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Discover Mid-America — October 2005

Two journeys to London a half-century apart

My son-in-law, a seasoned business traveler, decided to take his family to London this summer when our grandsons were out of school. He graciously invited my wife and I to go along.

In late June, we boarded a Virgin-Atlantic Airbus at Newark International for the nearly 8-hour flight to Heathrow. For Matthew, 10, and Joshua, nearly 15, it was just some video games and a few Simpsons reruns away — courtesy of the DVD players on the Airbus seatbacks.

It was late evening when we cleared customs — we’d avoided jetlag by planning our arrival at close to a normal bedtime. But first the six of us and our luggage squeezed into a Mercedes van and held on for an exciting hour as the driver careened through West London traffic to our hotel.

The next eight days were filled with tours of palaces, gardens, castles, quaint neighborhoods and layers of British history. Our main mode of transportation was London’s famous subway system, the Underground or “Tube.” One of the stations, Swiss Cottage, was located within a five-minute walk from our hotel, and we soon learned to explore the city using the Underground and its network of lines.

Fortunately, we left London a few days before terrorists bombed three Underground stations and a double-decker bus.

Matt had talked about seeing Big Ben. He and Josh also enjoyed the Tower of London with its display of ancient armor and torture devices, not to mention the Crown Jewels and the nearby Tower Bridge. Another highlight was the London Dungeon, a family-oriented attraction south of the Thames, and the British Airways London Eye, a 443-foot-tall sightseeing wheel.

They marveled at the giant Harrods store, especially its vast toy department, and saw the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. And, of course, they paused to have their pictures taken in empty sentry booths on an evening taxi tour.

We heard the distinctive sounds of London: Cockney accents and other tongues, traffic noises and cathedral bells. London had its own smells, too: the aroma of fish & chips mingling with the odor of tires and brakes as double deckers dodged bicycles and Mini Coopers.

Throughout the trip, I was reminded of my own journey to London in 1953, the Coronation year, when I was a half-century younger. That tour, organized by the director of a boys’ choir I had previously been a part of, visited eight countries in six weeks. By the time we reached England our young eyes had been dazzled by the sights of Paris, Monte Carlo, Rome, Venice, Lucerne, Brussels and Amsterdam. Instead of flying, we sailed to Europe in five days (and returned) on the S.S. Queen Elizabeth, then the flagship of the Cunard Line. After a month on the Continent, we crossed the Channel from the Hook of Holland to Harwich and spent the night in a boarding house in Southend-on-Sea, a coastal town east of London.

At four-something in the morning of Coronation Day, June 2, we got up and had a quick breakfast, then took a bus to central London. A steady drizzle fell from a leaden sky as we “queued up” at Whitehall and joined the large crowd in the stands, finally taking our seats around 9 a.m. With a box lunch in hand, we watched the entire British Commonwealth parade by — marching bands and military units on foot and on horseback, all in brightly colored uniforms from every continent. Then came fancy coaches with lesser royals and dignitaries.

Finally, the big moment arrived. The crowd stood and cheered as the magnificent Royal Coach, ornately carved and covered in gold, made its appearance. The Queen raised her hand in a formal, regal wave as the coach lumbered by.

The next night, we attended a play in Westminster Abbey, where temporary stands had been erected for Coronation events. Later, we took a train to Scotland, stopping along the way at Lake Windermere. It was back to London for a final overnight, then to Southhampton, and the return voyage to New York and a long train ride home.

Quite an experience for a 16-year-old Missouri farm boy. But my second visit, a half-century later, was thrilling in its own way, as I saw London through the eyes of my grandsons.

Discover Mid-America founder and Senior Contributing Editor Ken Weyand files regular reports on notable Midwest destinations. He can be reached at kweyand@gbronline.com.

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