The Kew and Swan
Today was a great day. We slept in (because of the jet lag)....until 2pm London time. A little over 12 hours. The room stewards were banging on the door. Our initial plan, before bed time, was to see the changing of the guard, but obviously that didn't happen. We went ahead with our goal of seeing the Royal Garden, also called the Kew. It was beautiful. They had a ton to see including a great cat walk over a section which was 60 feet tall. A japonese pagoda was intersting as well as the Minka house, a small cottage brought from Japan to London and rebuildt in the same fashion by Japonese engineers. Inside was some information on silk and bamboo which was very interesting. In all, the gardens were incredible and well worth the time.
After the gardens we had dinner at a great Asian Noodle bar and then off to the Swan, a pub on the south end of London. They had a great cover band, "Snatch" who did songs from everyone...80's bands, Blink 182, Sister Sissors, and Lion something... Regardless...tonight, and the trip, has been great.
Cost is a big deal here with the dollar valued at a half pound. London is expensive today for an American, but it's well worth it. It takes a little time to look at a sandwich which costs 5 pounds and not think..."that's a good price"
The cover charge was 10 pounds but it came with supper. We got there early, found a great place to stand, and found the beers to be cheap. The dance floor was packed all night and the band played for hours.
The Swan is highly recommended if you like live music. Check out their website which is constantly updated.
The Gardens cost 12 pounds per person but despite that high price ($24 USD currently) there is a lot to see. There are several interesting buildings including a historical wooden house transported from Japan and rebuilt. Inside this building is a great display explaining how silk is made and woven.
Another highlight are the greenhouses with plants from all over the world. None of them were crowded and there seemed to be plenty of room through out the attraction. Many people had brought their lunches and had picnic's on the grass.
Recently they have opened a 6 story treetop walkway. You could almost see the entire park.
