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Kew Gardens 8.2.2011
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Kew Gardens 8.2.2011
Bob Hobden wrote:
Delightful set of photos. I am still kicking myself for not finding the time to get to Kew gardens when I was in London. I spent a day in Richmond, because my grandfather's family once lived there and in hindsight, I was sorry I didn't cut my Richmond visit short and gone to Kew instead. |
#3
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Kew Gardens 8.2.2011
Bob Hobden wrote:
You can walk to Kew from Richmond either along the River Thames path or the road in half an hour, certainly a bus would get you there in a few minutes. Even the Underground (District Line) has a station near there. Fancy missing Kew Gardens with all it's horticultural history and you a gardener too, shame on you. :-) Excuse for another trip? Well I'll come clean...I went to Richmond, because I promised my aunt (family historian) that I would go there and take photos of the Star and Garter Vets Home. It was once a hotel owned by my grandfather's family. (Joseph and Charles Ellis), so I thought I'd combine a visit to the gardens and a visit to Richmond. As I was saying at Lancaster Gate, I decided to go to Richmond via the underground. It was probably the scariest thing I've encountered for years and being it was only a couple of days after I'd had my purse stolen in London, I was rather nervous. I had to change trains three times and was quite bewildered about the whole thing, I found it very hard to get anyone to help me and point me in the right direction, people were either rude or did not speak English. LOL believe it or not, it was some fellow Australians (they were going to Kew Gardens) who helped me find the right platform for the last leg of the journey. After taking photos of the building and having a chat with the lovely lady receptionist, I decided to have a look at Richmond Park, I spent quite a few hours wandering around there, then walked back to Richmond and spent some time wandering around. I thought I would catch the rain to Kew Gardens, have a scout around and then come back a few days later and spend a day there. When I went to catch the train my Oyster Pass wouldn't work and I was very confused, once again it took me a little while to find someone who would help me, they pointed me in the direction of the ticket office, where a very large, very arrogant woman told me in no uncertain terms, my pass was only for inner London, so I had to hand over some money to buy a ticket to get back to London, but this time I was wrung out and just wanted to get back to my hotel room, so didn't make a stop at Kew. I did intend to go back to the gardens on another day, but to be honest, I just chickened out, I just couldn't face using the underground again, but like you said, it is an excuse for another trip, maybe next year. :-) LOL tell you have naive I was, I was all set to go to the Chelsea Flower show, luckily I checked it all out on the internet the night before I was going to go there..I didn't realise all the tickets are pre sold, I thought I could just rock up and walk in...wrong! |
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Kew Gardens 8.2.2011
"Maroochy" wrote Well I'll come clean...I went to Richmond, because I promised my aunt (family historian) that I would go there and take photos of the Star and Garter Vets Home. It was once a hotel owned by my grandfather's family. (Joseph and Charles Ellis), so I thought I'd combine a visit to the gardens and a visit to Richmond. When was that? My Grandfather was publican at the Brown Bear in Kew Road just by the railway station in the mid to late 1800s. (it's no longer there) As I was saying at Lancaster Gate, I decided to go to Richmond via the underground. It was probably the scariest thing I've encountered for years and being it was only a couple of days after I'd had my purse stolen in London, I was rather nervous. I had to change trains three times and was quite bewildered about the whole thing, I found it very hard to get anyone to help me and point me in the right direction, people were either rude or did not speak English. LOL believe it or not, it was some fellow Australians (they were going to Kew Gardens) who helped me find the right platform for the last leg of the journey. We don't like the Underground much either although the statistics say it's quite safe. Unfortunately people in large cities tend to be impolite IME, I think it's the pressure and pace they live under. After taking photos of the building and having a chat with the lovely lady receptionist, I decided to have a look at Richmond Park, I spent quite a few hours wandering around there, then walked back to Richmond and spent some time wandering around. I thought I would catch the rain to Kew Gardens, have a scout around and then come back a few days later and spend a day there. When I went to catch the train my Oyster Pass wouldn't work and I was very confused, once again it took me a little while to find someone who would help me, they pointed me in the direction of the ticket office, where a very large, very arrogant woman told me in no uncertain terms, my pass was only for inner London, so I had to hand over some money to buy a ticket to get back to London, but this time I was wrung out and just wanted to get back to my hotel room, so didn't make a stop at Kew. I did intend to go back to the gardens on another day, but to be honest, I just chickened out, I just couldn't face using the underground again, but like you said, it is an excuse for another trip, maybe next year. :-) May I suggest staying outside London. :-) LOL tell you have naive I was, I was all set to go to the Chelsea Flower show, luckily I checked it all out on the internet the night before I was going to go there..I didn't realise all the tickets are pre sold, I thought I could just rock up and walk in...wrong! Chelsea Flower Show is terribly expensive even for RHS members, add that to the cost of travel and food and drink and it's serious money. Then it's so crowded you can't see gardens etc as well as you can on the TV. Hampton Court Flower show is better IMO. -- Regards Bob Hobden W.of London. UK |
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Kew Gardens 8.2.2011
Bob Hobden wrote:
When was that? My Grandfather was publican at the Brown Bear in Kew Road just by the railway station in the mid to late 1800s. (it's no longer there) Well there you go...My grandfather's family owned the Star & Garter from 1822-1864. I think it was grandpa's great grandfather and grandfather who owned the hotel. I get a bit confused once things get past the first great in the family line. :-) We don't like the Underground much either although the statistics say it's quite safe. Unfortunately people in large cities tend to be impolite IME, I think it's the pressure and pace they live under. Oh indeed, it was quite an eye opener for me, coming from a small regional town, where we're all pretty much laid back. This is in no way a criticism, but what I found very disconcerting, was the lack of eye contact. May I suggest staying outside London. :-) Heh, on my next trip I will, but the whole purpose of my last trip was to take in London, something I have wanted to do since I was a child. I was happy staying where I did, as I was once a very avid reader of Georgette Heyer books and all the places around me, were where her books were set. :-) Chelsea Flower Show is terribly expensive even for RHS members, add that to the cost of travel and food and drink and it's serious money. Then it's so crowded you can't see gardens etc as well as you can on the TV. Hampton Court Flower show is better IMO. Thanks for that info, that's something to remember when planning my next trip. |
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