#310: Wimbledon

 

Every once in a while I experience a must-do life experience, only to come to find out, it's not in the book!  And yet, it absolutely should be!  Well, technically Wimbledon is in the book, listed on pg 22 as an event to do in London.  But Wimbledon is not a side note.  Wimbledon deserves it's own, stand alone post!  

June 30, 2022

Ready to watch some world-class matches!

Simone Halep, a 2-time Grand Slam winner. 

Nadal!  A 22-time Grand Slam Champion.

Make sure to squeeze in some time for Wimbledon's famous fresh strawberries and cream.

And if you experience a rain delay, soak in the rainbow...

And then head indoors to peruse the museum and check out the actual trophies!

Make sure to check out the board that is updated manually throughout the day.

And go on a shopping spree to pick up some cool Wimbledon merchandise! 

Then make your way to Centre Court.

And check out the Royal Box.

And say goodnight to Wimbledon after soaking it in for 12 solid hours.

Verdict: Yes!  Even if you're not a tennis aficionado, this is still worth doing.  It's just so cool and so much fun to be in the atmosphere of it all.  I'm not a tennis-lover myself, but I'm married to one.  So being there with a tennis lover definitely adds to the fun and excitement of it all.  So try to at least go with someone who appreciates where they are and sweeps you up into their appreciation and excitement!

Cost:  The cost is not the issue.  Tickets are very reasonable - they vary depending on what day you go, what court, etc.  But I think we paid maybe 60pounds/ticket or something along those lines.  The issue is in getting the tickets.  You have to enter a lottery and hope your name gets drawn.  So enter that lottery every year until you get to experience this must-do event!

#309: The Connaught (pg 25)

 

July 2, 2022

Fresh flowers in the lobby of the Connaught, just to the right of the well-known mahogany staircase.

My husband soaking in the luxury of Connaught.

The Connaught Hotel is named after Queen Victoria's third son, the Duke of Connaught.  It houses 92 rooms and suites as well as the highly acclaimed restaurant, The Grill.

COST:  Rooms start at ~1100 pounds/night.  Entrees at The Grill average ~40-80pounds.  

Verdict:  There's no doubt that this hotel is high class in every way.  It's well-appointed.  The service is impeccable.  Amenities are plentiful and the history runs deep.  But even with all that, it's not something you need to experience before you die.  It's a very nice place to stay if you have the money, but nothing more than that.  Truthfully, I liked St. Ermine's better, which is ~400 pounds/night cheaper.  

#308: Tea At The Ritz (pg 26)

 

Saturday, July 2, 2022

Welcome to the Ritz!

Let's do tea!

Pinkies up!

I had the Lemon Verbena (don't recommend, but then again, I'm not much of a tea drinker).

But Dave had the Passion Fruit and Orange which he really liked.

Don't mind if I do.....

This one was my favorite of the pastries.

Dining on cakes and tea sandwich while listening to a live harpist.

Cost:  Traditional Tea is 67 pounds/person (including tax and tip, this ends up being ~$92/person).  You can also choose to get champagne with your tea; if you do, then the charge goes up to 89-94 pounds/person depending on the champagne you choose.

Verdict:  This was super fun.  It was a high end, delightful splurge, but not something you have to do before you die.  If you do decide you want to go, make reservations well in advance (at least 4-6 weeks; longer if you have a party bigger than 2 people).  Also, make note of the dress code - women should wear dresses, skirts or similar and men should wear jackets.  This is enforced.  Something we learned..... the Ritz is not affiliated with Ritz Carlton.  They are two totally separate companies.  There are only 3 Ritz in the world: Paris, Madrid and London and they are all privately owned by three separate people/families.  

#307: Cambridge University (pg 29; 2nd Edition pg 3)

 

July 2, 2022

Cambridge University!

I was super excited to visit Cambridge, a 45 minute train ride from London, because it is the very first thing listed in the 2nd Edition of 1000 Places. How fun to get Checkmark #1!

Cambridge is one of Europe's oldest universities, built just 40 years after Oxford.  It is made up of 31 colleges, 16 of which are of medieval origin.  

King's College, pictured here is one of the most impressive buildings to explore. 

The chapel is 289 feet long and the vault is 80 feet high.  The fan vaulting was completed between the years of 1512-1515.  Over the next 30 years, 26 sets of stained glass were installed.

The Coat of Arms is the Royal Arms of England the Dragon of Cadwallader (Wales) represents the Tudor family of Henry VII's father. 

The dark oak Screen houses the organ and was a gift of Henry VIII.

Henry VIII's initials are inscribed on the Screen as well as those of Anne Boleyn, his wife and queen at the time.

The Great East Window depicts the passion and crucifixion of Christ and below the window sits "The Adoration of the Magi" painted by Rubens in 1634 and gifted to the College in 1961.

The Fellow's Building was designed in 1724 by James Gibbs.

Exploring the grounds.  The area of grassy strip lying between the backs of the big colleges and the banks of the Cam is known as "The Backs." 

One of many bridges that cross the Cam.

Another view of the Cam, where you can see dozens of people punting on a nice day.

We were lucky enough to be there on graduation day!  So fun to see people decked out in their graduation robes.

The Eagle, where students have hung out for centuries.

The first book was printed by Cambridge University Press here in 1583 and continued to print consecutively until 2013!  This bookshop is also the longest continuously operating bookshop in all of England; they first started selling books in the 1580's.

The streets of Cambridge. 

The Mathematical Bridge links the two parts of Queens' College across the Cam.  It was first built without using any nuts or bolts.

VERDICT:  I loved Cambridge.  It's definitely worth seeing.  It's so steeped in history and it's a great little town that's charming to walk around and easy to navigate.  And it's a quick (~45 minutes), easy, relatively inexpensive train ride from London.  COST:  King's College is 11 Euros (~$13)/adult.  So next time you're in London, make this one of your day trips from the city!

#306: Canterbury Cathedral (pg 16; 2nd Ed pg 13)

 

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

We hopped on a train from the St. Pancras station in London and headed to Canterbury!

Our first glimpse of the Cathedral (which is undergoing renovations at the moment so parts of it are covered in scaffolding, but much of it is uncovered as well and can be seen in all its glory.)

Dave in front of the entrance..... let's go inside!

One of the most significant and notorious events to ever take place here was the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170.  The murder came after a long dispute between the Archbishop and King Henry II which ended with the King ordering four of his knights to set off for Canterbury and kill the Archbishop.  Soon after this event, miracles were said to take place and this Cathedral became one of Europe's most significant pilgrimage sights. 

We loved exploring the cloister.

The Cathedral consists of the Nave, Cloister, Chapter House, site of Martyrdom, Bell Harry Tower, Quire, Trinity Chapel and the Crypt.  We explored all of it.

And then explored outside which was equally as beautiful and historic.

Tip:  If you ever go to Canterbury Cathedral, don't leave until you've walked around the town.  It's charming in every way.  Lots of windy old streets, fun shops, tasty restaurants, stone walkways, a little river with bridges and punting and more.

And definitely don't leave before you walk over to St. Martin's Church, the oldest church in the English-speaking world.

St. Martins Church is still in use.  And it surrounded by a beautiful cemetery.  While it may sound morbid, I love exploring and walking around old cemeteries.  I love examining the tombstones, reading the names and dates of of their lives, wondering about them, thinking of the people who lived and died there.

And also make sure to stop by and visit St. Augustine's Abbey. 

Cost:  A R/T train ticket from London to/from Canterbury is ~$45/person.  Admission into the Cathedral is 14 pounds/adult. 

Verdict:  While this may not necessarily need to be on everyone's list, I definitely think it's a must do for Catholics and others devoted to Christianity.  It has been one of Christendom's chief places of pilgrimage ever since Becket's martyrdom.  It is also the starting point of the famed Via Francigena, the ancient pilgrim trail.  Even if you aren't religious, if you are anywhere in the United Kingdom, this is worth going out of your way to see and visit.