London
17 September
City of Westminster, The British Museum and The West End
I left the Hilton London Metropole (View from the window) and took the Underground to Piccadilly Circus. Then I walked past No. 9 Pall Mall (there’s that number 9 again), the home of Farlows, an historic game-fishing and country sport outfitter, before continuing to St James’ Palace in the City of Westminster.
The “City of London” is a 1 square mile financial district, and the “City of Westminster” sits next door as the political and cultural center. Both hold “city” status within Greater London. Furthermore, West-minster means “western church,” specifically Westminster Abbey, which is the church that is west of the City of London. It is often misspelled and mispronounced as West-minister, adding an extra “i” syllable. Altho ministers are identifiable with churches, and ministers are also members of the British government, neither is applicable here.
St James’ Palace is the most senior of the English royal palaces, built (1531-1536) in the time of the famous King Henry VIII (Tudor) in the signature red brick of the period. It is the official seat of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom and formal venue of the Accession Council, which proclaims the monarch. Foreign ambassadors are formally accredited to The Court of St James. It is the royal residence of Princess Anne (The Princess Royal), Charles’ sister, and Princess Alexandra, cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. Pictured are the north facing Gate House and wings, and the Proclamation Gallery around the corner.
Taylor of Old Bond Street is a provider of gentleman’s grooming products and accessories. Several years ago I began using a straight razor so I started looking for a shaving cream, and I wanted one with aloe. I came across Aloe Vera Shaving Cream by Taylor of Old Bond Street, established 1854, made with pure products. This is the one for me. I also needed a shaving brush to whip up the cream. Eventually I started using their aftershave and colognes. The original salon was located on Old Bond Street, but in later generations of the company, the flagship shop was moved to the nearby location at 74 Jermyn St, City of Westminster.
After a quick stop at Hamley’s toy store, I was back on the Underground at Piccadilly to The British Museum, passing the AppleStore on the way. My first experience at the museum was an excellent lunch at the Great Court Restaurant. Then I walked randomly thru the galleries, taking photos of things that cught my interest, including Egyptian, Clocks and the Reading Room. There was an exhibition of the Bayeux Tapestry, that would have loved to see, but it was booked sold out thru December.