Scottsdale, AZ
USA
Interlaken, Switzerland
I’m not Rick Steves. I’m not even going to get close to how much information his books provide about the cities he visits. But I can write something Mr. Steves doesn’t and that’s this - Interlaken, Switzerland changed my life forever.
It could have been the people I met while there, the delicious chocolate that encompasses every street corner and fat cell on my body, or the fact I bungee jumped over a Swiss lake off a tiny gondola . . . did I mention this place changed my life forever?!
This country deserves my complete respect and my week in Interlaken played out much like I was a character in a Lewis Carroll book. In fact, that’s how much respect I have for it. I’ll write a short story with chapters and everything . . . the title of my story: Calluses In Wonderland (okay, the one flaw is the blisters you get from walking!!)
Damn you Rick Steves, the blisters are somehow you’re fault 
Chapter One: The hostel.
Balmers Herberge
Hauptstrasse, 23-25
Interlaken, BE 3800 Switzerland
It was a friend of a friend who introduced me to the idea of going to Interlaken and staying at Balmers Herbege. She’d gone there a couple years before and stated it was the most fun she’d ever had and I wanted my turn. Interlaken was the last city I’d actually planned on staying in as I was leaving everything else to spontaneity.
Balmers is the oldest private hostel in Switzerland and is celebrating 60 years of successful business. It is an ideal adventurous traveler location as it’s accessible to so many wonderful activities. The hostel is clean, fairly priced (around 22-28 francs) easy to get to from either Ost or West station, and a hotspot for meeting lots of fellow travelers looking for the same adventures.
The first thing I noticed was there weren’t any locks on the doors. Put your mind at ease: nothing I ever left in the room was disturbed, including my good ‘ole laptop. Like in every city, I always had my credit card, my passport, and a bit of cash securely tucked into my travel belt that I then tucked into my underwear (see Ali’s blog on Barcelona). But if you’re super paranoid about your I Love Swiss People t-shirt and dirty socks, there’s security lockers you can use.
Balmers is close to pretty much everything you’re going to need - restaurants (try My Little Thai right next door!), grocery stores (CO-OP) to use in the downstairs kitchen (bring some change!), bars (happy hour from 6-7pm @ Balmers), and of course, places to sign up for fun activities (you can use Balmers or walk the two blocks down to AlpSurf).
When I was there, WiFi was a thing of luxury and Balmers didn’t provide it. I believe it was a firm try to get people to get out and live. Which I and others certainly did. They have it now by the way, but don’t get carried away. Computers will be the last thing you’ll think of while in Switzerland. That takes me to the next chapter . . .
Chapter Two: The hikes.
Rick Steves. I hate to keep name dropping him, but he’s an incremental part of a lot of cities’ successes for getting more appreciation and visits. The question is though, can a quaint, humble village in the Alps remain “off the beaten path” after being featured in a television travel series and popular budget guidebooks?
This isn’t a yes or no answer. To me, the answer should be, it doesn’t matter. I kept picturing Mr. Steves hauling ass up the side of Gimmelwald and the more I did, the more it seemed important to share it with everyone. Hell, that’s what I’m doing. Every travel guide/book/website will tell you to ‘hike the Alps.’ I’m not demanding it, I’m not even suggesting it; I’m simply promoting it. Like a politician running for president, I’m campaigning for the Swiss Alps.
I’m not trying to be deceiving; the hikes are long, arduous, and certainly not all of them are climbable if you’re out of shape. But, bum knees, extra body fat, whatever. You’ve got to hike at least one mountain! As for me, I went on three. All different levels (although I didn’t know that at the time).
Sub chapter: Gimmelwald and Murren
Both of these towns are hikeable, even for the “non-hikers.” An option is to stop in Lauterbrunnen (a municipality that lies in Lauterbrunnen Valley, but is in the Interlaken district), which is beautiful as all Switzerland is, but I personally suggest continuing on to Gimmelwald. There isn’t any spot or walk you’re going to take that isn’t picturesque as the people take great pride and care of their country, but the entire point of being somewhere like Switzerland is to KEEP GOING!
You have to take a train from Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg (sounds like I’m gargling) and an even smaller, slower train to Gimmelwald that seems expensive, but the reward benefits the purchaser more than a few Francs saved for an extra chocolate bar. Trust me, you’ll get back home to discover you have random foreign money from all over and then you’ll say: “Ah! I should have kept going up to Gimmelwald!” For example, I still have four pounds in my drawer at home that means two things: One, I hesitated and missed out on something in the UK like an ice cream treat or an extra bus ride, and two, in America, I’m a millionaire, due to the ridiculously high value of pound to dollar.
In Switzerland, the hikes are real hikes, but for the most part, I forgot I was hiking. The air is Outkast (so fresh and so clean) and if you’re like me, you’ll take forever to get to the top because every twenty feet is a “photo opportunity.” But if I’d lost my camera or dropped it in German beer (see my Munich blog), I’d remember these mountains. And I’ll remember with whom I shared such an incredible experience.
Chapter Three: The people.
It was the morning of August 21st and I was tired, but set my alarm so I wouldn’t miss breakfast (served until 10am @ Balmers). I accepted my free breakfast of juice, oatmeal or dry cereal (I love cereal), and either an orange or toast (carbs over fruit anyday). I was somewhat lonely after instant messaging Ali and not actually getting to hear her voice tell me a funny joke or laugh at one we retell over and over for a chuckle. But then I remembered where I was and then realized it was time to be brave again.
Target: two girls sitting at a table, eating the same breakie and speaking in (gasp!) English. Bingo. I gathered my almost empty tray and asked clear as day, “Is anyone sitting here?” The rest goes as follows:
Have a seat. Thanks. I’m Emily, this is Amanda. I’m Katie. Where you from Katie? Arizona. Sweet, I’m from New York. Me: I totally want to go there! (more people enter from upstairs). Emily: Oh these are our friends, Paul, Sarah, and Lucky. Me: You all traveling together? Amanda: Nah. Just Paul and Sarah, everyone else is on their own. We all met at happy hour last night, got pretty schnackered. Paul: Everyone up still for canyoning? Everyone: Yes! Paul: Katie, you in?
Sub chapter: Canyoning
Of course I was in. I didn’t even know what the hell canyoning was (taking pictures of canyons?) but I wasn’t about to lose these awesome new friends. And awesome is a dumb word that underwhelms how great these people turned out to be. Paul and sister Sarah from Tampa, Luciano aka Lucky the Italian, New Yorker Emily, and birthday girl Oregonian Amanda. Then the Phoenician Katie. We were the new millennium Euro Breakfast Club. They made it feel like I was home again, except none of us wanted to be home.
Interlaken became the standard I compared all other upcoming cities to, and my Breakfast Club still sets the bar when comparing new people I meet. They were that essential to my wanting to go on, try more things, visit more cities, and be more myself.
Some solo travelers like to remain solo and I get that. I myself was constantly in and out of wandering the cities I visited alone, and casually meeting great people at hostels.
But of course, I prefer the company of my best friend, fellow TGTG Ali because sharing something as beautiful as traveling around new cities can be best relived over a cup of coffee with someone who knows what it’s like to want to go back.
Chapter Four: Bungee Jumping.
I went bungee jumping. Whether or not it was in me my whole life, who can say. I know I can’t. But at the time, in Interlaken, Switzerland, over a lake surrounded by Alps mountains and 200 alpine peaks of the Simmental valley, off a shaky gondola 450 feet above the water, in the cold and drizzling rain, staring into the distant fields where cows stood at a slant eating nature’s best grass, it was me.
I leapt for nobody else either, which is, if you decide to go, the best and only way to do it. It’s not for everybody. Neither is knitting or buying lottery tickets for that matter. I hate to knit, so it would anger me if someone was telling me, you have to knit, it’s an experience you’ll never forget. That was bungee jumping for me. It was something I can’t forget - it was scary for cripes sake - but was a jump I don’t regret taking.
My mom (who practically forbade me to bungee jump before I left) took the news fairly well. She said it must have been quite a leap - scary, heart wrenching, and terrifying in its own way. I told her so was marriage. So what? People do it. Some do it twice! For me, it was its own entity and I’ll forever treat it that way. An alien force I encountered and conquered and, although fond of its qualities, can bear not doing again.
Why am I telling you this? To promote bungee jumping? To say do something crazy while traveling? Not at all. My solemn vow while in Europe and is everyday is simply to be myself and try new things. Every second of every minute of every hour of every day for the rest of your life, be yourself and be open to new experiences. If it leads you to bungee jumping, all right. If it leads you to knitting, excellent.
If I try to explain it any further, I’ll bore both my readers, our site regulars, fellow TGTG Ali, and myself. I shared it to make a point and now that it’s out there, I feel happy to have shared it.
Swiss Recap:
TGTG Apology: If you need some extra warmth, buy a kickass Balmers hooded zip-up sweatshirt. I owe them one! I didn’t have a coat and the English hostel worker lent me her sweatshirt and when I came back late at night, she was gone. So sorry British lady, thanks for your kindness.
TGTG (Katie only) recommendation: If you aren’t afraid of heights and my story made yourself think, ‘I want it too!’ then go to Alpin Center and say, “I too want to jump over Stockhorn Lake!” I tried to explain it to you, but there’s really only one way to feel it. . .
TGTG Photo Op: Switzerland
TGTG Advice: Take your time.
Biergarten at the Chinese Pagoda, Munich, Germany
What better way to start the Munich three-day stop than going to get a beer at the Chinese Pagoda Biergarten!
First morning, I arrived stinky, tired, and thirsty. Paul and Sarah, who I met in Interlaken and met up with again here at Wombat’s hostel, were asleep and hungover from the night before. The cure then, dropping off my bags, refreshing my deodorant, and off for steins of beer.
The Biergarten at the Chinese Pagoda was cool because it was set in the middle of Englischer Garden and along the way, you see surfers riding the canal’s small current, tiny restaurants opening up and getting ready for the day (at 11am!), and people just living life.
The look and set up of this adorable biergarten was both pleasant and humble. Wooden green tables surround the bar making it highly accommodating to order, grab, pay, and sit down to immediately enjoy your purchase. You’ll find along the way many other biergartens and I’m certainly not telling anyone they must go to the Chinese Pagoda, but it’s part of the Munich experience to stop by some of the less famous biergartens (Hofbrauhaus being difficult to always find a seat) and benefit from a new experience.
TGTG Advice: Instead of a purse, buy a daypack. Paul and Sarah introduced me to the wonders of these smaller bags that look like tinier versions of backpacks. It’s easier to carry around your shoulder or in front of your chest and it’s less likely someone can snag it too!
Hofbrauhaus, Munich, Germany
It’s part of every tour, it’s part of German history, and it’s part of the reason I’m going back to Munich someday (hopefully with TGTG Ali!!). The Hofbrauhaus is an essential stop for any tourist, backpacker, local, and/or lone traveler. Walk in and immediately you’ll see why!
The first thing I noticed was the live music and the band, which was wearing genuine lederhosen and my personal favorite, suspenders. The music stays with you as you journey farther into the bar and begin to get a sense of what everyone loves about the Hofbrauhaus (the more I use it, the less I have to look at my notes to spell it). The combination of the fun atmosphere, the loud noises (the music seems to increase in sonar strength), the variety of smells (sauerkraut anyone?), the people laughing and drinking, and of course, the beer.
I don’t want to make it appear all the Germans do is drink their delicious frothy beer and fill their faces with pretzels. That’s just part of the cultural experience, trust me. The Munichs know how to have fun (Oktoberfest was just around the corner) but they also know where they came from and the pride of their country rests on appreciating the everyday. Not one minute did I spend in Munich where I didn’t get the feeling I was IN Germany. The wardrobe, the mustaches, I could go on and on. They simply love being German. The Hofbrauhaus is the conglomeration of that very feeling.
The friendliness of the Munichs astounded me. They were dancing, singing, having fun with our tour group, all the while swinging their pints of Weis beer with great excitement and pride.
Make a stop to the Hofbrauhaus, you won’t regret it!
Hofbrauhaus
Platzl 9
80331 Munich, Germany
+49 89 290136-10
www.hofbraeuhaus.de
Munchin’ in Munchen (Munich), Germany
It isn’t hard to get carried away while in a foreign city. Up until Switzerland, my palate hadn’t really experienced the local culture’s food. I made up for it and then some in Munich and for the rest of my trip, I made it a point to eat what the locals ate, and drink what the locals drank.
First off, the bratwursts. Oh man, the first day I was there I’m sure I ate three of them for different occasions. One was for brunch and everyone was eating them, one was for a mid afternoon snack because everyone else was eating one, and one because it was , I don’t know, 9:16p.m. and everyone around me was eating one. That or the delicious Bavarian pretzels always served with fresh mustard and washed down typically with a giant stein of Helles beer.
If you’re not a beer drinker, I understand the hesitance of trying something as thick and heavy as German beer, especially the Weizenbier that is made with more yeast. But if you’re going with the theme of Germany, I suggest ordering one and drinking as much as you can because it’s no ordinary brew you’re sucking down. There’s a history and long-winded tale behind it and if you’re lucky enough, a local just might tell you about it.
As for Paul (my new travel companion) and I, we wasted little time chatting and breathing. We had snacks between snacks, a dinner before dinner, and helped ourselves to lots of cheese and bread to help fill any tiny pocket left in our tummies. Like I said, it’s hard not to get carried away. I was constantly busy with the local goods – pretzels, brats, cheese, fresh fruit, beer, and weißwurstes with extra sauerkraut.
Thank goodness for Tums.
Munich, Germany
I’m listening to the new Coldplay album while I write my blog about Munich, Germany. It’s funny - I always relate music to moods, moods to writing, and come full circle: writing to music. There’s a song called Lost that’s chorus states, “I just got lost, every river that I tried to cross . . . and I’m just waiting til the shine wears off.” It was in the third largest city in Germany where I truly did get “lost”, however, in the most desirable way.
This isn’t the ‘lost’ one refers to while hunting for Exit 20 off a crazy California highway and there’s Exit 20A-F to confuse you. Quite the contrary. ‘Lost’ is what I was in Munich, the city where I finally dropped my guard and began to fully appreciate where I was. Munich, or Munchen, is the first city of many I hadn’t planned on seeing, but was glad I did.
When Sarah and Paul, the brother and sister from Florida whom I’d met in Interlaken, Switzerland, invited me to go with them to Munich, Germany, it only took me two seconds to decide so I bought a ticket (my first time with Euros) and said goodbye to Interlaken.
I saw a lot of great things in Munich, much more than just a reflection of a pasty white wannabe rogue traveler too (uh, that’s me). There was the Marienplatz, the Englischer Garden, the Biergarten at the Chinese Pagoda, the Hofbrauhaus (my favorite place for beer and food), the Viktualienmarkt (a daily food market), and I also got to know the lobby of Wombat’s hostel intimately. But of course, the most important thing to try and do in Germany, is eat!!
I’d like to say plainly how much food my Swiss/Munich traveling buddy Paul and I consumed in a mere three days, but I have to elaborate. No exaggerations, the morning his sister Sarah left (boo raspberries), Paul and I made a silly pact to be eating something all day. We called it Munchin’ in Munchen. Blackberries, gummy bears, cheese and crackers, cheese and bread, cheese by itself, steins of German beer, and of course bratwursts. Oh and cheese. By the way, cheese makes my face get fat. But while I was traveling in foreign countries, fat was the furthest thing from my mind (…unfortunatelyit was the closest friend of my inner thighs). Don’t skip out on the food though because it’s like I said, you have to be yourself while traveling and experience what you want to, and myself said to stuff my fat face with German goodies.
As we munched on our morning pastries, Paul convinced me to take the free walking tour (the tour leaves from Wombat’s every morning at 10:15am and lasts about three hours) and although we were late and had to catch up, we were happy we did because it was the best tour I’d ever taken!
Our tour guide Ozzie, informed us that the square we were furiously snapping photos of was the Marienplatz, which is named after the column of the Virgin Mary and is now known for its famed neo-Gothic town hall. He also told us to look up at the mechanical clock, the Glockenspiel that chimes at various times of the day and puts on a little “show”.
Then he proceeded to take us around everywhere a great guide can take you while in Munich (short of participating in Oktoberfest Paul and I missed by two weeks!). Three hundred years of Munich history in just over three hours, and Ozzie was patient, passionate, and displayed every great German cultural accord.
He took us to Frauenkirche (the giant ice cream cone looking buildings) and told us how the structure of Frauenkirche is the tallest structure (109 meters or 358 feet) in Munich and will remain so due to German building limitations. Once inside, he showed us the famous Devil’s Footprint that is imprinted in front of the cathedral as well as the tale of the “windowless church”.
As we kept walking and, in my and Paul’s case, eating, I began to feel a sense of what Munich truly was about. I also began to feel quite full, but my urge to try everything German overwhelmed my body’s urge to implode. This included my brain too as Ozzie continued to stuff it with so much information, I almost believed I was in the war circa 1939. The truth is, you’ll really care about the bullet holes left behind in the cement walls, the red-painted cobblestones representing history’s mistakes, and the buildings having been rebuilt brick by brick because war planes destroyed them over six decades ago. You care that you’re walking through the same streets as Hitler and his Nazi soldiers. You remember that, trust me.
The tour continued through some side alleys and stopped outside the National Theater, the old opera house located on the edge
of Old Town Munich and nearby the highly visited Residenz museum. It was there Ozzie told us of the square’s great moment in history, then informed us that our next stop would be a fun break from the heavy history some of Munich represented. We were off to the Hofbrauhaus, a highly populated local biergarten and the most famous beer hall in the world!
When the tour ended, I was upset. Not because it was over, but I wanted to know more! That’s the great part of going somewhere like Munich - it’s packed with all the fun things you love to do while traveling, but also stored within this marvelous city are the stories it keeps, waiting for people who want to hear about them.
Don’t go on the walking tour just because it’s free, but for the memorable and respectable German knowledge. Keep in mind the walking tour sticks only to sites that don’t cost any money and for the most part, it’s an outside tour. Also, make sure to tip your guide! They don’t get paid for giving tours and they try to fit in a roundabout way of telling you, so the gesture of a tip is a much appreciated one.
There are just too many sites to see and the free walking tour is a surefire way to see a lot of the meaningful ones while getting some powerful historical information, not to mention great exercise!
Westminster Abbey, London, England
I had defeated getting lost and drenched from the constant rain, overcame the confusing bus routes to get downtown, and finally conquered the terrible jet lag due to the European time change.It was when I touched the indentions of the T. in T.S. Eliot’s name that I began to well up. Thousands of miles from home, family, school, and three years done with the college that taught me about him and hundreds of other writers, there I was - in London, England. I was in a different continent, country, and in essence, a new world.
First stop: Westminster Abbey.
As one of the oldest and most famous churches in Western Europe, Westminster Abbey (also known as the Church of St. Peter) resides close to the Parliament buildings and Big Ben. It’s famous for encasing many famous poets and authors’ epitaphs including Geoffrey Chaucer, Lord Byron, Rudyard Kipling, and Charles Dickens. There are famous memorials too including William Shakespeare, Henry James, and my personal favorite - the aforementioned, the one and only T.S. Eliot.
Though mainly a Gothic church (it served as a cathedral from 1546-1556), Westminster Abbey still has services every morning for the general public to worship, which is cool in its own right. Moreover, it is seeped in more than a thousand years of history, making it one of the sites you should actually pay for the audio tour that comes in eight different languages. The cost is relatively cheap (12 euros) for what you get to see, and in my opinion, is a site not to be missed. I’ll drop in here the immaculate architecture, the gorgeous interior (don’t forget to look up!), and the aura of the church itself.
Being an English nerd (aka English Literature major), I had so much fun walking back and forth, up and down the pathway reliving all the poems and novels these great writers wrote and I got to read back in college. I underestimated my feelings of literature and was completely overwhelmed with emotion.
But it’s far more than just a “poet’s corner”; it’s a sanctuary of legends! (How many times do I have to namedrop T.S. Eliot, come on!!) There was nothing more satisfying than staring down at the names of writers who were extraordinary in the fact that they are timeless. Think about it: they were so good, they are still taught in classes today and have plaques in their memory at one of THE biggest tourist sites and historical churches in London. Imagine how many people walk around it everyday, some glancing over them and moving through quickly to get to their next tourist hot spot . . . don’t be like them. Take your time. You certainly don’t have to be an English Lit nerd to appreciate the infinite greatness of the Abbey for there’s a lot to see and learn. Enjoy. I certainly did.
TGTG Tip: Put away your cameras for they’re not allowed inside. Besides, some sites are better viewed with your own eyes, not through a lens!!
Westminster Abbey
London SW1P, 3PA United Kingdom
Telephone +44 (0) 20 7222 5152
Website: www.westminster-abbey.org
Underground Station: St James’s Park (District and Circle Lines) and Westminster (Jubilee, District & Circle Lines).
Big Ben, London, England
Okay, funny story. I had no idea what the hell to look for when Ali told me to see Big Ben my first trip to London 18 months ago. I walked and walked, saw Westminster Abbey, Parliament, etc. but couldn’t find the sign to Big Ben even though according to my map, I was right in front of it. So I cruised over to the area near the Eye of London and pretended not to be disappointed in my oversight.
[I’d like to take a moment and extra sentence space to say that when I arrived in London by myself, I hadn’t done much research and my knowledge of the city up to that point was that it had great tea, a queen, and the author of Harry Potter. Back to the story then I suppose.]
As I walked along the bank, I overheard a woman talking to her children in a British accent. Bingo, a local. I asked her if she knew where Big Ben was and after her laughter subsided, she told me . . .
“It’s the large clock tower in front of Parliament!”
Hmmm…embarrassed? What do you think?!
Off I went then, back across the street to take a picture of said large clock tower, which by the way, is beautiful in its own right. The structure, the intimate carvings that make up its architecture, or how it stands prominent in front of Parliament-all make it yet another sight worth seeing.
Palace of Westminster
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
Website: www.parliament.uk
Underground stations: Westminster
The London Eye
Okay people, don’t be looking for something like the giant eye from Lord of the Rings because one, you’ll be looking forever and two, you’re not Frodo. The Eye of London is actually a big Ferris wheel but it’s so much more advanced than any normal small town carnie ride. The Eye offers a bird’s “eye” view of the second largest city in all of Europe.
The cost is around 12 pounds (24 dollars) and the ride lasts about half an hour, but that’s plenty of time to see several different views from the enclosed bulb that is your temporary Cinderella pumpkin carriage. It sounds crazy, but just moving from the front to the back, and from the right to the left, you get to witness completely different landscapes and you can literally see for miles (on a clear day of course!)
GTG Photo Op: Any spot from the Eye is a great background for photographs. Ali’s and my favorite was the one from the very top of the wheel, with the sun setting behind Big Ben and Parliament. By angling the camera just right, we were able to get both of us and the popular sites below. Then we watched the tiny people below gather and disperse from the many sites of a giant city that doesn’t seem to sleep.
Ali and I recommend the London Eye as one of the top sites to see/ride. If you take time for it on your first day of site seeing, you’ll even get a feel for the locations of the other major sites, and it will be easier to tra
verse the winding streets since you’ll have a general knowledge of the city’s layout. Also, with the limited number of people allowed in each carriage, it’s a relaxing break from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the tourist spots that are quite busy and always full of people.
GTG tip: Go right before lunch on a weekday if possible, the line was quite a bit shorter!
The London Eye
Riverside Building
County Hall
Westminster Bridge Road
London
SE1 7PB
Telephone: +44 (0) 870 990 8883
Fax: +44 (0) 870 400 3006
Website: www.londoneye.com
Underground stations: Waterloo or Westminster
Browns Restaurant and Bar London, England
The thing about bars in places that aren’t your hometown is they’re often a game of roulette or a crapshoot of sorts. Any place could be a hit, or a definite miss. But the positive thing about not knowing anything or any place in a city, is at the very least, it’s a new and interesting experience with a great story. Also, by being the first one you know in a bar or restaurant, you quickly become the recommender or the one who says “stay away.”
As for Browns, a fairly large restaurant/bar along the Canary Wharf, I thought it was a hit. The atmosphere, the outside patio, and the elegant bar are reasons to sit down and have an espresso, or a beer, or a bite to eat.
We sat outside at one of the tables in the sun and enjoyed people watching and a cocktail as London life continued to flaunt. Sometimes when traveling, the tourist sites are put in the forefront of your entire trip. They encompass a lot of time, energy, and sometimes money. Sitting down at a restaurant or bar (especially during the daytime) gives you a great opportunity to relax and enjoy the other things, the little things, and Browns is a good place for doing just that.
That being said, however, Browns wasn’t a must see on the things to do in London. There wasn’t even a special reason Ali and I went there. We just simply wanted to sit. I’ve always wondered why people never try the restaurant or bar to the left or right of the one they’ve heard of… or why not try one on the opposite side of town? Get off the beaten path and choose one where you can make your own stories!
P.S. If you do go to Browns, go inside and check out the piano bar downstairs, it’s beautiful!
Browns Bar & Brasserie West India Quay
Hertsmere Road, London
E14 8JJ
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7987 9777
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7537 1341
Website: www.browns-restaurants.com
Underground station: Canary Wharf
Buckingham Palace
It took me a couple times to walk by Buckingham Palace before I realized the importance of it within London’s many major sightseeing stops. At first, it was just another photo opportunity: “check Buckingham Palace off of site seeing list and witness the changing of the guards.” Then of course, I realized Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch–the queen of course!
This historic site is actually not only a residence, but it also houses the offices of those who support the day-to-day activities and duties of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh and their immediate family. It is also the national rallying point for the British in times of country crises, and hosts enormous celebrations for the country’s successes and while entertaining national guests. The building is very old–built around the same year all the Rolling Stones were born in 1703. . .
Buckingham Palace is a cornerstone in British culture and you can’t miss it while you’re in London. It’s definitely worth stopping by to take a look and a couple photos for the old photo album.
GTG Fun Fact: Want to know if the queen is home? Look for the Royal Standard Flag flying atop the palace! When she is not present, the Union Flag flies instead.
“The Changing of the Guard takes place in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace at 11.30 every day in summer, every other day in winter, and lasts about 45 minutes. The New Guard marches to the Palace from Wellington Barracks with a Guards band, the Old Guard hands over in a ceremony during which the sentries are changed and then returns to barracks. The New Guard then marches to St James’s Palace leaving the detachment at Buckingham Palace.” -www.tourist-information-uk.com
Buckingham Palace
London SW1A 1AA
Tel: +44 (0)20 7766 7300
Fax: +44 (0)20 7930 9625
Underground stations: Victoria or Green Park
email: information@royalcollection.org.uk
website: www.royal.gov.uk
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