Had banana nut muffin and banana/strawberry yogurt on plane. Landed abt 9am and had to wait at airport for other flights to arrive. The bus trip in (through Surry, Chelsea) took over an hour so it was almost 2 pm before we got into our rooms [at the Hogarth Hotel in Kensington].
[Hogarth Hotel, Kensington, London; from our window, our room]
Brenda and I freshened up and walked to the Museum of Natural History (dinosaurs, etc). Richard and Sue Lewis were there also. Talked with a couple from Washington DC. [see pictures following - many of the people in our tour opted to go on a guided tour of London, but Brenda and I decided to ‘go it on our own’ by foot, underground rail (the ‘Tube’), and bus.]
We stopped at Bram Stoker’s Pub on Old Brampton Rd. I had a half-pint. Before that we stopped at a small café and had a ‘vegetable bake’ dish and watched kids congregating in the streets after school (having cursing/yelling matches and showing off).
[Bram Stoker Tavern - A hell of a bar
Address: 148 Old Brompton Road – South Kensington
SW7 0BE – Kensington/Chelsea London
Nearest Bus or Train: South Kensington
Open Hours: 11a-11p M-Su
Found within easy reach of the museums and restaurants of South Kensington, The Bram Stoker Tavern serves the spookiest pint this side of Transylvania. Decked out to create the ambience of Dracula’s Dungeon – right down to the toilets that are reached through a secret door in a false bookcase – this is a fun place to drain some drinks before sinking your teeth into an unsuspecting burger or anini.
Pints come in cheap at Bram Stoker’s, but you’re better off opting for the “seven deadly cocktails”, which are named after the sins.
Gothic does not come any better than this. The Dracula theme at The Bram Stoker Tavern is fascinating, eerie, and most compelling with a waxwork model of the master himself looking down over a scene that includes a reproduction of a private library, scientific odds and ends, and much creepy memorabilia – all in an impressive setting. Silent horror classics can be seen constantly on the television, and even the outward appearance of the building itself plays a major part in the realistic ‘fangs and fiends’ atmosphere. Must be seen.]
[Bram Stoker Tavern - A hell of a bar
Address: 148 Old Brompton Road – South Kensington
SW7 0BE – Kensington/Chelsea London
Nearest Bus or Train: South Kensington
Open Hours: 11a-11p M-Su
Found within easy reach of the museums and restaurants of South Kensington, The Bram Stoker Tavern serves the spookiest pint this side of Transylvania. Decked out to create the ambience of Dracula’s Dungeon – right down to the toilets that are reached through a secret door in a false bookcase – this is a fun place to drain some drinks before sinking your teeth into an unsuspecting burger or anini.
Pints come in cheap at Bram Stoker’s, but you’re better off opting for the “seven deadly cocktails”, which are named after the sins.
Gothic does not come any better than this. The Dracula theme at The Bram Stoker Tavern is fascinating, eerie, and most compelling with a waxwork model of the master himself looking down over a scene that includes a reproduction of a private library, scientific odds and ends, and much creepy memorabilia – all in an impressive setting. Silent horror classics can be seen constantly on the television, and even the outward appearance of the building itself plays a major part in the realistic ‘fangs and fiends’ atmosphere. Must be seen.]
We found several private gardens like in “Notting Hill.”
We were late getting back to the hotel for our briefing by Sean [our tour guide] (from Belfast). He previewed our tour, gave us hints, and then we all went off to bed (at 8pm).
