Day 1: aka The Day I Tasted Clotted Cream for the First Time and My Life Changed Forever.

Today was a great day! I got a late start on account of the sleeping pill I took, and so wandered down to Kensington Gardens which is right by my hotel.


This is the Round Pond, and there were hundreds of pigeons, swans, Canadian (are they Canadian if they're in London?) geese, and other water fowl. It was noisy and pretty funny.


Quack quack poop quack chirp honk feather rustle honk squeak poop quack honk



And here is Kensington Palace, the former home of Princess Diana. This was definitely something I've always wanted to see. Unfortunately, a large part has been closed for renovations, so instead of the costume gallery, they've installed a cheesy display inside called The Enchanted Palace. I was warned it's not worth the money.


So instead I went for lunch at The Orangery, a restaurant in the old orangery for Kensington Palace. Orangeries are indoor greenhouses where plants sensitive to cold climates (like orange trees) are stored.


Each table had a wee orange tree.


The renovated interior.


The Orangery also had gluten free options! The was a roast beef salad...and it was amazing.


They had one GF desert option, a raspberry filled meringue with cream and fresh berries. I'm currently of the opinion that clotted cream should be served on everything all the time.


Here I am, deftly taking my own photograph in front of Kensington Palace. I had asked a lady to do it for me, but it didn't come out very well. If you want something done right...

The lady asked me to take her picture, too, and as I wandered through the park I saw her a couple more times. Including here:


The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain. I posted the sign below for more info about it. I was very happy it was open when I went, because last I heard it was closed for repairs, since the granite it is made from was slippery, and people were getting injured on it. The fountain is meant to be waded through. It was absolutely lovely, and very symbolic, and although we'll never know for sure, I think Princess Diana would be very pleased that her memorial is filled with happy, playing children, and adults enjoying the cool water on their feet.


Like me!





I then continued my walk down past the Albert Memorial, and the Royal V&A Hall, to the V&A Museum and the Natural History Museum. I didn't have time today to go into the V&A, so I made a quick stop at the Natural History Museum for about an hour. I didn't get to see too much, but as it was free I'll probably go back again. Plus there is a special exhibition on dinosaurs!


My next stop was a walking tour by London Walks. They do many tours every day, and you just go and pay the guide, no reservations required. This one was for Harry Potter! It started to rain, and I of course had forgotten my umbrella, but was able to get one before the tour started which I was grateful for. It was an interesting group, made up 99% giggling American teenagers with their disinterested chaperones. And since most filming wasn't done on location, the stuff we saw were really more points of interest, like where Jo Rowling worked, and how she got some of the names for the characters.


Here is where they shot the interior of Gringots for the first film. After the first movie, they used sets, since they had so much money at that point.


The guide asked questions, and while I was happy to let the kids get the stickers for answering the right questions, I was the only one who knew Dumbledore's full name. (There was some connection with Percival that I can't remember now.)



And here in Leicester Square is where all the HP premieres are held, the largest single screen theatre in the country.


And since Leicester Square has the Mermaid's Tail, a restaurant where I knew I could get GF food, I stopped in for dinner. Here's my prawn salad...



and my GF fish n' chips with mushy peas.


On the way home I stopped by a small Sainsbury's, where they have their own brand of GF foods. I picked these up to try out. I want to try out the gf crumpets at breakfast tomorrow. If they're good perhaps I'll bring some back home.

Tomorrow I have to check out of this adorable little hotel and move on the the hostel. I'm looking forward to meeting some people but I'm pretty fond of this wee room! Although it's cheap by London standards, I just can't maintain it for 10 more nights. Now I have to think about what to do between checking out of the hotel (before 11) and checking in to the hostel (after 2). I might be able to drop off my bag at the hostel.

Tomorrow is also my pre-booked tickets to the Royal Gallery at Buck House for the Dutch landscapes exhibition, then on to the Royal Mews for a "butchers" at the carriages and cars of the Queen.

The wifi at the hostel might be iffy, so don't fret if I can't post tomorrow (yeah I'm talking to you, Mom.)