HP sites (visiting)

[Goddlefrood]

> SSSusan (snipped):
> As a few of you know, I will be--finally!--taking the trip I've 
> dreamt of most of my life and heading to England in April, with 
> my family in tow.

> Carol:
> Based on my own experiences with Westminster Cathedral, 
> I'd recommend visiting Gloucester on a Saturday or weekday.

Goddlefrood:

Westminster Cathedral is a gem, tucked away as it is off the 
main drag. The Abbey is in plain view, before anyone asks ;-)

Most Cathedrals welcome visitors, even during services and 
in fact they are well worthwhile visiting during a service 
to put them in actual context. Gloucester Cathedral, iirc, 
and I haven't been there for more than 30 years, is one of 
few (Lincoln, Exeter, Chester are others) that has retained 
the entirity of its original structures. That is the Cathedral 
itself and surrounding buildings, such as the priory and 
cloisters. You may even get to my old stomping ground of 
Bristol, which was formerly in Gloucestershire before getting 
too big for itself.

> Carol:
> Oh, and if you tour the Tower of London, don't believe 
> anything the guide says about Richard III and the supposed 
> murder of his nephews.

> SSSusan:
> LOL.  Don't believe 'em, huh?  Thanks for that! I'll be extra 
> attentive now, to hear what anyone says about it!

Goddlefrood:

Be careful of the rooks too, they bite.

> Carol: 
> The bus system, in contrast, is a nightmare (IMO) because 
> London is emphatically not laid out on a grid.

Goddlefrood:

Being a little older than many cities ... however, I disagree. 
Having lived in London for some years I always found the buses 
quite good and they're much cheaper than the tube (get a day 
pass anyway, you can use them on tubes, buses and trains). The 
bus routes follow the main roads, and even though I never was 
a tourist in the metropolis, I could recommend the upper deck 
of the double deckers for a good view of the city while you 
ride on them. Easy routes: Euston - Victoria, any bus from 
Trafalgar Square going up Regent Street and any bus along The 
Strand, I would advise a visitor to ride on. You see nothing 
Underground.

Oh, but avoid taxis, they have become an absolute rip off and 
should only be used if all else fails.

> SSSusan:
> Anybody else been to Leadenhall or Gloucester or have additional 
> advice? :)

Goddlefrood:

Try going to Castle Combe or Wookey Hole (not home to Chewbacca). 
No doubt a certain Mr. Banister can assist. Both are proximate 
to Somerset. Bath too, for its Georgian architecture and Roman 
remains. Aqua Sulis anyone?

Pip pip