On our last night in England, our young folk took an evening bike tour. While that sounded good, it was a little too energetic for us. Plus, I had made it almost to the end without injuring myself, so why take a chance.

From our window at the St. Martins Lane Hotel London we could see the advertisement for Amy Adams in the Glass Menagerie at the Duke of York’s Theatre. I have been a fan since she was in Julie and Julia, plus we literally had only to walk across the street, so the choice was simple.

This play by Tennessee Williams is said to be brilliant. I found it interesting, but I’ll leave the critiquing to actual critics. My favorite part of the evening was being in the theatre.

The most unusual part of the evening was when the “ice-cream man” popped in at the end of the rows to sell ice cream during intermission. I had already determined that the British really like their ice cream. There were shops devoted to it everywhere. But I did not expect it to be pedaled at the theatre. I have learned since from my British friend, Mavis, that it has been that way since she was a child.

Not just vanilla – it’s luxury vanilla

While I’m mentioning St. Martins Lane, a few photos need to be shared. Not the typical spot for Bob and me, but Jesse, our son, stretched us out of our usual choices more than once. Thanks, Jesse. It sure was interesting. It’s fun to be shaken out of the norm now and then.

This wall appears to be a boutique tea counter, but the golden hand which my grandson is gripping opens an otherwise invisible door to a cocktail area.

Are these golden “teeth” for sitting upon or are they individual tables on which to put a drink?

This is the focal point of the restaurant. Makes you want to curl up with a drink and a book. We used the room for late night games of Azul, our favorite board game.

While we aren’t huge museum people, we do enjoy a visit. Because of my admiration of Queen Victoria and her husband Albert, not to mention Jenna Coleman’s portrayal of the Queen on Masterpiece’s Victoria, the V & A was a must. The museum itself was spectacular.

Finding a Chihuly was a pleasant surprise

The V&A is huge – the world’s largest museum of applied arts with over two million objects. It was founded in London in 1852. Had I done even a small amount of research, I would have discovered that the museum has very little to do with Victoria and Albert and is more about their legacy. I guess I was expecting another episode of Masterpiece – silly me!

The most interesting museum for me was the Churchill War Rooms, located near 10 Downing Street in downtown London. I am fascinated with World War II history, and this museum does not disappoint.

Notice all the different colored telephones – like modern-day phone cases so you can tell them apart

In this hallway the outside weather was posted. If it said windy that meant a heavy raid was going on.

British leaders worked underground while the Germans were bombing above. The fate of the war was decided in these rooms. They were closed and locked after the Japanese forces surrendered on August 16, 1945 and were left undisturbed until 1948 when they became an historic site. As I gazed through the protective glass, I could see telephones, maps, partially smoked cigars – it was like the people could return any minute. It’s one of those places where you can “feel” the history – was that PM Churchill’s cigar that I was smelling?

Would a trip to London be complete without a stop at Harrods? Yes, but why not! Harrods is a department store and considered the best there is in that, well, department. It is actually a store full of department stores and each offers service that is unmatched by just about any standard. Some of the services they offer are toy concierge, a cobbler, private shopping in the penthouse, luxury piercing, and fashion rental service. Restaurants include Gordon Ramsay Burger and The Harrods Tea Rooms, among others.

Prada, Gucci, Boodles, Tiffany & Co, and countless others that I have never heard of are found within its walls. It’s fancy. I think it could be better described as fancy-schmancy. It’s that upscale.

I guess stockings are more of a thing in England than they are in hot Florida.

This is an example of the saying – “There really is something for everyone.”

Stores beckoned shoppers inside via sight, sound, and smell. Even in the stores that did not carry perfume, the strong scent of it (or was that what money smells like?) was more than my sensitive, dry eyes could handle. Still, it was worth a walkthrough revealing how the other half (or some much smaller percentage) lives. All in all, I’ll take Costco.