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Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Two Days London with Husband Pieter

On October 1, after the MGA Conference, we both got dropped off by friends at the Hilton London Gatwick Airport Hotel where we would spend two nights on our own.
Pieter had previously spent one summer at the University and knew London pretty well via the Underground!
The back entrance at the Hilton hotel brings you to the airport and to the train station, so off we went by 12:30 and saw Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly Circus. Of course checked out shops as the Underground entrance is at Harrods... What a choice! Especially woolen goods, Burberry and porcelain...
We also saw the Tower, and St. Paul's Cathedral just before they closed!
We had a pizza and back to the hotel.... With a goulash soup at the Hilton we went to bed.
Sunday, October 2. We did sleep in and went by train now to South Kensington and visited two museums. The Victoria & Albert Museum was very impressive! 
Also the Natural History Museum.
Here I stand next to the Natural History Museum South Kensington.
To the right you can see the tower from Victoria & Albert Museum.
We were so lucky with the weather!
Natural History Museum at South Kensington click link...
Husband Pieter near Albert Memorial in Kensington Gardens, wearing his Burberry Polo Shirt...
Such perfect weather for walking in 1988, and what I noticed is that we could be on the stairs, close to the actual monument!
Pieter took a better photo of me, seeing the marble figures behind me...
Marble figure on corner of Albert Memorial click link.
Here you can clearly see that the area is protected and now people are being kept below the stairs.
What a lovely walk it was and now I also got to see the Royal Albert Hall, across from Albert Memorial.
Pieter had the 1980 MGA Conference Reception at Royal Alber Hall, see link below post.
*
We ended the day with a buffet dinner at the Hilton...
October 3, breakfast and packing in a relaxed way, no rush. At 12:45 we went back to Atlanta, this time in 9 hours! Strong head winds...
In 7 hours and 10 minutes we flew to London in a Jumbo 747 from Atlanta but now it took us 9 hours going back but with a DC-10.
That was the end of our Conference trip to Cambridge with before and after excursions!
A lovely time spent and now we could start packing up as only 16 days later, we would be moving to Pennsylvania... 
Campbell's Soup made us move!

Thanks for your visit and comment!
Wishing you all a Happy Easter Weekend 🐇

Related links:
Cambridge Conference and Newmarket Race Horses, England | previous post by me
From London by Train to Pullborough and Visiting Linfield Mushroom | previous post by me
1980 MGA Conference Reception in Royal Albert Hall, London | previous post by me

28 comments:

  1. Searest MAriette,
    you have seen so many great places in your life! Thank you for sharing those wonderful memories with us!
    Wishing you and Pieter lovely Easterdays!
    Love and hugs, Claudia xo

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    1. Dearest Claudia,
      Yes we have and the best part is that we always interacted with people, either during a Conference or by doing some training. Far more valuable than just being on a tour as a tourist.
      Happy Easter to you and yours as well.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

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  2. Hello Mariette, Increasingly it is difficult to get close to and experience famous monuments. This can be due to simple crowds wearing out the surfaces, or the threat of vandalism/terrorism. Either way, it is not very exciting to be kept hundreds of feet away from something--there is no feeling of immediacy, and you are better off looking at the monument in a book.

    Sadly, it will be a long time until people get close to Notre Dame again. I saw your comment on Rosemary's blog, and there too, you were lucky to visit that famous cathedral in its glory, and to enjoy it with your family.

    Will we be treated next to some of your life in Pennsylvania? That is up in my neck of the woods, and I don't recall reading much about your and Pieter's time there.
    --Jim

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    Replies
    1. Dearest Jim,
      You are so very right about that. In many ways, Pieter and I have been so fortunate for seeing historic monuments up close and freely. Sadly a lot has changed in this world over the decades! Yes, the Notre Dame is another fond memory.
      No, about Pennsylvania I have hardly any photos. It was not a happy move, Campbell's forced us and it was so sad for being uprooted from dear friends here in the South, to go to a cold climate. Suffered a long lasting bronchitis and I studied avidly on my Italian for the next chapter in our life. Most of our belongings were in storage for that half year and the apartment was the only thing we could rent for half a year... We once drove in my white Ford Escort to Ohio together, for work at one of the Campbell mushroom plants. It was a fun drive with passing through lots of tunnels. But no photos... We always were in a hurry, just for work and no spare time to stand still and catch some beauty...
      Hugs and Happy Easter to you!
      Mariette

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  3. It look Nice. Happy easter hugs Nina

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    Replies
    1. Dearest Nina,
      Yes, it was a wonderful two-day exploration of London!
      Happy Easter to you and yours.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

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  4. Liebe Mariette,
    herzlichen Dank für deinen interessanten Post.
    Sonnie Grüße
    Elisabeth

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Liebe Elisabeth,
      Danke sehr und noch liebe regnerische Grüße zum Karfreitag.
      Mariette

      Delete
  5. Happy Easter to you and Pieter. Such interesting places you have traveled. Thank you for sharing.
    Betsy

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    Replies
    1. Dearest Betsy,
      Yes, both of us have been very fortunate for being able to see the world while working!
      Hugs and Happy Easter to you and yours!
      Mariette

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  6. Wow what awesome photos I liked them, I hope you have a wonderful Easter

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    1. Dearest Jo-Anne,
      Thank you, we treasure the memories too.
      Happy Easter to you and yours!
      Hugs,
      Mariette

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  7. Mariette podziwiam każda Twoją podróż, piękne zdjęcia. Wesołych świąt Wielkanocnych.Zyczenia również dla męża :)

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    1. Dearest Malgorzata,
      Thank you so much and wishing you and yours also a Happy Easter!
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  8. Dear Mariette - I am pleased that you both spent such an enjoyable time in and around South Kensington. On these photos you look just like a teenager Mariette.
    Have you noticed that on image No.5 there appears to be something that resembles an envelope floating in the sky above the tree on the righthand side!

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    Replies
    1. Dearest Rosemary,
      Thank you, we really did enjoy it and Pieter felt like a fish in a bowl for being back at the area where he'd spent so much time that summer while being at the University.
      But me looking like a teenager... haha, a triple teen!
      Now you pointed it out to me, yes, that looks like a floating envelope. Can't be a kite or...?!
      Happy Easter to you and yours.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

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  9. It looks like you had a busy and enjoyable time! Nice photographs.

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    1. Dear LB,
      You bet we enjoyed our time and yes, a busy schedule but so worth it!
      Hugs,
      Mariette

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  10. Oh my goodness dear Mariette, you and Pieter had the most amazing life to reminisce along with such great photographs too !
    This made me miss London, wish I could go next time I hit Madrid, it's easier.
    Wishing you both lovely couple, a wonderful Easter Sunday.
    Fabby

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    1. Dearest Fabby,
      It is very hard to make a stop, on the way over to visit family... we know by experience. But both of us enjoyed beng in London at that time! Yes, great material to reminisce.
      Enjoy a Happy Easter with your loved ones!
      Hugs,
      Mariette

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  11. Great photos! Museum, memorial, etc, they are so beautiful. Weather sure looked very nice, too. It’s wonderful you got to see so many places :-)
    Have a great new week, Mariette!

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    1. Dearest Tamago,
      Yes, this was such a bonus time for both of us, especially prior to having to pack up and move to Pennsylvania... Life is not always sunshine and roses. But we treasure the fond memories!
      Enjoy this warm and sunny week as well.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

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  12. Ihr habt wirklich viel von der Welt gesehen, liebe Mariette! Ich war leider noch nie dort, auch wenn das noch auf meinem Plan steht. Mal schauen, ob daraus noch etwas wird.

    Liebe Grüße auch hier
    Sara

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    1. Liebe Sara,
      Ja stimmt, wir haben mit unserem Reisen für Arbeit oder Vorträge, ganz viel von der Welt gesehen. Das ist unser innerer Reichtum und werden immer schöne Erinnerungen sein.
      Liebe Grüße,
      Mariette

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  13. Wonderful two days. You had a great time, I'm sure.

    God bless.

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    1. Dearest Victor,
      Yes, we both enjoyed these days!
      Hugs,
      Mariette

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Thanks for your visit and comment.

Mariette...