Kew and Covent Garden

The day started with a very nice self-prepared breakfast in front of Captain Bligh's sitting room fireplace. Cool.

When we were ready we walked up the road to Lambeth North tube station, about 5 minutes away, and caught the tube out to Kew Gardens. This excursion had two purposes: for Petra, and opportunity to wander around Kew Gardens, and for Phil, a chance to do some family research at the UK National Archives.

Phil spent a lot of time navigating his way through the Archives rules and processes. He stood in line for advice, obtained a users' card, ordered records, lined up for more advice, and more advice, and more advice. Finally he managed to sit down with some microfilm, which he absolutely hates using, and some original documents from the 1850s, which he absolutely loves using. Luckily he managed to do the two main things he went to the Archives for, even though one of the answers wasn't exactly what he was hoping for. It all took way more time than he expected though.

This all gave Petra a great opportunity to wander the very extensive Kew Gardens, but by the time we met up again it was early afternoon and we decided not to attempt a visit to Hampton Court, as we had planned, because it would have had been too rushed. Possibly we will get there another day next week.

Instead of Hampton Court, we headed back towards the city for a wander around Covent Garden. After arrival we had a large but unremarkable lunch, and then happened on the Covent Garden market.

After exhausting all the possibilities the market had to offer, we just followed the crowds, figuring that where there were a lot of people, something interesting must be going on. A lot of bog standard shops, but some interesting ones, including fantastic antique shops with excellent pieces and prices to match!

Eventually we started to feel weary and decided to walk back to Lambeth via Trafalgar Square...

...,which has a curious blue chicken in it, and the Golden Jubilee Bridge across the Thames...

We've been on the lookout for nice traditional pubs, which aren't as easy to find as you might think in London. So whenever we see one we take note of its location for later. After last night we decided trendy gastro pubs are to be avoided.