Lovely and Warm

Additions to Saturday and Sunday:

Got to the hotel around noon, but check in wasn't until 2. The desk clerk let me leave my bags behind and gave me a few ideas for places to grab something to eat. I wound up at a coffee place, Costa, a lot like Starbucks, just a few blocks away in a former department store remade into a mall. Had a yummy pannini sandwich -- brie, cranberry chutney and arrugula. So good, I need to make it for myself. After eating and relaxing for a while, I decided to head to Kensington Park, just a few blocks away.

The first thing I noticed when I got into the park, dogs running around off leash. Big happy dog chasing after swans in the pond -- made me immediatley think of Cupcake. She would love it, but is she well trained enough that I could trust her off leash? And then it started to rain. I was prepared, took my umbrella out of my bag and was ready to keep walking. And then I noticed that the umbrella wasn't staying open. I couldn't believe it. I sat on a bench and fiddled with it for a while, trying to fix it, but no luck. So back down the street to one of the many shops I passed to buy a new one. Really didn't feel like walking back to the park again, so I wandered down the street and checked out the shops.

I can't remember if at this point I went back to the hotel to check in, or when to fancy schmancy Marks and Spencer for groceries. I know I did that at some point on Saturday becuase I needed something to eat for dinner and breakfast the next morning. I do remember miss counting the number of floors I had climbed to get to my room and going up an extra set of stairs lugging all my stuff with me! I know I unpacked all my stuff, took a while to figure out how to fit everything into the small bedside table and closet in my room, took out my money to examine exactly what coin was what, and crashed hard when I went to bed.

Sunday I got up early and headed to Spitfields Market for some fun shopping. Lots and lots of clothing vendors. Most seemed to be designers selling their own stuff, it was all very cool. Started inspiring me to get my sewing room together. There were also food vendors, got a yummy mushroom and cheese filled crepe for lunch. There were also grocers and bakers and chocolatiers. I'm really glad I got there early too, it was starting to get crowed when I left, but I was able to really take my time and get into all the different stands, I actually got a lot of my presents here.

After walking around the neighboorhood a little more, I headed back to Kensington Park and decided to do the Kensington Palace tour. And good thing I did, a group of 3 German (?) girls had two for one deals and were looking for someone to make a fourth to get their half price deal. The tour covered lots of different areas -- started with historic court clothing, then a display of Princess Diana's gowns. Then it was Princess Margaret's (I think) appartments, recently opened to the public and still in the process of being decorated. The last section was older historic rooms, including those of William and Mary, who bought the palace and made it a royal residence. After that I wandered around the park, trying to get to the Peter Pan statue, the Serpentince Gallery, and even to make my way into Hyde Park which is connected to Kensington Park. Never did get as far as Hyde Park as it was getting dark, so I headed back toward my neighborhood. Followed the water garden, the Serpentine, to get to the Italian Water Gardens (also built by Willam and Mary) then back to my street. I didn't realise how far I'd walked until I tried to find my way back and just kept walking.

Decided to stop in one of the pubs near Bayswater tube station, The Prince Albert, for a pint. Wound up chatting with a local and having another, then going to dinner at a good Italian restaurant a few blocks away.