[Throwback] UK Trip Final Thoughts

Here is a summary of links to United Kingdom trip blog posts:

Vacation in the UK
London Landmarks Part 1
London Landmarks Part 2
London Experiences
Stonehenge, Bath, and Lacock Village
A Day in Newcastle
Edinburgh Sights and Landmarks
Edinburgh Experiences
UK Trip Final Thoughts

Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace

Normally, as I wrap up a series of travel posts, I share a lot of travel tips and suggestions based on my experience. I can't do that here though since my trip was so long ago that even some of the companies I booked tours with are no longer in operation.

The Roman Baths in Bath

As I went through my photos and started remembering the details of my trips, I started to wish I had today's technology back then. I would have loved to take more photos, especially of the day I spent with Dave where I got to eat in the House of Commons and watch a World Cup qualifying match at a sports pub.

Tower of London

This was my first international trip that was purely for leisure. My Belgian boss at the time, Els, recommended that I get a travel book to help me figure out what to do and how to get from one place to another. I bought a Rough Guides book of Britain and Ireland and I found it very useful and informative. Up until my last trip to South America, I would always purchase travel books - usually Lonely Planet - of the countries I would visit. I have a decent collection of them now and while they are quite expensive, I never regretted buying any them.

St. James's Park

I can't really remember many of my dining experiences when I was there, which probably means I ate at a lot of fast food places (translation: cheap) which makes sense because I needed to make sure my money would last the entire time I was there.  That said, I did write about eating at Planet Hollywood and in the House of Commons. I also got to have Fish and Chips, Guinness, and a bit of haggis. My daily breakfast while I was staying at Holland House was a traditional English breakfast. It was also during this trip that I got to try Ben & Jerry's Phish Food for the first time and I have been a fan ever since.

Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster, as seen from the London Eye

I spent eleven days in three different cities in the UK - London, Newcastle, and Edinburgh - and to date, it remains my third longest international holiday (only my trips to South America and Russia have been longer). I think that I've gotten better at doing travel research now so I would definitely love to visit again and do more things that I didn't get to do, such as walk among the stones in Stonehenge and join the Harry Potter Studio Tour which was not available back then. If I do go back to the UK, hopefully I can bring some other members of my family with me.

St. Margaret's Chapen in Edinburgh Castle

As I started writing about my trip to the UK, I realized that I really enjoy blogging about my travels. Even if I wrote about a trip I took so long ago, I found the walk down memory lane to be extremely enriching and gratifying. I went on quite a few trips that I never blogged about and I am now looking forward to writing about those too.

[Throwback] Edinburgh Experiences

While going through my UK photos, I realized that I visited all the Edinburgh tourist attractions I talked about in my previous post on my second full day there (I was technically in Edinburgh for 2 1/2 days since I arrived there with Duncan and Amy in the afternoon of my first day). It seems that I spent my first full day just meandering around the Scottish capital, enjoying the sights and soaking in the atmosphere.

View of the Old Town

To help me try to take in as much of the city I could in a short time, I purchased a ticket for a Hop-On Hop-Off bus (the one I took was run by Mactours which doesn't seem to be in operation anymore unless it changed its name). Edinburgh is a beautiful city and this was a great way to see it.

View of Edinburgh from the Hop-On Hop-Off bus

The Princes Street Gardens separate the New Town and the Old Town. It was during my stroll through  this beautiful park that I discovered that visitors can go up the Scott Monument (which I did the next day). You can also see Edinburgh Castle from the gardens. I took this shot of the Ross Fountain with the Edinburgh Castle as backdrop. Apparently, this fountain has been restored and it now primarily turquoise rather than the gold color it had when I was there.

The Ross Fountain in the Princes Street Gardens

While the whole city is beautiful, I gravitated towards the charm of the Old Town, with its old stone buildings and great architecture. (It was in one of the many souvenir shops there that I bought a beanie with a Scotland flag on it; I still use that whenever I travel to temperate countries during winter).

Great architecture

I learned about this Auld Reekie Witchcraft Tour while walking the streets of the Old Town. I found it quite intriguing especially because the tour would start at 10:30pm so I decided to take it. Participants were taken to a small museum with medieval torture devices and similar to my experience at the London Dungeon, I was quite disturbed (another participant was actually so unsettled that she actually had to leave the room). At midnight, we also got to visit an underground pagan temple which at the time was supposedly used by 14 international covens. It really was a very unique experience going around the Old Town very late at night as part of a tour.

Auld Reekie Witchcraft Tour

While in Edinburgh, I stayed at St. Christopher's Inn. This hostel offered beds in rooms of varying sizes so I booked a slightly more expensive room that would have only 4 people in it. I think it was on my second night there that I got a big surprise: when I entered the room, I saw 2 women, along with another guy (not sure if the two women knew each other but they didn't know the other guy). I didn't realize the room was co-ed. I checked the website and it seems that the rooms for 4 to 6 people are now exclusively for females.

St. Christopher's Inn, the hostel where I stayed while in Edinburgh

I spent two nights in Edinburgh. After my second full day in Edinburgh, I hung out at my hostel lobby - I had already checked out - until the evening before taking the overnight train from Edinburgh to London. I did some research earlier to find out where I could leave my luggage on my last day. That allowed me to squeeze in a visit to the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum (which I talked about in an earlier post) before leaving the UK in the early evening flight.

Next post: Final thoughts on my UK Trip

[Throwback] Edinburgh Sights and Landmarks

I didn't do a lot of research on what sights to see in Edinburgh so most of my decisions on what to do were made during my first day in the city. There were two places I knew that I wanted to visit. The first was the Scott Monument. 

Scott Monument

This landmark stands prominently in Princes Street Gardens. It was built as a monument to Scottish literary giant Sir Walter Scott, who authored classic novels such as Ivanhoe and Rob Roy. Visitors can enter the tower and climb its 287 steps to the top, which I did. Thankfully, the sun was shining brightly when was there so I was able to enjoy incredible panoramic views of both the old and new towns of Edinburgh.

View of Edinburgh from the Scott Monument

You also have a fantastic view of Edinburgh Castle, which is the second place I wanted to visit.

Great view of Edinburgh Castle from the Scott Monument

Edinburgh Castle is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Scotland and in the entire UK. It sits atop a cliff called Castle Rock at the end of the Royal Mile, which I guess make sense because being in that location makes the fortress much easier to defend.

Entrance to Edinburgh Castle

I got there a bit after noon because I wanted to be there in time for the firing of the One O'Clock Gun, which is shot everyday at 1pm. (I didn't get to see the gun fired but I definitely heard it!) I did see and take a photo of the Mons Meg, a cannon built in 1449.

Mons Meg

There are many things to see at the castle, including the Scottish National War Memorial, so you can easily spend a lot of time here.

Scottish National War Memorial

Visitors can also enjoy some pretty awesome views of the city.

View from Edinburgh Castle

There are several tourist traps along the Royal Mile and I ended up visiting a few of them after my trip to Edinburgh Castle. The first was the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre. I don't remember much about what I did here but I vaguely recall learning about Scotch Whisky. I can't recall if I got to to try some. I do know they gave me a certificate that said I completed the tour and that I am now a life-long friend of the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre. I still have that certificate! (I just did a search online and it seems this place is now called the Scotch Whisky Experience).

Scottish Whisky Heritage Centre

I also visited Camera Obscura, which is housed in the Outlook Tower. Guests can enjoy optical illusions and similar attractions. I took a look at the official website now and I think there are a lot more things to do than there were back when I visited. 

Camera Obscura

Finally, I went to the Tartan Weaving Mill and Exhibition. My friend Duncan told me that Scottish clans have their own unique pattern which is used in their kilts. Having some understanding the historic and traditional significance of tartan made me want to visit this place.

Tartan Weaving Mill and Exhibition

Of all the sights along the Royal Mile that I visited, this is the most memorable. While this attraction contains weaving and cloth displays which would normally not be as interesting, I got to do two things while I was here that made me feel the Scottish vibe. First, I got to try haggis, a traditional Scottish dish made of sheep's heart, lungs, and liver. I remember being a bit weirded out by the taste as soon as it hit my mouth but after a second or two, the flavor developed and I realized I actually really liked it! I asked them if haggis was available for sale there but it wasn't.

The other thing that made my visit to the Tartan Weaving Mill and Exhibition really unforgettable was that I got to put on a kilt and a traditional Scottish outfit and have my photo taken in it! If I recall correctly, it costs extra to do this - there is an official photographer who will take your photo and you get to take home an 8"x10" picture - but I couldn't say no to this opportunity. My photo is still on display in my family's home but I also asked the photographer to take a snapshot of me using my camera. Cool!

Me in traditional Scottish attire at the Tartan Weaving Mill and Exhibition

Next post: Edinburgh Experiences

[Throwback] A Day in Newcastle

My friends Duncan and Amy were in the UK at the same time I was and they had planned to visit Susan in Newcastle. I managed to adjust my plans so that I could visit Newcastle on that same day so I could get see them all. I took a train from London to Newcastle and when I arrived, Duncan and Amy picked me up and took me to Susan's house. She very kindly agreed to host us all that evening so I didn't need to worry about accommodations. Once we all got settled, we went to visit Hadrian's Wall, one of the most historic landmarks in the UK. Hadrian's Wall is another UNESCO World Heritage Site (meaning that I had now seen three of them in two days). It is named after Roman Emperor Hadrian under whose reign the wall was built.

Hadrian's Wall

Later that night, all four of us went to a pub where I believe we were joined by some other friends of Duncan and Susan. I don't remember much of that night apart from the fact that I had so much beer. I don't recall paying for any drinks; I think people just kept buying rounds for everyone and I just kept graciously accepting them. I'm not sure how long we were at the pub, must have been quite a few hours but I was plastered when we got back to Susan's home. I remember telling people I was just going to lie a bit on the couch and the next thing I remember was that it was morning. Susan had very nicely placed a sheet and a blanket on the edge of the couch but as I was already asleep, I never got to use them.

I think my hangover made me forget much of what happened that day apart from Duncan and Amy driving me to Edinburgh where I would spend the next couple of nights. Duncan and Amy were actually heading to Glasgow but they decided to take me to Edinburgh so that Amy could also see the capital of Scotland during her UK visit. We spent the afternoon together, just walking around the border of the old town and the new town, and had dinner in the early evening. We then said our goodbyes so that Amy and Duncan could return to Glasgow while it still wasn't too late in the evening.

One other thing about this trip: Amy and I were both excited to see spotted cows! I remember seeing quite a few while on the train from London to Newcastle. While Duncan was driving us, we passed by several pastures where we saw more spotted cows. I pointed them out to Amy who then told Duncan, "see, it's not weird to be excited about seeing spotted cows!" I guess it's because we don't have them in the Philippines.

Next post: Edinburgh

[Throwback] Stonehenge, Bath, and Lacock Village

One of the sights I absolutely wanted to see during my trip to the UK was Stonehenge. I looked at the brochures in the hostel I was staying in and I saw a brochure for a Luxury Mini-Coach Day Tour of Stonehenge, Bath, and Lacock Village organized by Astral Tours (which I think is no longer in operation).

Stonehenge

The brochure read: "5000 years of history in one day - the perfect combination for those with less time. We take the old coaching road through the rural Wiltshire to the charming village of Lacock. Enjoy a guided tour of beautiful Bath, originally founded by the Romans as a health spa, and later an elegant Georgian resort. Visit the Roman Baths and Pump Rooms and explore at your own leisure, with time for shopping and lunch. Discover the secrets of Stonehenge and hear about the many myths, legends, and mysteries associated with this awe-inspiring monument. The very best of Britain!" 

The Roman Baths

Our first stop was Lacock. I didn't know anything about this village but based on what I read in the brochure, I was really interested to experience its old-town charm. When we got there, I really enjoyed seeing the many quaint and beautiful traditional English houses and I loved soaking in the idyllic atmosphere as I walked along its historic streets. If I had more time here, I would have loved to visit Lacock Abbey, which has been around since the 13th century!

Lacock Village

Our next stop was Bath. Apparently, the entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I didn't get to explore the city though. I only had time to go around the Roman Baths.

Me at the Roman Baths

The Romans built these baths using the naturally occurring hot springs in the area. There is a museum complex where visitors can learn more about its history and see the ruins of the Temple of Sulis Minerva. Bath Abbey is right next to the Roman Baths but I didn't get a chance to visit it.

Bath Abbey

Finally, it was time to visit Stonehenge. This legendary monument was one of the first World Heritage sites in the UK. I can't recall what our tour guide said about it but you can read more about its history here. The visit doesn't take too long because the area is cordoned off so the closest you can get to it is about 20 meters away. (That said, I just discovered that you can get special access to walk among the stones. If I get to visit the UK again, I will try to join one of these special access tours.) While some people find Stonehenge to be overrated, I'm personally happy that I have gotten to see it in person.

Me at Stonehenge

The night after that tour was the last I spent in London. The next day, I took the to Newcastle to meet up with some friends. More about my trip to Newcastle in my next post.

Next post: Newcastle

[Throwback] London Experiences

One of the things I really wanted to do while I was in London was watch a musical. While these shows are not cheap, I ended up watching two of them. The first was The Lion King. At the time, I had just been hearing about how great a show it was but I didn't know what to expect. When I watched it, I was impressed by the incredible visuals of the Circle of Life opening. I also remembering being completely blown away when Mufasa's head suddenly appeared as a hologram in that scene where Simba talks to his father's spirit.

The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre

I also caught Chicago The Musical. I knew nothing about Chicago at the time but I was influenced to watch it after reading about it in Time Out magazine and seeing a lot of ads in the Tube. Thankfully, I did because I really enjoyed it! Apart from the incredible show, I also had memorable experience when purchasing my ticket. The show as held at the Adelphi Theatre which had three sections. The Stalls were closest to the stage, followed by the Dress Circle. Furthest from the Stage was the Upper Circle. I had a choice between a seat towards the back of the Dress Circle and a seat at the front row of the Upper Circle. I was thinking that being closer to the stage would make my experience better so I asked to buy a Dress Circle seat but the person behind the ticket counter said that he believed I would have a much better experience if I sat at the front row of the Upper Circle because my view would be unobstructed. (Additional bonus to me was that it was 5 pounds cheaper.) I was very pleasantly surprised that the guy at the ticket booth convinced me to get the cheaper ticket when the show could very well have earned that extra 5 quid from me.

My trip to the UK was the first and only time that I stayed in a hostel during a leisure trip to another country (I did this both in London and in Edinburgh). In London, I stayed in Holland House Youth Hostel. (I can't seem to find this hostel online anymore; I think it may have closed.) Many people end up making friends with other hostel guests but I guess I'm not that friendly since I didn't really interact with anyone else for the most part while I was there. I also ended up staying in two different rooms. That's because my plans changed while in London. I booked a bed in Holland House for I think five nights because I was expecting to go to Newcastle after that. My very good friends Duncan and Amy were in Glasgow at the same time I was in the UK and we planned to meet up in Newcastle so that we could visit another friend Susan. I think the schedule of this visit to Susan changed so I had to stay in London an extra few nights but the bed I was in for my first five nights had already been assigned to someone else. The new bed I got was in a room that had no window which was unfortunate. But worse, one of the guys in our room snored very, very loudly! I remember other guys in the room being so annoyed that they were throwing pillows at the snoring guy. I'm not sure how I managed to survive two nights with that nocturnal cacophony - I think I put my pillow over my head to dampen the noise - but it was this experience that made me decide to just stay in hotels in all my succeeding trips.

Holland House, the hostel where I stayed while in London

I also met up with another good friend, Dave, and I got to meet his wife Emma. At the time, Emma worked at the House of Commons so she was able to bring me and Dave into the cafeteria there. Dave told me that not everyone is allowed inside so I felt very privileged to have experienced having lunch there. The plan was for me and Dave to watch a World Cup qualifying match later that evening so he and I just hung out the entire afternoon - we went to a bar and just had some drinks - before going to a sports pub to watch the match. I gotta say, that was one of the best experiences I had in that trip. England won and the atmosphere at the pub was absolutely electric! It was that experience that turned me into a football fan (at least back then; I have to admit that I haven't been following the sport for many years now). I also became a Liverpool fan because all of England's goals that night were scored by Liverpool players.

One of the first places I went to was Harrods, the famous department store. I recall it was raining at the time so I bought an automatic umbrella that cost around P1,000. While I was disappointed by the fact that I had to spend so much (this was very long ago so that amount was worth even more back then), I ended up giving that umbrella to my mom when I returned to Manila and she said it was really good and sturdy. A friend told me that Harrods is known for its Food Halls and that I should try it. I kinda feel that I did but I can't remember it anymore.

I got pretty familiar with The Tube, or the London Underground rapid transport system. Anyone who's taken The Tube will be familiar with the words "Mind the gap" which is always broadcast over the speakers to remind people to take care when getting on or off the train. I actually bought a shirt with a logo of The Tube and the words "Mind the gap" printed on it. I have since donated that shirt to charity but if I do get to visit London again, maybe I will buy a shirt like that again.

Other memories: I had lunch in Planet Hollywood near Piccadilly Circus. I remember asking if the soda was refillable but it wasn't so I ended up ordering two Pepsis. When I got the bill, I saw that I was charged only one Pepsi so I told the waitress. When she handed me the corrected receipt, she said "You're a good man." I also visited the Tower Records a short distance away from Planet Hollywood and I bought a couple of DVDs but I can't remember which ones I got. 

Next post: Day Tour to Stonehenge, Bath, and Lacock Village

[Throwback] London Landmarks Part 2

One of the first sights I visited in the UK was the London Eye. At the time, it was called the British Airways London Eye but now, it seems like it is sponsored by lastminute.com. It was also world's tallest observation wheel when I visited (its height has since been surpassed by other observation wheels in the world but it remains the tallest one in Europe).

London Eye

Each pod holds 25 people. For the one I boarded, I was told by our "flight attendant" - or the guide who joins us in the pod - that I would be the team leader. Wow! But just as I was feeling a bit important, I was told that being team leader just meant that I was the start of the next group of 25. Way to bring my ego down haha!

Each London Eye pod holds 25 people

It takes about half an hour to go all the way around the London Eye. It was a bit muggy when I was there but I still got to enjoy some pretty cool views of the city. I was told that you can see up to 26 miles away from the top.

View from the London Eye

Another popular landmark I visited was Madame Tussauds, which has hundreds of wax figures of celebrities, leaders, and famous people. I gotta say, the figures are very well-made. As I took this trip such a long time ago, I still didn't have a smart phone so every time I wanted to have my photo taken, I had to ask help from other people. Thankfully, there were a lot of kind people who obliged. One of my favorite photos is this one with The Beatles.

The Beatles

I also had my photo taken with Princess Diana...

Diana, Princess of Wales

...and with Marilyn Monroe in her iconic pose.

Marilyn Monroe

I also went to the London Dungeon. What's interesting about this visit is that I barely remember anything about it. I do know that there were medieval torture devices on display but I can't recall exactly what I saw. I know that I was disturbed by the thought that these tools were used to bring pain to people in the middle ages. I also remember learning that the nursery rhyme "Ring Around The Rosie" supposedly has a pretty gruesome origin as it is believed to be about the Great Plague in the 1600s. It seems that a rosy rash was the first symptom of the plague and posies were supposedly used as a cure or a preventative measure. There are two variants of the 3rd line: "a-tishoo" which could refer to the symptom of sneezing, and "ashes" which could refer to cleansing bonfires. The last line "we all fall down" refers to death. (That said, as I read about it now, many folklorists don't accept this origin story; read more here https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2014/07/ring-around-the-rosie-metafolklore-rhyme-and-reason/)

Entrance to the London Dungeon

I also visited Wimbledon! As a huge tennis fan, I wanted to see the place where arguably the most popular and significant tennis tournament is played. My plan was just to pay Wimbledon a quick visit in the morning then I would visit the Science Museum or the Natural History Museum in the afternoon. However, when I got there, I found out that there was a tour of the grounds later that day so I changed my itinerary and decided to just stay in Wimbledon.

Wimbledon

The tour allowed me to to see Centre Court (it still didn't have a roof back then)...

Centre Court before the roof was built

... as well as No. 1 Court. 

No. 1 Court

I also spent went into the Wimbledon museum. A highlight for me was seeing some clips of Steffi Graf's legendary win in 1988 over Martina Navratilova that gave her the first of seven Wimbledon titles. (Now, of course, many of these clips are on YouTube.) I actually bought a Steffi poster that I never put up anywhere because there was really no wall space at home for it (I'm not even sure if I still have it, maybe I should check).

Trophies on display at the Wimbledon Museum

While I did not go to the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum that day, I did visit them on my last day in the UK before flying back home. What's strange is that, similar to my London Dungeon visit, I absolutely do not remember anything I saw inside. I actually thought I just went there to take pictures of their facades but when I looked at the travel memorabilia I kept, I apparently bought tickets to both these museums. Since I don't recall anything I saw here, I need to include them in my itinerary if (when?) I go to the UK again.

Natural History Museum

Science Museum

In my next post, I will share some special and interesting experiences I had in London.

Next post: London Experiences

[Throwback] London Landmarks Part 1

The first sight I visited in London was Buckingham Palace. I made sure to arrive about an hour before the Changing of the Guard so I would have time to take some photos of the palace.

Buckingham Palace

I got there early enough that I had time to take a quick stroll around St James's Park right next to it.

St. James's Park

I headed back to the Palace with plenty of time to spare so I could move up close to the fence to have the best possible view of the Changing of the Guard. According to this link, the ceremony spans three locations and the activities in Buckingham Palace start at 11:45am. Since I was standing right next to the fence, I was able to position my camera in between the pickets so my photos were thankfully not obstructed.

Changing of the Guard

I actually visited Buckingham Palace again a few days later so I could go inside. The State Rooms of Buckingham Palace are opened to the public during the summer months. Entrance to the Palace is actually not through the main facade but through an entrance via the gardens. (I gotta say though that while I did go into the State Rooms - I kept my entrance ticket - I actually don't remember what I saw inside.)

Queen Victoria Memorial at Buckingham Palace

I also visited the Tower of London, which is where the Crown Jewels are kept. You might be familiar with this landmark if you watched Spider-Man: Far From Home. This trip came before cameras and phones had massive storage so I have only one picture taken inside the Tower.

Inside the Tower of London

I joined a guided tour led by one of the Yeoman Warders, more popularly known as Beefeaters, who are the guards of the Tower of London. It was in this tour that I learned that Humpty Dumpty supposedly refers to King Richard III. (Read more about this reference here https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/02/28/humpty-dumpty/).

Photo with a Beefeater at the Tower of London

The River Thames is the second longest river in the UK. I decided to take a Thames River cruise so I could get a different glimpse of the city. Some of the best landmarks you will see along the river are the Tower Bridge...

Tower Bridge

...and Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster, where the Houses of Parliament convene.

Big Ben viewed from the River Thames

I also took the Hop-on Hop-off London Sightseeing Tour on their iconic double-decker bus. Naturally, I sat on the second level, allowing me to take photos of some beautiful city landmarks, such as St. Paul's Cathedral...

St. Paul's Cathedral

...and Westminster Abbey (Unfortunately, I only got to see this landmark in passing; I didn't actually go here and experience it more thoroughly).

Westminster Abbey

As I was in London for several days, I did get to visit quite a few places so I will write more in my next blog post.

Next post: More London Landmarks