Classic Trip - London/Paris 2004 Purpose 2
UPDATED: Photos nosotros thought were lost forever guide hold been constitute thus delight bask the next study alongside newly added photos.
Spring Break inwards 2004 constitute us spending a calendar week inwards Part 1 of this study constitute us on the trail of Jack the Ripper and riding high into the heaven on the Eye.
Tuesday
Today, we're going to see the British Museum. There are no accessible Tube stations inwards that area. I'm certain nosotros tin honor an accessible omnibus route at that topographic point but today I popular for a taxi. It costs £11 every bit opposed to the £3 a omnibus ride would guide hold cost but it was to a greater extent than comfortable in addition to faster. Incidentally, it is extremely slowly to honor an accessible cab inwards London. Since 1986, it's been mandatory that all novel cabs are accessible. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few older cabs are soundless on the road, but newer accessible cabs abound. Just flag i down, no demand to telephone band ahead or pay extra. There's plenty of caput room, broad doors, in addition to ramps.
We instruct at that topographic point nigh 45 minutes earlier the museum opens thus nosotros guide hold a decent breakfast at a café across the street.
There is an accessible entrance on the reverse terminate of the edifice from the chief entrance. You volition honor a elevator at that topographic point to accept you lot to whatsoever flooring of the museum. Admission is costless for everybody…one of England's biggest bargains.
In the middle is a peachy rotunda…the Great Court…a vivid infinite alongside a reading room, snack bar, in addition to several gift shops. From this fundamental location, you lot tin see many galleries to each side.
We see the Greek fly in addition to consider a reconstructed temple in addition to the famous Elgin Marbles. These are the statues that would adorn the Parthenon inwards Athens except that the British got 'em, took 'em home, in addition to topographic point 'em on display here. They are stunning. There is also the disputation because Hellenic Republic wants them dorsum patch the British state they are to a greater extent than capable of preserving them.
Mummies at the British Museum
Upstairs inwards the Arab Republic of Egypt wing, nosotros consider many mummies. Below, on the basis floor, nosotros instruct a close-up persuasion of the Rosetta Stone - the historic honor that was the key to unlocking the Egyptian hieroglyphics.
After leaving the museum, it's a walk through Soho in addition to the West End doing a footling souvenir shopping along the means earlier ending upwardly inwards Piccadilly Circus. Called the Times Square of London - alongside it's bright, flashing, animated billboards - the comparing is apt.
About ii blocks away is Leicester Square where nosotros guide hold coffe in addition to H2O ice cream overlooking the pretty area.
After this calorie-free luncheon or snack, nosotros caput over to Her Majesty's Theatre in addition to accept inwards the matinee of Phantom of the Opera. Wheelchairs sit down xix rows dorsum from the phase in addition to pay £21.00. One carer tin instruct inwards at the same cost in addition to everybody else pays the total fare of £45.00. Upon arrival, a fellow member of the staff volition escort you lot to the accessible entrance around the corner. There is also a large accessible bath close the seats.
The play was peachy in addition to the staff at the house was real helpful. We had seen this play inwards Los Angeles several years ago…although this was Tim's get-go time…and noted that the London production included a few to a greater extent than scenes that weren't inwards the L.A. edition.
After the play, nosotros went to a nearby Tex-Mex eating house called the Texas Embassy in addition to had dinner. Tim decided to accept wages of English linguistic communication beer laws yesteryear ordering a Corona alongside his meal. In English linguistic communication restaurants (not bars or pubs), the historic menses for drinking beer is sixteen when accompanied yesteryear parents. Tim
Enjoying the Brews at the Texas Embassy
The warning went off at 4:45 this morning. This wasn't a error but it certain seemed similar it at the time. No, we'd planned this because nosotros had a 6:30 prepare to catch. Over at Waterloo station, nosotros boarded the Eurostar to brand the ii in addition to a one-half lx minutes journeying nether the English linguistic communication channel over to Paris. This would live the get-go of our ii solar daytime trips out of London.
The staff at the Eurostar station were efficient if a fleck snippy at this early on hour. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 ramp was
employed to instruct the wheelchair on the train. Here's some other perk of using a wheelchair: Wheelchairs tin exclusively jibe inwards the First Class car. So, for an economic scheme fare of £104 circular trip, you lot tin ride inwards the lap of luxury patch attendants choose you lot meals in addition to drinks to your seat. One companion tin ride for the same price. Any to a greater extent than than that pays total fare. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 non-refundable, non-exchangeable, 21-day advance purchase round-trip First Class fare runs £165 in addition to goes upwardly from at that topographic point (you tin also ride inwards economic scheme for nigh one-half that and run across upwardly alongside your political party at the terminus).
Boarding the Eurostar
After leaving London, the prepare gets upwardly to its 186 mph cruising speed in addition to the scenery starts to whiz by. This morning, at that topographic point is a heavy fog in addition to non much to consider every bit nosotros movement into the tunnel. Twenty minutes in addition to 31 miles later, nosotros emerge in addition to are soundless inwards fog.
The fog lifts earlier nosotros striking Paris but the outskirts could piece of work a heavy veil to cover them. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 shanty town, piles of trash, in addition to to a greater extent than graffiti than I've seen inwards New York or Los Angeles combined greet us every bit nosotros curl into the station. It's non what I expected to consider but thankfully it exclusively gets better.
From the Gare du Nord station inwards Paris, nosotros desire to accept the RER to the Chatalet station. Getting to the prepare is no problem, at that topographic point is a elevator from the chief hall downward to the platform. Buying tickets alongside a credit card, for me anyway, proves to live quite a challenge.
I create non guide hold the necessary coinage to purchase the tickets from the machine. Even though it says it volition accept a Visa card, when I travail to piece of work it an error comes upwardly proverb it volition exclusively accept American Express, Diner's Club, or Carte Blanche. I become to the ticket window in addition to travail to purchase the tickets, but my Visa won't work. For some reason, although it worked fine inwards England in addition to the U.S., my Visa carte merely won't piece of work anywhere inwards France…as nosotros were to honor out later. I pay alongside newspaper currency at the window in addition to instruct our tickets. Luckily, the adult woman at the booth spoke merely plenty English linguistic communication in addition to I could instruct out merely plenty French that nosotros were able to consummate the transaction.
Tickets inwards hand, nosotros caput downward to the platform the "B" trace of the RER. The RER is Paris' commuter railroad. Not completely a subway but non a full-size prepare either. The prepare arrives in addition to nosotros mash on board. It is packed similar a New York rush lx minutes in addition to it's a real tight fit.
Luckily, nosotros are exclusively going i halt but somewhere along the way, I create experience fingers inwards my dorsum pocket. I travail to plow around but at that topographic point are also many people in addition to we're packed also tight to consider who it is. Fortunately for me, I maintain my wallet inwards the front end pocket. Unfortunately for my would live robber, I exclusively had a used Kleenex inwards my dorsum pocket…enjoy your loot mon frere!
At the Chatalet station, nosotros transfer to the "A" trace of the RER. This involves leaving the station to instruct to some other lift. To leave of absence the station, you lot guide hold to verbalize via an intercom to instruct safety to issue the instruct out gate for you. The mortal that answers doesn't speak a discussion of English. We finally instruct the thought in addition to buzz the intercom i time again in addition to enquire "Sortie, s'il vous plaît" (exit, please) in addition to nosotros instruct buzzed through.
We honor the elevator in addition to accept the RER "A" trace ii stops to Charles de Gaulle station where nosotros computer programme on seeing the Arc 'd Triomphe but every bit nosotros travail to leave, nosotros honor the elevator to the street is nether repair alongside no alternate route available. Okay, thus nosotros scratch the Arc off the listing in addition to caput dorsum to Chatalet.
There, nosotros transfer to the xiv trace of the Paris Metro in addition to become ii stops to the Pyramides station. The elevator out of the station puts us i block away from the Louvre. An lx minutes in addition to a one-half after arriving inwards Paris, this is our get-go persuasion of the see of the city…we'd exclusively seen it hush-hush upwardly until now.
The Musee du Louvre is an immense edifice that is iii blocks long. We movement into via the famous pyramid entrance where safety takes us out of trace in addition to escorts us to the lift. The circular elevator descends in addition to puts us inwards the ticket hall where long lines serpent upwardly to the many ticket counters spread around the room. An data station inwards the middle offers brochures designed inwards several languages that spell out access inwards the museum.
Another safety guard takes us out of the ticket trace in addition to escorts us upwardly to the ticket window. Kids nether 18, disabled persons, in addition to the unemployed are all entitled to costless admission. Adults pay 7.5 Euros.
The museum is real crowded. It is similar a vacation inwards summertime at Disneyland. We accept inwards some paintings in addition to sculptures but it begins to dawn on us that nosotros volition non guide hold fourth dimension to consider much hither thus nosotros caput over to the Italian masters fly to consider the Mona Lisa. Again, at that topographic point is a huge trace spanning downward the iii block long Grand Gallery but it moves fast in addition to when nosotros instruct closed to the room where it is displayed, safety i time again takes us out of the trace in addition to escorts us correct upwardly to the front end where nosotros are invited to persuasion the prototype at our leisure.
It is a fleck of a thrill to consider such a famous prototype but I must say, I don't instruct all the fuss. I know there's a lot of mystery behind the painting…is it truly a self-portrait? Da Vinci's mistress? What nigh that smile? Notice how the eyes follow you?…but to me, at that topographic point are clearly to a greater extent than beautiful in addition to compelling plant of fine art inwards this building.
The crowds truly article of apparel downward on Tim in addition to nosotros exclusively guide hold the day, thus nosotros accept our leave of absence of the Louvre in addition to give-up the ghost on on. By the way, the bathrooms on the ticket hall flat adjacent to the lifts are the to the lowest degree crowded in addition to accessible toilets here. They are also kept real clean. Probably because they are good hidden.
Paris Scenes. Notice the Queue inwards the Upper Left Waiting to consider the Mona Lisa at the Louvre
It's fourth dimension to caput across the Seine to the Left Bank in addition to nosotros wander along the narrow streets looking at the shops, bakeries, in addition to restaurants. Being inwards Paris, nosotros must splurge on a skillful French meal.
We terminate upwardly at the Café Le Saint Germain where nosotros sat at a pocket-size tabular array on the sidewalk. It was also pocket-size to sit down within but the solar daytime was prissy thus it worked out well.
The waiter suggested a veal exceptional which my married adult woman ordered. Tim had a roast chicken dish alongside fries patch I had a duck braised inwards its ain fatty alongside sautéed potatoes. One word…delicious! We shared the iii plates. All were real skillful alongside the top marks going to the veal. The sautéed potatoes were similar footling puffy pillows alongside merely plenty garlic on them…the best garlic fries I've always had (and I've had some of the best). Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 bottle of prissy cerise Bordeaux helped to launder it down. My married adult woman talked me out of staying for dessert. I truly wanted to travail the caramel crepes offered, but she wanted to honor a footling bakery to try.
A footling walk later, nosotros constitute our footling bakery. It was good, but non spectacularly so. I shoulda held out for those crepes!
Finally, nosotros come upwardly out from the buildings in addition to into the common that houses the Eiffel Tower. So much has been said nigh it that I'll limit it to the fact that it is truly beautiful in addition to truly big. Unfortunately, today's safety concerns limit wheelchair users to the 2nd level…about a 3rd of the means up.
We honor a wheelchair accessible omnibus that goes dorsum to Notre Dame in addition to nosotros accept the RER from at that topographic point dorsum to Gare du Nord in addition to board the Eurostar for the trip back.
A duet of notes nigh Paris. We've all heard nigh the typical arrogant French mortal who looks alongside disdain downward their olfactory organ at English linguistic communication speaking Americans. With i express exception (one of the bartenders at the Eurostar boarding lounge), I constitute every French mortal I came across that solar daytime to live friendly, gracious, in addition to every bit helpful every bit they could be. The stereotype could non live to a greater extent than incorrect every bit far every bit I'm concerned.
This is non to state Paris is all it's made upwardly to be. We were a fleck disappointed yesteryear the crowds in addition to full general cleanliness in addition to it merely didn't register alongside us every bit such a magnificent city, but the people at that topographic point were merely fine.
Accessible shipping inwards Paris is much amend than I thought it would be. Although at that topographic point are few accessible RER in addition to Metro stations, those few stations are located at key points. There are many, many wheelchair accessible buses hither in addition to maps at each stop. Look for the international wheelchair symbol adjacent to the route number. Be forewarned, however, that the driver must closed all doors earlier deploying the ramp. It may facial expression similar he's going to leave of absence you lot inwards the lurch, but i time those doors are closed, the ramp volition come upwardly out, the doors volition reopen, in addition to you lot tin in addition to thus board. There are no tie-downs on Parisian (or London) buses.
Thursday
Another prepare ride. Fortunately, nosotros don't guide hold to instruct upwardly inwards the wee hours. We choose grip of a taxi over to Paddington Station in addition to board our prepare over to Bath…a quick ninety infinitesimal ride away on the 125 mph train.
A annotation nigh British trains in addition to wheelchairs. You are required to mass a reservation for your wheelchair at to the lowest degree 24 hours inwards advance or live at the mercy of station staff alongside aid boarding the train. What you lot demand to create is become to the ticket window of National Rail at whatsoever prepare station in addition to purchase your tickets to a greater extent than than 24 hours inwards advance. Then become to the Station Reception (every station has one, merely enquire where it is) in addition to guide hold them reserve infinite for you lot on every leg of your prepare journey.
I tell you lot this because it almost proved disastrous to us. We went to the Station Reception at Waterloo in addition to the lady booked us to Bath but said we'd guide hold to mass passage dorsum i time nosotros got there. On arrival at Bath, nosotros were told since nosotros didn't mass passage dorsum at to the lowest degree 24 hours inwards advance, nosotros were screwed. I explained what happened in addition to was told to travail alongside the platform boss when nosotros wanted to return. I was told I likely wouldn't instruct on the prepare alongside the wheelchair…luckily, the platform gentleman was to a greater extent than agreement in addition to helped us alongside a ramp.
Okay, plenty of our troubles…on to Bath!
On arrival, nosotros alternative upwardly a town map inwards the station. The station is centrally located in addition to nosotros volition non instruct further that v or vi blocks away the entire day. First companionship of work concern is to instruct lunch. I had wanted to become to the Pump Room located at the Roman Bath but it would live a skillful ninety minutes earlier nosotros could instruct fed there, thus nosotros wandered around to consider what else nosotros could find.
On the dorsum side of the bath, inwards a pocket-size lane, nosotros constitute a hole-in-the-wall called Café du Globe which had a two-course luncheon exceptional for £7.00. For me, it was a delicious tomato plant herb soup followed yesteryear panzarotti filled alongside ham in addition to spinach in addition to covered alongside a delicious tomato plant in addition to melted cheese sauce. Tim had bacon in addition to cheese jacket potatoes (potato skins) alongside a lasagna in addition to my married adult woman had a salad alongside salmon. All were real delicious in addition to the cost was reasonable. Plus, the wheelchair jibe within in addition to the tabular array was large plenty for all of us.
After luncheon nosotros caput over to the Roman Bath. The Romans discovered this hot natural springtime inwards 43 A.D. in addition to built a world bath. In the 19th century, the ruins were unearthed in addition to the bath restored. The world tin no longer swim inwards it (a modern facility where you lot tin has opened across the street) but you lot tin soundless see the ruins, which are twenty feet below the flat of the ground.
At the Roman Baths
This brings bad news/good intelligence for access. The bad intelligence is that the stairs to the bottom volition non allow you lot upwardly to the border of the pool. The skillful intelligence is that you lot tin soundless consider everything from the accessible terrace above. To compensate, the wheelchair user in addition to their political party are admitted costless in addition to fifty-fifty given portable sound tour units to piece of work at no charge.
The bath itself is pretty remarkable in addition to the tour real interesting. Afterward, nosotros determine to explore the town.
Bath is a beautiful town alongside many nooks, corners, in addition to alleys total of interesting shops, pubs, in addition to places to eat. We alternative upwardly many souvenirs hither in addition to walk along the river alongside its stunning views of Bath Abbey. Several shopping lanes remind us of Diagon Alley inwards Harry Potter alongside their narrow walkways in addition to quaint storefronts. The local marketplace offers many items such every bit packets of cheese in addition to smoked bacon for forty to lxxx pence per package.
Friday
This is our lastly total solar daytime hither thus nosotros determine to cook clean upwardly some loose ends closed to the hotel thus nosotros don't article of apparel ourselves out.
We start out yesteryear walking across Westminster Bridge in addition to seeing the Cabinet War Rooms. This fascinating tour takes you lot hush-hush to consider the bunkers where Winston Churchill in addition to his staff planned the fighting inwards World War II patch hiding from the High German bombs raining downward on the city. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 elevator takes you lot downward in addition to an sound tour guides you lot through. It's a fleck cramped in addition to
claustrophobic but gives you lot a existent skillful experience of what is must guide hold been similar to live hunkered downward here.
Rooms on display include the map room (left merely every bit it was the lastly day), Churchill's bedroom, communications room, staff quarters, in addition to fifty-fifty the tiny kitchen in addition to dining room. It's good worth the £7.00 admission (disabled in addition to i carer free).
Directly across the street is St. James park, the flowered in addition to beautiful front end yard for the Queen's house. We start to stroll through the common in addition to I opened upwardly my guidebook to read nigh it. I notice that inwards 25 minutes, the changing of the guard volition accept identify at the other terminate of the common , Buckingham Palace.
Stepping upwardly the pace, nosotros brand it to the other terminate of the common merely inwards fourth dimension to mash inwards alongside the crowd to consider the curt parade of the guards in addition to their band every bit they march over from their barracks to salve their comrades at the palace.
Afterward, nosotros walk dorsum through the common towards Westminster Abbey. Along the way, nosotros honor Bruno's, a café inwards the St. James Park underground station, that serves delicious panini sandwiches in addition to pasta. Their pasta carbonara is amidst the best I've had in addition to a create out at £4.
After lunch, nosotros tour Westminster Abbey. Again, disabled addition i carer gets inwards gratis but within real few of the side chapels are accessible. Still, you lot instruct a closed upwardly persuasion of violet graves such every bit Edward II in addition to Richard III. Charles Darwin is buried hither along alongside Sir Isaac Newton. In poet's corner, Lord Byron rests alongside his colleagues. Nearby, a gentleman who lived over 150 years is buried.
The tombs tin live real ornate or real simple. The abbey is real large within in addition to ornate. This is truly a must consider when you're here.
We caput dorsum across the Thames in addition to accept a quick bath pause at the hotel. Across the street is the Imperial War Museum. There is a stunning in addition to of import - if real depressing - holocaust demo here. Wheelchair users can't aid but gasp every bit the get-go demo explains how the Nazis started yesteryear exterminating physical undesirable such every bit the disabled earlier moving on to his lastly solution. Note: this demo is non suitable for pocket-size children or those easily nauseated.
Admission is costless in addition to the museum is completely accessible.
Wanting to stock upwardly on some lastly infinitesimal souvenirs, nosotros caput to the nearby Elephant in addition to Castle shopping center. This turns out to live a depressingly drab mall in addition to nosotros speedily caput dorsum where nosotros guide hold i to a greater extent than delicious pizza dinner at the Bar Room Bar pub.
Tomorrow, nosotros guide hold nada to a greater extent than to create except pack in addition to ride the underground dorsum to Heathrow to await our xi lx minutes ride home.
-Darryl
Copyright 2004 - Darryl Musick
Comments
Post a Comment