planning early. what to do in London during May 2008

"David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" <d4g4h4 DeleteThis @yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1ibkrev.fvxq3i699uhoN%d4g4h4@yahoo.co.uk...
> William Black <william.black DeleteThis @hotmail.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> "Bob Fusillo" <rfusillo DeleteThis @comcast.net> wrote in message
>> news:--mdnZ5z1e9aXT3anZ2dnUVZ_hqdnZ2d@comcast.com...
>> >
>> >>
> Hm. I wouldn't call it ghastly. Spending an evening in Stratford is a
> good idea, as most visitors are day trippers. I found it particularly
> lovely on a Sunday morning, when for a few hours I felt as though I had
> the place entirely to myself. We had some good meals in pubs and didn't
> find it over-expensive.
>
>
But later in the day it is hellish -- on a nice Sunday, all of Birmingham
goes to the country for the day. 82% think Stratford ( O-A) is the country.
The petrol fumes make the town un-walkable.
Sorry, by the way, about not thinking of that "other" Stratford. 55 years
in Britain and I never got there -- from above reports, I shan't go now.
rjf
 >> Stay informed about: planning early. what to do in London during May 2008 

Bob Fusillo <rfusillo.RemoveThis@comcast.net> wrote:

> "David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" <d4g4h4.RemoveThis@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:1ibkrev.fvxq3i699uhoN%d4g4h4@yahoo.co.uk...
> > William Black <william.black.RemoveThis@hotmail.co.uk> wrote:
> >
> >> "Bob Fusillo" <rfusillo.RemoveThis@comcast.net> wrote in message
> >> news:--mdnZ5z1e9aXT3anZ2dnUVZ_hqdnZ2d@comcast.com...
> >> >
> >> >>
> > Hm. I wouldn't call it ghastly. Spending an evening in Stratford is a
> > good idea, as most visitors are day trippers. I found it particularly
> > lovely on a Sunday morning, when for a few hours I felt as though I had
> > the place entirely to myself. We had some good meals in pubs and didn't
> > find it over-expensive.
> >
> >
> But later in the day it is hellish -- on a nice Sunday, all of Birmingham
> goes to the country for the day. 82% think Stratford ( O-A) is the country.
> The petrol fumes make the town un-walkable.
> Sorry, by the way, about not thinking of that "other" Stratford. 55 years
> in Britain and I never got there -- from above reports, I shan't go now.

We were there over an August weekend (I was a judging a competition
IIRC) and it was busy, but I didn't find it horrendous. I don't like
cars or their fumes, but I don't remember it being a particular
annoyance. I'm not claiming it's a peaceful haven either- just that I
didn't see the nightmare others have depicted- and I don't know why
American or Japanese tourist groups are intrinsically bad. Actually, the
tourists seems to come from a diverse range of countries judging by the
languages spoken. I got a very decently priced shirt from a non-chain
store there actually, and they (non-chain clothing stores) are
increasingly rare here... It had a very good farmer's market too.

I think it's worth a visit, but I definitely recommend staying
overnight.

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate -www.davidhorne.net
(email address on website) "If people think God is interesting, the
onus is on them to show that there is anything there to talk about.
Otherwise they should just shut up about it." -Richard Dawkins
 >> Stay informed about: planning early. what to do in London during May 2008 

> Would anyone like to make suggestions of what to see? We have 3 weeks
> and are planning on remaining inside Greater London.

My list - in no particular order:

Portobello Rd market
National Gallery
St-Martin-in-the-Fields
Courtauld Gallery
Westminster Abbey
Harrod's
St. Paul's
Greenwich
British Library
Globe Theatre
Sloan Museum
Museum of London
London Wheel
Tower of London
Science and Tech Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
 >> Stay informed about: planning early. what to do in London during May 2008 

Following up to Keith Anderson <keefy.DeleteThis@privacy.net> wrote:

>>It's only 2 hours to York by train.
>
>True enough - and it's a terrific place to visit too

we tend to tell Americans to relax and not rush about too much! Tough
one really, when I went the trains went pear shaped and I got back
knackered next day. But York is nice. I think if it was me I would
take a day out in the country, not another city.
--
Mike
Remove clothing to email
 >> Stay informed about: planning early. what to do in London during May 2008 

Following up to d4g4h4.TakeThisOut@yahoo.co.uk (David Horne, _the_ chancellor
(*)) wrote:

> I don't like
>cars or their fumes, but I don't remember it being a particular
>annoyance

it must be almost car free then! I really dont remember noticing
traffic there.
--
Mike
Remove clothing to email
 >> Stay informed about: planning early. what to do in London during May 2008 

Following up to d4g4h4 DeleteThis @yahoo.co.uk (David Horne, _the_ chancellor
(*)) wrote:

> and I don't know why
>American or Japanese tourist groups are intrinsically bad.

all tourist groups are bad, who wants to share a place with a
coachload?
--
Mike
Remove clothing to email
 >> Stay informed about: planning early. what to do in London during May 2008 

"InTheNorthLand" <wayupnorthland.DeleteThis@bigmailbox.net> wrote in message
news:9141e155-ec0a-4c2d-bebe-522c825a19c2@e6g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>
>> Would anyone like to make suggestions of what to see? We have 3 weeks
>> and are planning on remaining inside Greater London.
>
> My list - in no particular order:
>
> Portobello Rd market
> National Gallery
> St-Martin-in-the-Fields
> Courtauld Gallery
> Westminster Abbey
> Harrod's
> St. Paul's
> Greenwich
> British Library
> Globe Theatre
> Sloan Museum
> Museum of London
> London Wheel
> Tower of London
> Science and Tech Museum
> Victoria and Albert Museum

\
Save some time for a relaxing sit now and then. And rememeber, no matter
where you go and what you do, when you get home your friends will tell you
that you missed the BEST things.
rjf
 >> Stay informed about: planning early. what to do in London during May 2008 

On Wed, 30 Jan 2008 13:24:03 -0500, "Bob Fusillo"
<rfusillo RemoveThis @comcast.net> wrote:

>
>"Iceman" <oneofcold RemoveThis @yahoo.com> wrote in message
>news:75d2edc4-fc98-427a-8bee-04aed648c584@t1g2000pra.googlegroups.com...
>> On Jan 29, 1:09 am, "William Black" <william.bl... RemoveThis @hotmail.co.uk>
>> wrote:
>>> <wilde_h... RemoveThis @hooya.com> wrote in message
>>>
>>> news:a85tp3504vmsc57s6urk53erij44dh1apt@4ax.com...
>>>
>>> Take a ride out to Stratford (in the day time, Stratford after dark
>>> isn't
>>> that safe) and see the real multicultural London with take-aways where
>>> you
>>> don't even recognise the script over the door, never mind read the
>>> language.
>>
>Which Stratford? I lived in Stratford on Avon for many years -- it was
>safer after dark than most towns in the day.
>rjf
>
How about Stretford these days?
 >> Stay informed about: planning early. what to do in London during May 2008 

Mike....... <mikebclothing.DeleteThis@freedomnames.co.uk> wrote:

> Following up to d4g4h4.DeleteThis@yahoo.co.uk (David Horne, _the_ chancellor
> (*)) wrote:
>
> > and I don't know why
> >American or Japanese tourist groups are intrinsically bad.
>
> all tourist groups are bad, who wants to share a place with a
> coachload?

Some places have lots of tourists- you can choose to either avoid them,
try and go when very quiet (not always possible) or not let them bother
you. I find a mixture of those three approaches helpful, depending on
the circumstances. And not all tourist groups are bad. When I toured the
Nile, I was with a group of Americans, nearly all over 60. We went from
the ship to various sites by bus, when not in walking distance. They
were an absolutely fascinating group to be with- well travelled, witty-
great group of people really.

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate -www.davidhorne.net
(email address on website) "If people think God is interesting, the
onus is on them to show that there is anything there to talk about.
Otherwise they should just shut up about it." -Richard Dawkins
 >> Stay informed about: planning early. what to do in London during May 2008 

On Sat, 2 Feb 2008 15:18:11 +0000, d4g4h4.RemoveThis@yahoo.co.uk (David Horne,
_the_ chancellor (*)) wrote:

>Mike....... <mikebclothing.RemoveThis@freedomnames.co.uk> wrote:
>

>> all tourist groups are bad, who wants to share a place with a
>> coachload?
>
>Some places have lots of tourists- you can choose to either avoid them,
>try and go when very quiet (not always possible) or not let them bother
>you. I find a mixture of those three approaches helpful, depending on
>the circumstances. And not all tourist groups are bad. When I toured the
>Nile, I was with a group of Americans, nearly all over 60. We went from
>the ship to various sites by bus, when not in walking distance. They
>were an absolutely fascinating group to be with- well travelled, witty-
>great group of people really.

And I'm the poor sod who guides the groups around.

Mostly, people are fine - but there is the occasional bunch of
miseries.

Had a group in 2006 who were really horrendous, one of them
complaining on an inland waterway cruise that (wait for it) the
Netherlands and Belgium were flat!

Although I guide groups, I don't go on group tours, preferring my own
schedule and maintaining flexibility to do what I want when I want,
although if day/half-day tours are on offer in a place I'm visiting, I
sometimes join them. Often a good way of seeing the layout of a place,
learning something of its history, and making a note of what to see on
an individual visit later.

In fact, the last group tour I went on was to Rwanda and Zaïre in
1985. Small group (12) and a matey buch, apart from a miserable,
whining couple who soon became nicknamed "the Grumpies"

Towards the end of the tour, Mrs Grumpy finally snapped at one of
other group members:

"Why do people on this tour call me Mrs Grumpy?"

He smiled serenely and replied:

"Because you're married to Mr Grumpy."



Keith (formerly of Bristol UK)
now moved to Berlin/nach Berlin umgezogen
 >> Stay informed about: planning early. what to do in London during May 2008 

Keith Anderson <keefy.DeleteThis@privacy.net> wrote:

> On Sat, 2 Feb 2008 15:18:11 +0000, d4g4h4.DeleteThis@yahoo.co.uk (David Horne,
> _the_ chancellor (*)) wrote:
>
> >Mike....... <mikebclothing.DeleteThis@freedomnames.co.uk> wrote:
> >
>
> >> all tourist groups are bad, who wants to share a place with a
> >> coachload?
> >
> >Some places have lots of tourists- you can choose to either avoid them,
> >try and go when very quiet (not always possible) or not let them bother
> >you. I find a mixture of those three approaches helpful, depending on
> >the circumstances. And not all tourist groups are bad. When I toured the
> >Nile, I was with a group of Americans, nearly all over 60. We went from
> >the ship to various sites by bus, when not in walking distance. They
> >were an absolutely fascinating group to be with- well travelled, witty-
> >great group of people really.
>
> And I'm the poor sod who guides the groups around.
>
> Mostly, people are fine - but there is the occasional bunch of
> miseries.

Sure, but like you said, most are probably fine. It's the only tour I've
actually been on, excluding a few tours of castles, museums etc., and
I'm sure I was lucky. They were very good travellers, it seemed. One had
lost all her check-in luggage, and Egyptair were being hopeless,
claiming each day the luggage had been found and would be delivered that
evening. After day 7, I suspect they were lying. She just took it in her
stride, never registered any look of annoyance, and others on the trip
gave her clothes to borrow! Like she said, there was nothing being upset
would have done about the situation, and she wasn't going to let it
spoil her holiday.

I don't find a tour group of Japanese or Americans any more annoying
than any other group- and it's not _their_ fault they're in the same
tourist site that I decided to visit at the same time. I wouldn't say
they're the loudest of national groups either...

In the UK, the only major annoyance I ever have with tourist groups are
the ones that decide that the entrance to a London tube platform is the
best place to congregate- they are invariably very young groups (school
age) and continental European...

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate -www.davidhorne.net
(email address on website) "If people think God is interesting, the
onus is on them to show that there is anything there to talk about.
Otherwise they should just shut up about it." -Richard Dawkins
 >> Stay informed about: planning early. what to do in London during May 2008 

On the particular moment of Sat, 2 Feb 2008 10:47:17 -0500 in relation
to Mary's disappointingly immaculate rumpy pumpy, "Bob Fusillo"
<rfusillo.DeleteThis@comcast.net> put forth:

>Save some time for a relaxing sit now and then. And rememeber, no matter
>where you go and what you do, when you get home your friends will tell you
>that you missed the BEST things.

Those would be the things they didn't have high expectations for.
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--
 >> Stay informed about: planning early. what to do in London during May 2008 

On the particular moment of Sat, 02 Feb 2008 16:46:51 +0100 in
relation to Mary's disappointingly immaculate rumpy pumpy, Keith
Anderson <keefy DeleteThis @privacy.net> put forth:

>In fact, the last group tour I went on was to Rwanda and Zaïre in
>1985. Small group (12) and a matey buch, apart from a miserable,
>whining couple who soon became nicknamed "the Grumpies"
>
>Towards the end of the tour, Mrs Grumpy finally snapped at one of
>other group members:
>
>"Why do people on this tour call me Mrs Grumpy?"
>
>He smiled serenely and replied:
>
>"Because you're married to Mr Grumpy."

I don't think that would have helped her demeanor...
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--
 >> Stay informed about: planning early. what to do in London during May 2008