The road to London may not have been paved with gold, but Sol did its best to make us think so. Rather than a direct attack the tour had opted for a pantheon as our strategy. After duly venerating Sulis Minerva our next port of call was Stonehenge, some 48 hours before the summer solstice, so we were sure to have the sun god or at least some well-directed lay lines to help us on our way. The usual scattering of caravans and camper vans (some camper than others) were notably absent as preparations to welcome as many as 30,000 revellers and worshippers tightened up security.
Rather than lay lines, more evident were the markers to keep stones standing and crops safe from the occasional excesses to be expected with such a gathering. But the climate amongst the many staff involved was as sunny as the skies they were labouring under. This would, it seemed, be a good one. But not for us to stay, we still had Salisbury to visit and the Cathedral with its fourteenth century 400 foot spire, the tallest in England. And why not take the chance to consult one of the four remaining copies of the Magna Carta of 1215, signed by the infamous King John to curb his excesses, and in so doing set the foundations for legal, judicial and government systems right up to the modern day. Well, given the current incumbent, maybe there’s a case for a 21st Century Maga Carta?
London presented its familiar smorgasbord, or whatever the English equivalent is, of attractions, sightseeings and strolls. Every time I visit a city, though, I always try to visit something new or do something different rather then just the à la carte. Travelling with a bunch of Americans on a regular basis does tune you in to seek out places of relevance like the original Texan embassy, a stopping point for the Pilgrim Fathers or, on this occasion, the former American Embassy in London on Grosvenor Square, Mayfair. It’s now a high class hotel with an equally high rooftop bar and a long waiting list. But brunch below was a treat and next time there’s just a chance I might plan ahead one go up in the world one evening.
On previous trips I walked up the steps of the Monument (in the heart of the City of London) – not for the faint hearted on a summer’s day, but well worth it for the the view ; the free but spectacular rooftop gardens at 120 Fenchurch St, cunningly named The Gardens at 120 to set it apart from the Sky Gardens just five minutes along the road, higher in position and, of course, price, yet usually queuing around the corner. Such was the fantastic weather that, for the first time, I had to queue for a few minutes to take the lift at 120, but at least I had the satisfaction of rescuing a nice French family from the Sky Garden line, and I never fail to be impressed both by the garden itself and the sight of Gherkin, Leadenhall, Lloyds, Canary Wharf, Tower Bridge and other architectural marvels from this elevated oasis.
London also came and went, or rather London stayed and my visitors went. Up at 4am to fold the first few into taxis, alarms set at intervals of little more than 90 minutes, so little chance of another 40 winks between waving-offs. This, for me, is the last-but-not-least part of hospitality, making sure folk are heading home with a smile on their faces and the confidence that they are now just a mental hop, skip and jump from their next adventure, whether this side of the Atlantic, nearer home or in farther flung destinations. Of course, this is also often where hugs and tips are dispensed, even if the tip is an Andrew Jackson silver coin (another little piece of serendipity), the tip of a Native American arrow found on someone’s farm, or the moderately less meaningful but every bit as welcome dollars, euros or pounds that leave me with a sterling sense of gratitude – the guests for me, and myself for their own generosity. It really does help with the cash flow too!
International-Eyes.org 