A Tale of two cities...
.and now for the moment you've all been waiting for.
Well, I hope this is what you've been waiting for, but if you haven't, what can I do? This is the final episode of the 2010 World Masters Trilogy
although it will be in two parts. I've discussed matters at the oche, but this is the irreverent travel journal of two chubby Americans.
After returning home from the 2009 World Masters, Ryan Barnette and I were eager to return to England for this year's event. Part of the appeal
was the darts, obviously, but there was also the small matter of the food! Yeah, I know Americans are constantly whining about British food,
but really, it's pretty darn good, and like many other places, you just have to know where to go and what to choose.
Anyway, neither of us qualified through the ADO playoffs, but there was still the possibility of invitations, providing we were ranked in the top 3 of the nation. As it happened, I was heading the ADO rankings at the time - level on points with a certain Ryan Barnette! So, despite the fact that we had to fund our own trips, it was all systems go.
In order to keep costs down, I was cashing in miles. I was getting there a couple of days early, which gives me time to get over the jet-lag. It also allows some breathing-space should there be any flight cancellations or delays. We wished to travel together, and instead of going straight to Hull, we planned on two nights in London. Ryan wanted to play the loud American tourist, you see, so I was going to be his tour guide.
We arrived on Monday morning, dropped the bags off at the hotel (the Heathrow Lodge), and - armed with our invaluable LT travelcards - headed back into London. This was the first time that Mr B had ridden the London Underground, usually known simply as "the tube", and it turned out to be an eye-opening experience for him. I'll tell you, the tube is the best place in the world to people-watch, and apart from all the weirdos we ran into (not including us, of course), Ryan couldn't believe the cosmopolitan nature of England's capital. Bit different from Valdese, NC, I'm led to understand!
The weather on Monday was fabulous, and we went to the Tower of London, Tower Bridge (and a quick note for Jim Widmayer - they are two different places, Jim!), and St. Paul's Cathedral, before heading up to HMV in Oxford Street. HMV is one of the world's largest CD stores, and Ryan had a list of music to take home with him.
From HMV, we strolled a few blocks south to reach London's Chinatown district. Rather unsurprisingly, we found a buffet, but surprisingly, it appears that there is a new staple on British Chinese buffets - fried bread! Still, we weren't complaining. After waddling out of the buffet, we proceeded to take photos of all the delicious ducks hanging in the restaurant windows. Why? Not a common dish over here, Mandarin pancakes are like mini fajitas, and are simply shredded duck, green onions, and hoisin sauce, wrapped in a small pancake. They are incredibly common in the UK, and are also incredibly good.
From there, we walked to Leicester Square, always a hive of activity - moreso when the funfair is in full swing. It's not huge, but there were a couple of darts games which grabbed my companion's attention. Sadly for Ryan, a stuffed toy was all he was destined to win during the entire trip. Even then, he didn't really win it; the young lady on the stall felt sorry for him, and promised him a prize regardless of what he scored!
After wandering around Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, and Piccadilly Circus, we hopped on a bus that took us to Harrods. If you're not familiar with the name, Harrods is perhaps the world's best-known (and most select) department store, and used to be owned by Mohamed al Fayed. One of the main reasons I wanted Ryan to visit Harrods was because of their superb food hall. You literally can get anything in there, but for some reason, Ryan was particularly interested in the selection candy! We tried some samples of the lemon and strawberry fudge, which was to die for. This extremely cute girl at the fudge counter had us wrapped around her little finger, and managed to persuade us to purchase some. It was pretty cheap, being on a "buy on, get one" special. If ever you find yourself in the Knightsbridge area, you should pop along there and get some fudge.
It had been a long day, so we headed back to the hotel. As it was still relatively early (9.30pm), a little relaxing drink sounded good, so we strolled to the White Horse in Longford. The pub is a very quaint and pretty place, and is only 100 yards or so from our hotel. It was built in 1534 as a smokehouse, and was converted to an inn in 1601. The main body of the pub is the oldest section, with the original stonework and oak beams, and it was nice to put our feet up in front of a roaring fire, supping on bitter shandy (½ bitter beer, and ½ white soda). Don't be put off by the sound of it - it's a great combination.
Probably because he was so exhausted, Ryan's snoring wasn't too bad the first night, so Id manage to get some decent sleep. Tuesday was gray and drizzly, but we were up early enough to get the train to Westminster. After some hectic photo-taking of Parliament (I have some pics of "Big Ryan" in front of Big Ben), Westminster Abbey (I also have some pics of "flabby" at the Abbey), and the equally impressive Methodist Central Hall, it was time for lunch. I'd been checking some online reviews, and the Regency Cafe in Pimlico looked a good bet. Let's just say that it certainly won't be the last time I eat there! I tucked into a hearty plate of steak and kidney pudding, chips, and peas, and a mug of tea, all for around a fiver. Ryan had the steak pie, which he put away with great satisfaction.
Feeling suitably replete, we ambled up Whitehall, past the Cenotaph (a memorial to the Unknown Soldier) to Horse Guards Parade, where Ryan just HAD to have his photo taken with some of the guards. By now, it was starting to rain in earnest, but we trekked happily through St. James' Park, where we were accosted repeatedly by the local wildlife. No, I'm not talking about ladies of ill-repute, but the remarkably friendly squirrels and waterfowl that were begging for food!
Buckingham Palace was the next stop, and more photos. We traversed Green Park, and caught the bus to Covent Garden. Home to numerous street performers and buskers, Covent Garden also has many specialty shops and restaurants, but none special enough for Ryan; he wanted fish and chips. Within a few minutes, we had found somewhere for him satisfy his craving. By the time we had finished, it was approaching rush hour, so we jumped on the train back to Heathrow, and subsequently prepared for the evening's action.
I was due to meet up with a buddy of mine - as I invariably do when I'm in London - to swap books, dvd's etc, and go out for a "Ruby". I know you're all wondering what a "Ruby" is, so I'll tell you. You probably know that Indian food is extremely common in the UK, much like Mexican food is over here. You may also have heard of "Cockney rhyming slang", which is popular among those from the East End of London. Examples of rhyming slang are "jam jar" - a car, "plates" (short for "plates of meat") - feet, or "having a butcher's" (short for "butcher's hook") - having a look. A "Ruby" (named after the popular 1950's Irish songstress, Ruby Murray) is modern rhyming slang for a curry! This was Ryan's first exposure to Indian food, and he was that taken with it, he couldn't wait to get stuck into some more when he got up to Hull!
We were out early on the Wednesday to make our way to Kings Cross, where we had to catch the train to Hull. Before we did that, however, we needed to find some breakfast, and that's where I'll pick it up next time.