At The Tower in the Dark

Ta-da! The Tower Bridge in it's all it's nightly Victorian splendor.

2015 England Trip Travel Journal Entry

Friday, March 13

Logistics: 

1. The 133 bus to the Monument stop
2. Walk along Lower Thames St./A3211, going left at the fork to get on the A100 to find The Kitchen@Tower
3. The Tube from Tower Hill Station to South Kensington Station on the District Line 
4. The Tube home from South Kensington Station to Victoria Station on the District Line
5. The Tube [continuing] home from Victoria Station to Brixton Station on the Victoria Line

The Brixton neighborhood.

We had just the half hour we needed to find The Kitchen@Tower restaurant by our 4:30 reservation. What lovely ladies work there! And the food is beyond lovely. We were given seven of the most delicious homemade cakes, including scones with real clotted cream, and even an extra plat of sandwiches after we'd run of the first batch. It was a comfortable friendly atmosphere. Loved it.

 

Mom is excited about our abundance of dessert.

My second cup of tea to assist in devouring my scone.

The Kitchen@Tower gets five stars from us! Delicious!

Loved the windows and the eclectic furniture.

 Then we had one of those "*gasp* Look! Another old famous building!" moments once we walked out and simply turned to our right. It was the mighty Tower of London! It is beautifully menacing, even in the dark. We walked around it's perimeter, running into the Tower Bridge while we were at it, looking like the fairytale Victorian creation that it is. :)

The regally infamous Tower of London.

Daffodils can even make the Tower look more cheerful.

The Tower and its Bridge.

 

It was COLD! But it's impossible to not enjoy yourself when you're in a moment like this.

 

With our old pal the Tower Bridge. :)

The south bank of London glowing in the dark.

We shivered our way onto the Tube, making for the Victoria and Albert Museum, which was happily open til 10:00 on Fridays! Well, open except for all of the European galleries, of course... At least the fashion gallery was open late, which fully made up for it. It was fascinating. Another surreal experience of going back in history. They had real pieces from the Georgian era, Regency, Romantic, early, mid- and late Victorian, Edwardian, roaring twenties - then the fashions go downhill until they crash in a wreck of 1980s style. :) 
 

One stunning dress from about 1820.

I love the 18th century fashions!

A very smart Edwardian frock.

Anyone for tennis in 1920s style? Me, please!

The workmanship is the most impressive thing to see, with tiny stitches and intricate working of trims and buttons and fastenings on luxurious silks, wools and muslins. A historic costumer's delight!

The great entrance hall of the Victoria & Albert Museum.

We looked at a bit of sculpture, but it was getting late, so we headed home to get ready for Stratford! Between putting food together, buying tickets and passes and doing laundry, it was nearly 1:00 when we turned the lights out.



 © 2015 Anna Morton