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London on the cheap
Off-season packages allow for plenty of entertainment
Author: By Betsy Banks Epstein, Globe Correspondent
Date: SUNDAY, January 11, 1998
Page: M1
Section: Travel
LONDON -- Special weekend air fares can make a five-day jaunt to London as
reasonably priced as a visit to New York. The flight to Heathrow is about six
hours from Boston, the luggage carts are complimentary, and the Tube (subway)
is user-friendly from the terminal right into the city. My husband insists
that with their ``jumpers'' (sweaters), their ``carry not tarry'' (take-out
food) and their need to ``queue up'' (line up), there exists a bit of a
language barrier with the British. Yet we agree that, generally speaking, it's
easy for American tourists to acclimate.
When we took our sons to England last March for a brief cultural excursion,
we expected rainy dampness. After all, the stereotypical Englishman always
carries his umbrella and topcoat. Instead, we were greeted with balmy
temperatures and blooming daffodils. The Kew Gardens boasted breathtaking
magnolias, cherry blossoms, and award-winning orchids. Hyde Park and
Kensington were filled with the mesmerizing scent of peach camellia and
lilacs.
Clearly marked streets and friendly people make this city a pleasant
environment in which to walk, use Underground transportation or the famous
double-decker red buses. Passes called travelcards may be purchased for the
Tube. These vary in price according to the time of day and the zone in which
one wishes to ride. On Sundays, The family Travelcard, at about 9 1/2 pounds
($15), is a good deal. And a child qualifies for a lower rate until he's 16.
The ubiquitous, large, black taxis are more costly than public transportation
but worth experiencing if you're dressed in a long velvet cape for an evening
at the Royal Albert Hall.
Since this trip was in honor of our actor son's high-school graduation, we
planned to see many performances. Although tickets may be secured through
travel agencies or clearinghouses, it's cheaper to purchase them directly from
the box office. This may be done once you're in London for older shows like
``Miss Saigon,'' especially if you're not fussy about sitting in the circle
(first balcony). If you want a guaranteed stall (orchestra) seat for a current
hit such as last winter's ``A Streetcar Named Desire'' starring Jessica Lange,
it's best to phone ahead. The magazine kiosk in Harvard Square sells ``Time
Out,'' London's weekly guide, which has phone numbers and listings for each
theater. By calling direct, you can name your location and be assured that
your tickets will be held.
The Barbican Centre, the London home of the Royal Shakespeare Company, is a
riveting place to see ``Macbeth.'' Greats such as Kenneth Branagh and Kate
Winslet got their start here. My younger son who was captivated by Lady
Macbeth's well-known monologue: ``Out, out damn spot,'' and Macbeth's:
``Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow creeps in this petty pace from day to
day. . . .'' The Barbican welcomes student interest by offering family ticket
discounts: half price for up to two children under age 19 accompanied by two
adults paying full price.
A visit to the re-creation of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre brings history
alive. This exact replica has exquisitely crafted wooden balusters, and boxes
where the lords and ladies of Elizabethan days might have enjoyed ``As You
Like It'' or ``A Midsummer Night's Dream.'' True to the times, the partial
thatch roof is open to the elements. The stage is covered to protect the
costumes and instruments, but the spectators in the open pit run the risk of
getting wet unless they successfully seek shelter in the gallery. Since
Shakespeare's original Globe Theatre didn't have lighting, performances are in
the afternoon.
In keeping with our drama theme, we visited the Theatre Museum in Covent
Garden, where we learned how to transform ourselves at the stage makeup
demonstration, viewed George Bernard Shaw's memorabilia and Sir John Gielgud's
handprints. Samuel French's Theatre Bookshop (take the northern line from
Leicester Square to Warren Street) has an extensive selection of plays not
sold in the United States. Both sons were pleased to stock up on titles they
hadn't been able to find at home.
A Saturday morning must is a visit to Portobello Road (starting at Notting
Hill Gate), the sight of the world's largest antiques market and a lively
street fair. Here locals stock up on produce while tourists peruse pushcarts
for a collapsible top hat or a tussy mussy (bud holder). You're guaranteed to
find leather trunks with brass fittings, lace petticoats, and elegant walking
sticks. Chic restaurants with a West Indian flavor abound. Gone are the days
when English food meant dry Yorkshire pudding and a slab of uninspired meat.
Gourmet shops like Jeroboams on Elizabeth Street are stocked with vacherin
cheeese, mint tea, chevreuil pate filled with walnuts, and freshly baked
breads for dipping in olive oil.
Many fine hotels such as Brown's offer traditional afternoon tea, which is
a meal in itself, complete with sandwiches, pastries, and a pot of tea of the
guest's choosing. Here, clotted cream is spread on scones. The ``ladies' cloak
room'' (restroom) has marble counters, cloth towels, and plush sofas for those
feeling faint or simply tired. The Orangery in Kensington Gardens serves a
less elaborate tea with apple or sponge cake, and a view of the sculpted
shrubs and green lawns through the glass walls.
A long weekend in London merely whets the appetite but left us with some
compelling images: the angelic faces of the Boys' Choir at Westminster Abbey
and the Cabinet War Rooms on King Charles Street, a maze of bomb-proof offices
where the War Cabinet met during air raids. Churchill's desk, his hot line to
FDR, and the Map Room bring back the immediacy of World War II. The changing
of the guard at Buckingham Palace is an introduction to British pageantry.
Seemingly endless entreaties to ``mind the gap'' when exiting an Underground
train or ``so sorry'' when a hotel room isn't ready on time are evidence of
the refreshing gentility prevalent in the United Kingdom.
SIDEBAR:
IF YOU GO . . .
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic offer off-season vacation packages from
Boston that begin around $400 and include lodging options. The Kensington
Palace Hotel is handy for the Victoria and Albert Museum, meandering through
the gardens, and window shopping at Harrods.
Popular theater choices are the Barbican Centre (phone (from the United
States: 011-44-171-638-8891); or the Royal National Theater
(011-44-171-928-2252).
The Veeraswamy, London's oldest Indian restaurant at 99-101 Regent Street,
has a two-course pre-theater menu featuring vegetable biryani and crisply
fried bread.
Cafe dell' Ugo at 56-58 Tooley St. near London Bridge and Bistro 190 on
Queen's Gate Road have trendy light fare: seared tuna sashimi, leaf salad with
balsamic vinaigrette, and Tuscan soups. Be prepared for the aroma of smoke and
the high-fashion crowd, wearing black leather jackets, midriff tops, and
silver buckled boots.
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