Boot "season"?

[jeremy1986]

@p1ng74, I just saw these and thought of you: https://www.boohoo.com/western-style-ankle-boots/DZZ02157.html

 

[Puffer]

12 hours ago, Shyheels said:

Like correspondents shoes, white shoes are associated with spivs and caddish boulevardiers. 

I think you mean co-respondent's shoes, which are (were) typically two-tone brown/white or black/white.   I doubt if any co-respondent wears them nowadays!  (Did this concept exist outside the UK, I wonder?)   

Similar shoes were worn by gangsters, and still are by some golfers.   The latter, presumably, giving rise to the alternative name of 'spectator shoes' in the US.

[pebblesf]

22 hours ago, p1ng74 said:

I saw some white boots for sale last month and almost bought them.  This would be why:

Tagging these as “boots I wish I owned”.  We all need at least one pair in white right?

I'm with you buddy, these are on my dream list also....

[p1ng74]

There is an inside joke in r/malefashion about people’s fashion outfits not being manly enough to change a tire in.  I thought I’d give this one a test:

 

[Shyheels]

Looks like you passed muster

[pebblesf]

I could use a hand cleaning the throttle body/MAF sensor on my Camry....

[p1ng74]

Just booked a trip for our family to London!  Planning to wear the knee high boots with 3” heels for the whole trip.   We’re going to pack the 7 day itinerary with a variety of cultural and educational adventures.  Must-dos we have so far on the list are the Globe and Tower of London.  I’ve gone back through Cali World’s thread and picked up additional ideas.  A day trip to Dover might be fun.  

[Puffer]

3 hours ago, p1ng74 said:

Just booked a trip for our family to London!  Planning to wear the knee high boots with 3” heels for the whole trip.   We’re going to pack the 7 day itinerary with a variety of cultural and educational adventures.  Must-dos we have so far on the list are the Globe and Tower of London.  I’ve gone back through Cali World’s thread and picked up additional ideas.  A day trip to Dover might be fun.  

I assume you mean the (reconstructed) Globe Theatre?   Not sure why you think Dover would be 'fun' - there is not a great deal to see there apart from the port, although the WW2 tunnels and Ops Room etc at the Castle are interesting and worth a visit.   Lots of other places within an hour or so of London that are worthwhile - but be aware of traffic, restrictions and parking charges if you are driving - and high train fares if not!

Enjoy your trip and don't forget British customs when you are here, e.g. on entering a restaurant, bus or train you must immediately introduce yourself (in a loud voice) and shake hands all round.    

[Shyheels]

I agree with Puffer - Dover isn't really all that great. Yes, the white cliffs are pretty, and the castle is worth a visit, but if you have limited time and want a day trip from London there are much better options available.  The Globe Theatre is great. Highly recommended. And if you don't mind standing during a performance you can get tickets for as little as £5. You can get a very nice afternoon tea next door, too. You can go down the river by ferry to Greenwich and visit the maritime museum and the observatory - stand on the Prime Meridian.

The V&A (Victoria & Albert) Museum is excellent. They have a lot of stuff on fashion too. A couple of years ago they had an entire exhibition on high heels.

The Museum of London is often overlooked, but it too is excellent - just up from St Pauls. 

I wouldn't bother driving in London - it's no fun at all. Rail fares are high, yes, but if you don't mind travelling off-peak not quite so bad.   You can check timetables and fares here https://www.nationalrail.co.uk

If you want a trip to the seaside - Brighton, Eastbourne or Hastings are all much nicer than Dover and within 90 minutes of London by rail. From Hastings you can easily go to the village of Battle, about 5 miles inland, and see where the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest took place in 1066. The Abbey built by William the Conqueror to commemorate the dead from the battle is nice, with an excellent museum, and the walk around the old battlefield is scenic. If you're feeling really energetic and feel your boots are made for walking, you can go to Pevensey - between Eastbourne and Hastings - which is where William landed with his men in 1066 and follow in their footsteps 15 miles to Battle - a great hike, but maybe not in three-inch heels!

Anyway, I'm sure you'll have fun!

 

 

Edited July 17, 2019 by Shyheels

[at9]

As Puffer said, unless you have a specific reason to visit the castle etc, Dover wouldn't be high on the list of great places to see in the UK. Yes, the White Cliffs are famous but best seen from a boat in the channel. I've walked along the top of the cliffs from the Dover visitor centre to the South Foreland Lighthouse (open to visitors) and on to Deal. It's a lovely walk but I did it because I was down in the area for other reasons.

The county of Kent (in which Dover is situated) has many wonderful places. The strange landscape of Dungeness, Canterbury with its cathedral, Chatham Historic Dockyard (you can go aboard a submarine there), the national apple and pear collection at Brogdale, assorted castles and gardens, vineyards and much, much more.

If you want to use the UK as a base for seeing other parts of Europe it's great that you can get on a train in London and be in Paris or Brussels a couple of hours later.

PS: My post crossed with Shyheels, who lives in south coast seaside town. I won't say which, to protect his privacy. You can spend a lifetime in London and not see all of it. Shyheels mentioned the V&A. There are several other world class museums and galleries, mostly with free admission. Plus a load of smaller places. A few that I like and come immediately to mind are John Soanes museum, Grant Museum of Zoology, London Museum of Water and Steam, Last Tuesday Society.

Edited July 17, 2019 by at9

[Cali]

I also enjoyed going to Bath and Windsor Castle. But I would also take some flat shoes. Walking around the Tower of London in heels would not be fun. Most the historic sites are cobblestone. Stonehenge is a zoo but the are other many other stone rings to visit that you can get close to touch. I went to one with a "road" of vertical stones leading to three concentric rings surround by a ditch and a surrounding mound. It was in a field with sheep grazing and older than Stonehenge. Stonehenge has a fence around it and they bring in bus load after bus load of people to walk around the fence. The picture below doesn't really show the crowd on a cold raining Tuesday, but there several hundred people milling about.

Find a credit card that doesn't charge fees for foreign transactions. 

[p1ng74]

Yeah we do want to have a castle on the itinerary.  Hastings looks great, will look into that.  I remember generally enjoying Brighton last time.  My general idea is to use public transport to get into London, but drive myself for trips away from London.

Thanks for all the great ideas!  Will bounce them around the family and see what we land on.  

[at9]

Plenty of castles in the UK. From fairly modest to huge. I rather like Bodiam: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bodiam-castle

If you plan to visit more than a couple of places that belong to the National Trust then it's worth joining. Or possibly joining the Royal Oak Foundation which is the US based supporters group for the NT. Incidentally, although Stonehenge is managed by English Heritage, NT members get in free as it's on NT land. The "country" branch of Kew Gardens, Wakehurst Place, is also free to NT members. Conveniently on the way from London to Brighton.

Stonehenge isn't a wonderful experience. Too many people, can't get close to the stones. Heavy traffic roaring past on the A303. Avebury stone cricle is much nicer to visit. Not as dramatic but far more personal. Not sure which stone circle Cali is referring to in his recent post.

I like Hastings. It's a very hilly town. Less busy than Brighton which I reckon is a good thing. FIsh and chips at Maggies or Undercliffe: https://goo.gl/maps/CPxCdEEdSJjXGg1g7 followed by ice cream at Di Pola's: https://goo.gl/maps/NKtdem9yiMWEJUGV9

Just a few miles from Hastings is Rye. Exceptionally historic and picturesque but most visitors forget about Winchelsea: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchelsea

Unlike most English towns this is built on a grid of roads, just like many in the USA. Except it was laid out in the 13th Century! Look for Spike Millgan's grave in the churchyard.

Edited July 17, 2019 by at9

[Shyheels]

I will second the recommendation of Maggies for fish & chips in Hastings and DiPola for gelato. Hastings is much smaller than Brighton but big enough to be interesting.  Winchelsea and Rye are lovely old towns and an easy 15-minute train ride from Hastings. 

 

[Cali]

Concentric rings, ditch, mounds at Avebury in the sheep field.

[Puffer]

Picking up on a couple of points made by the others about places to visit:

1.   The Historic Dockyard at Chatham is well worth a visit - with plenty to interest your children (including inter-active displays etc), regardless of age.   But allow several hours to take it all in - there is a lot to see.

2.   If you go to Hastings and want to relax for a while after looking round the town and seafront etc, Alexandra Park (about 0.5 mile north of the main shops and seafront) is spacious, has several facilities/attractions and is peaceful - and with easy parking outside.   When I go to the town, I usually end up there for a picnic lunch - Morrisons Supermarket is a good place for takewaway food (and cheap petrol!) and is on Queens Road which connects the town centre to the park.

3.   Whitstable, with its harbour and quirky shops, is a pleasant place to visit if you are in Thanet (North Kent coastal area) but not the best for bathing.   Fish and chips from Ossie's (11 High Street) highly recommended!   The best beaches in Thanet are at Margate and Viking Bay, Broadstairs.   (Broadstairs is a smarter town than Margate; the latter is historic (and has the Turner Gallery etc) but is somewhat run-down.)

[p1ng74]

Despite the hot summer weather I managed to make progress on the car.  Ended up having to redo a few things here and there, which is to be expected with hobby efforts, but I'm getting pretty good at changing the timing belt and crankshaft sprocket with everything in the car since I've had to do it twice now:  

 

With the car sorted out, I can properly think about the London trip now and chew on the excellent recommendations here.  Looks like we've dodged the effects of the BA strike, for now.  Booked tickets to the Globe Theatre.  I have Warwick Castle planned on the day we arrive into LHR since we'll already be on that side of London, but I really like the Bodiam Castle recommendation too.  Maybe we'll do both - pick a day to head down towards Hastings and stop at Bodiam Castle, get in the suggested tastes too.  I like the Historic Dockyards at Chatham suggestion - might make another day trip out of that as well and explore the maritime history a bit.  

My wife is insisting that I pack a second pair of shoes for the trip, and I haven't figured out what I'm going to do about that yet.  The only thing I have worn for years now are tall boots, which are great for wearing on trips, but take up too much room in luggage.  

On the high heel side of things, there was a contest at work where we could submit a video expressing our passion for fashion, so I took the opportunity to incorporate some heels into my video, among other things.  Some frame captures:  

I didn't win, but anyone who watched the videos hopefully can see that there are guys out here who are not shy about wearing heels... 

 

Edited September 16, 2019 by p1ng74

[at9]

Although distances in the UK are small compared to the US travel times can be surprisingly long. If you're planning to rent a car please remember that London is not a good place to drive. London's outer orbital road, the M25, is often badly congested. You definitely don't want a car in central London. Parking is difficult and expensive, plus you have to pay the Congestion Charge. Public transport in London is good, even if we Londoners always complain about it. Outside London public transport is very variable. Some areas have good services, others not.

Have a great time in England but plan your journeys carefully in advance to avoid frustration about how long it can take. For example see this for Heathrow airport to Warwick Castle: https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Heathrow-England/Warwick-Castle

[p1ng74]

3 minutes ago, at9 said:

Although distances in the UK are small compared to the US travel times can be surprisingly long. If you're planning to rent a car please remember that London is not a good place to drive. London's outer orbital road, the M25, is often badly congested. You definitely don't want a car in central London. Parking is difficult and expensive, plus you have to pay the Congestion Charge. Public transport in London is good, even if we Londoners always complain about it. Outside London public transport is very variable. Some areas have good services, others not.

Have a great time in England but plan your journeys carefully in advance to avoid frustration about how long it can take. For example see this for Heathrow airport to Warwick Castle: https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Heathrow-England/Warwick-Castle

Thanks, we got a good deal on lodging in Croydon so that will be our launch pad every day.  For trips into the city we will use the train, but for trips away from London the plan is to drive.  

[Cali]

I would recommend Bath as well, maybe Windsor Castle, but don't expect the Queen to invite you in for tea.

[at9]

Croydon is quite a long way out from the centre of London. It's also known, sarcastically, as "The Manhattan of South London". Assuming the A23 and M25 are not too crowded you'll be able to drive down to Surrey, Sussex, Kent etc fairly easily, counties that are south of London. Getting to places north of London will be much slower.

[p1ng74]

6 hours ago, at9 said:

Croydon is quite a long way out from the centre of London. It's also known, sarcastically, as "The Manhattan of South London". Assuming the A23 and M25 are not too crowded you'll be able to drive down to Surrey, Sussex, Kent etc fairly easily, counties that are south of London. Getting to places north of London will be much slower.

I read it is about a 30 minute train ride to central London?  We’ll plan ahead, it’s not like most attractions open before 10 anyway.  

Edited September 17, 2019 by p1ng74

[Cali]

Train fare is higher during morning rush hours, and get the return at the same time, it's cheaper.

[at9]

Cali, London public transport (TFL) ticketing is more complex than that. If you have a contactless debit or credit card (you need a different one for each of you in the group) then this will always give you the best fares. There's a daily cap, which depends on various factors.

If you don't have contactless (also some non UK cards don't work with the TFL system) then get Oyster Cards when you arrive at Heathrow or at any station or at many shops. Then you load them with money and they give you the same fares and caps as a contactless card. In most cases you can cash in any money left on them and get your deposit back at any tube station when you go home.

Buying individual tickets is hopeless and expensive. All buses are cashless - Oyster or contactless only.

It's a little more complex because trains to Croydon and some other areas, mainly in South London, are not part of the TFL network. However AFAIK Oyster and contactless work seamlessly with these services within the London boundaries.

In all cases, you must touch in and touch out on trains and tubes. Even if there are no barriers. If you don't, you'll end up with excessive charges. With buses and trams you just touch in. I think there is something a bit complicated at Wimbledon when you change from tram to train. I've never been there (and I'm now old enough to have a free London travel pass) so don't know the details but you might be using it during your stay.

All information is on the TFL website. https://tfl.gov.uk/

Google maps is a better journey planner than the TFL site.

Don't know if you've driven in the UK before. We drive on the correct left side of the road, unlike Americans and continentals :-) Also, you'll get a manual (stick shift) rental car unless you have specifically booked an automatic. Petrol (gas) is a lot more expensive here than in the US due to high taxes and the weak pound. Though the weak pound means your dollars will go further.

[Shyheels]

Very good advice, above. 

 

[p1ng74]

This is great insight.  Will plan to get the Oyster cards for each of us!  

Regarding stick shift, I prefer driving stick and am looking forward to it:

 

 

 

Edited September 17, 2019 by p1ng74
Updated video link

[at9]

Remember you'll be shifting with the "wrong" hand.

Complete guide to Oyster Cards: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/how-to-pay-and-where-to-buy-tickets-and-oyster/pay-as-you-go/oyster-pay-as-you-go

You could choose to get Visitor Oyster Cards but I'm not sure it's worthwhile: https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/visitor-oyster-card

I've never had to use trains from Croydon (I live in the northern suburbs of London) but it looks like there are loads of trains to several London termini. Waterloo for the Southbank. London Bridge for Borough Market, Bermondsey, the City etc. Charing Cross for Covent Garden, Soho and the West End. If you travel in to London Bridge and follow the river on foot towards Waterloo (or vice versa) you will find lots of interesting places. If I have visitors from outside London I often take them there. Loads of places to eat on that route. I can recommend Borough Market itself, especially on a Saturday. Lots of free samples there too:-) Also the small group of Tas/Tas Pide/Ev Turkish resturants. Various locations around the Southbank, look them up. My favourite of those is Ev. For a view over the river there's an almost secret free viewing gallery in the Oxo Tower. Go to the top floor restaurant and ask for the public viewing gallery. It feels like you're gatecrashing the restaurant but it's 100% public and free.

There are 100s (thousands?) of restaurants in the West End, Theatreland etc. If you like indian vegetarian food then I recommend Sagar: http://www.sagarveg.co.uk/covent-garden/ They have other branches but you're less likely to be near them.

You could easily spend your entire trip in London and still have lots of interesting things to see and do. For theatre, go to the TKTS booth in Leicester Square. Lots of reduced price tickets for the same day. Apart from the major museums and galleries there are lots of smaller and quirky places. A few favourites of mine:

John Soanes (now need to book a timed ticket online. Still free entry) https://www.soane.org/

Grant Museum of Zoology : https://www.ucl.ac.uk/culture/grant-museum-zoology

Last Tuesday Society. Weird and wacky. I love it. Not recomemnded for younger children: http://www.thelasttuesdaysociety.org/museum-curiosities/

Also found a nice cafe near there recently. It's vegan but don't let that put you off. https://www.loveshackldn.com/

Wellcome Collection: https://wellcomecollection.org/

Time Out magazine is distributed free on Tuesdays. Lots of theatre, music etc lsitings. Available at many stations and elsewhere. The paper magazine is backed up by a big website.

London is like a huge all-you-can-eat buffet. There is more happening and more places to see than you'll manage in half a lifetime. So don't try to rush round as many as you can. Choose a few and really enjoy them. Within central London distances are fairly short, so consider walking rather than using the tube. You'll see all sorts of things.

On Sunday one great area to be is Brick Lane/Spitalfields/Petticoat Lane. Lots of vintage fashion, unusual art etc. The Old Truman Brewery complex has many interesting stalls. Loads of food stalls but the Brick Lane Beigel Bake, one of the few remnants of the old Jewish East End,  is a "must do". Open 24/7 every day: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186338-d717862-Reviews-Brick_Lane_Beigel_Bake-London_England.html

Most of the Indian (mostly Bangladeshi) restaurants in that area are not very good, whatever they may claim. Tayyabs, walkable from Brick Lane, is good. http://www.tayyabs.co.uk/

Also in that area, Dennis Severs House is a unique experience: https://www.dennissevershouse.co.uk/

Also nearby is an urban farm: https://www.spitalfieldscityfarm.org/

[Shyheels]

If you don’t mind standing for a performance, tickets to the Globe Theatre can be had for as little as £5

 

[p1ng74]

In my experience driving in the UK and New Zealand, I never had issues shifting with the other hand, but I certainly put the wipers on a lot in the attempt to get a turn signal LOL.  

The current idea is to spent a day each at the following:

- Bodiam Castle, Hastings

- Tate Britain

- Victoria & Albert

- British Museum, Globe Theatre

- Buckingham Palace, Royal Day Out

- Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral

- Chatham Historic Dockyards

Thanks for the food recommendations - will be incorporating some of those suggestions as well.  My wife won't eat Indian food so we don't have to worry about that genre, but I do agree about the general excellence and melting pot of international tastes in London.  

 

On the high heel side of things, a clip from my video project that I found worth posting:

 

Edited September 17, 2019 by p1ng74

[pebblesf]

Great looking pooch also...