shoes (i love these but can't wear them if i plan to walk for over a minute) and we headed into the ritz lobby - not too impressive until we reached the palm court. we were right on time but people must have arrived early because the seating area was nearly full already. we were shown to a table in the corner, which gave us a perfect view of the palm court - and great for photos as well.

it took a while for the waiters to take our order - i think they had forgotten about us. i wanted to check out the washroom and i met the most wonderful pianist on my way. we chatted for a while and i asked him to play "somewhere over the rainbow". i told him it was our first-dance-song at our wedding. he asked, "how long is the honeymoon?" and i replied, "4 days" and he said, "wrong answer - it should be 'forever'". he then told me to send the boy his way so i could meet him and i said i would. this man has played for the queen and frank sinatra, among others. he had no sheet music and was able to embellish everyday songs with lovely trills. the boy requested that he play "my heart will go on" by celine dion - haha!


(leftmost image courtesy of the boy)

our tea and food came shortly after and i have to say that i was not impressed by the savoury selection. a very no-frills variety of finger sandwiches. still, the boy and i ate it all. we had the traditional tea: smoked salmon, ham, chicken, cucumber, and mature cheddar cheese sandwiches, mayonnaise and cress bridge roll, freshly baked raisin and apple scones with devonshire clotted cream and strawberry preserve, assortment of afternoon tea pastries, and ritz chocolate cake.



however, the sweets were both beautiful and delicious!



the pièce de résistance were definitely the scones, which were being kept in the kitchen so they would remain warm. these buttery delights were even better slathered with thick clotted cream. scones are the "it thing" for me at afternoon tea. we also got a few pieces of fruitcake.



we washed it all down with ritz royal english (an exquisite kenyan blend of malty assam and the fine flavour of ceylon) and darjeeling first flush (the champagne of teas from the himalayan foothills creating a light yellow to copper-red colour and a delicate flowery aroma). the boy later delighted in telling me that he had "the champagne of teas".



(bottom image courtesy of the boy)

after we had eaten every last bite, we asked the waiter if he's ever seen anyone finish all the food and he told us in his little british accent that it's quite rare. we were proud. everyone around us had left so much food. what a waste of money! we settled the bill and then explored the lobby a little. i was a little afraid that we would get kicked out since they were a bit weird about photos in the palm court: the waiters are not permitted to take photos and you cannot stand while taking photos - i guess it's to prevent people from wandering around. there were so many people lining up for the second sitting of tea. i'm glad we were first so we didn't have to line up.



after tea, i changed back into flip flops and we walked and walked. we walked to piccadilly circus, we walked to leicester square. we went to the national portrait gallery and the national gallery (my favourite of the museums and galleries that we visited in london) and took photos in trafalgar square. there were not as many pigeons as i thought there would be (i was thinking st. mark's square in venice) but we still tried to take photos of them as they flew overhead. i think we did this for a good 30 minutes. my best shot was not very good.



the boy, however, got lots of great photos! my favourite ones are below.



(images courtesy of the boy)

there was a parkour show being set up in the square and i wanted to sit on the steps and watch but we had a few other places to check out and we were also finally getting hungry again. that's the problem with only having 4 days in a big city - there are so many things to see and do! next time, i would like to be a bum in the city. not really see any sights per se but just lounge about and do whatever we feel like doing whenever the mood strikes us.



we walked to covent garden and took a quick look around but didn't find too much except for some cute wood tulips. i wanted to buy some but i couldn't decide and the vendors were closing up and our feet were getting mighty tired. so we walked some more and finally got to the british museum. unfortunately, the reading room was closed. the great court was lovely but we only spent a little time there. we also checked out the rosetta stone, some more egyptian stuff, and a statue from rapa nui. then we headed out.



after walking and walking some more, we ordered fish'n'chips at another popular joint called the fryer's delight. the portions were huge! the restaurant was hopping so we got takeaway. i got the cod and the boy haddock. we shared an order of fries. i also got a ginger beer.



we walked to russell square and sat in the dark on a park bench under the trees like lovers. except that we ate like pigs. the food was delicious. the tartare sauce was better at the golden hind but the fish was juicier, bigger, and more flavourful at the fryer's delight. i don't think i've ever eaten such a huge piece of fish so quickly. must go back one day!