London Day Trip (25/01/10) PART ONE

[hopwas]

Hi everyone including new forumers which I haven't properly introduced.

National Express picked me and my sister up in Tamworth at 8.10am. Headed to Atherstone to pick up lone passenger. Oh I wish that passenger never booked a seat! Well after lone passenger boarded bus and set off to Coventry..

Just as we left Atherstone.. suddenly lone passenger screamed "MY HANDBAG! MY HANDBAG! MY HANDBAG!" and pleaded the driver to turn back to Atherstone. Driver wasn't pleased as he is already late to pick up Coventry passengers but he decided turn back to Atherstone. Luckily Handbag was found on bench in Bus stop.... Containing £1,000 and passport! I later found out she was too excited flying to Los Angles that she completely forget her handbag!

We arrived in Coventry 20 mins late and soon after we hit M40 to London. safely arrived in Victoria and we decided go to Harrod's via Taxi. By the time I was gagging for pint of ale, as we got in Harrod's my eager eye caught a sign "This way to The Green Man" and me and my sister turned around, looked each another. As if we knew we wanted to drink, off we went to Green Man pub.

THE GREEN MAN, KNIGHTSBRIDGE

Almost certainly one of smallest pub I ever been in. About average size of your living room but very pleasant with Victorian decors. Only problem is... price! I ordered half pint of Strongbow for my sister and pint of Jack Frost Porter for me and it came with £10.50.. Let me say it again.. £10.50!!!! Despite the price, we did enjoyed The Green Man. After browsing Harrod's. We caught tube from Knightsbridge to Leicester Square.

We arrived in Leicester Sqaure, after quick look around and found small pub called Greenman & French Horn behind Leicester Square Tube Station.

GREEMAN & FRENCH HORN, LEICESTER SQUARE

As we went in, we can smell somthing foul (I cant describe but if you do ever worked for water sewage.. you know what I mean!) and we just quickly ordered halfs. British Bulldog (No clue about its brewery as I was too bust covering my nose!) and quickly finished our drink. Pub is very small and long. Wooden pew to sit down and quite soul less really. However Barmaid is pleasant enough to stay sorry about the smell..

We caught taxi to take us to Covent Garden..

PART TWO coming up!

[hopwas]

We dropped off by Covent Garden market and immediately straight to The Opera Tavern. My sister actually visited the pub before last August with her Boyfriend. She kept going on saying how great the pub is... I took her word and went in.

THE OPERA TAVERN, COVENT GARDEN (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/22065/)

Well I am very glad that my sister found this pub last august. It is cracking little pub tucked away in small street behind huge theatre (Oliver's is the current play) Very clean and tidy pub. I had beautiful Scampi and Chips with pint of Dangleberry (Name of the Brewery again escapes me!) I would recommend this pub to anyone visiting Covent Garden. After quick look in Covent Garden Market then Charing Cross shop. We then caught tube from Charing Cross to The Embarkment where we walked to Westminister (took photographs of London Eye and Big Ben). We decided to have quick rest and we came across St Stephens Tavern.

ST STEPHENS TAVERN, WESTMINSTER (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/56662/)

St Stephen's is right under Big Ben's Shadow. From outside it looked like Trendy wine bar but it is not (Even my sister thought it was wine bar!) Anyway, we went in, I got half of Pickled Partridge which is alright but drinkable. Despite being in hot spot for Tourist, it is suprisingly not busy. Plenty of empty seats around. Two floored and mirrors everywhere. Really nice pub and I would go in again. CAUTION: Not suitable for wheelchair users! Steps everywhere! We left pub and after half hour taking photos of Westminster Abbey, House of Commons and walked around House of Parliment itself. We decided to make our way to Victoria Coach Station.. We supposed to walk to straight to Coach station but some of you know I am sucker for historical looking pub. I saw The Albert on Victoria Street and begged my sister go in. I gave her my puppy eye.. she agreed! yayyyy!!

THE ALBERT TAVERN, VICTORIA (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/22854/)

Highlight of the day! Beautiful looking and proper Victorian pub. That's how I imagined real London Victorian pub. V shaped pub and bar in centre of the pub. Slight touch of gothic feeling, maybe do with dimming lights. Had half of Fuller's London Gold which is very hoppy and light. Quite nice! Me and My sister had great chuckle when drunk woman tried to breakdance on pub's floor but had epic fail by falling over! Barmaid was not amused so chucked her out! Oh We only had half hour to walk to Coach satation. We had to leave this wonderful pub..

After half hour, we finally arrived at Coach Station.. to only find out our coach has been delayed for one hour!!! Luckily pub opposite coach station which we passed earlier would come in very handy! We had one hour to kill so we went in..

THE TRAVELLERS TAVERN, VICTORIA

Nothing special about this pub. Very average pub. More food pub than drinking pub. I had pint of London Gold (£3.15) which is rather average and bag of dry roasted nuts. We played few games on touchscreen (we actually won £5!) and went back to Coach Station which we eventally left at 6.45pm!

Arrived home at 9.15pm and had chinese then I was too tried that I hit bed at rather early 10.30pm!

Well Thats for now. I hope you enjoyed reading!

Hoppy

[PaulOfHorsham]

GREEMAN & FRENCH HORN, LEICESTER SQUARE

... British Bulldog (No clue about its brewery ...

Probably Westerham (www.westerhambrewery.co.uk) - I would add a hyperlink, but none of the image buttons work for me

[trainman]

Thanks for the update Hoppy, but I have to raise a metaphorical eyebrow on a coupla points...
Geographical research: taxi from Leicester Sq to Covent Garden? Tube from Charing Cross to Embankment? Both journeys are just a few mins walk.
Advice requested from, and provided by, PuGers re potential pubs around Victoria: none appeared on your tick list.
Harrods Green Man. Ouch! You gotta fit in a few 'spoons to counterbalance prices like that.
London Gold. I thought you'd found a new beer in one day that I was unaware of after 25yrs down 'ere, but now I'm unsure whether it was London Pride or Golden Pride, neither of which would fit your tasting notes as well as, say, Fullers Discovery?

Anyhow, hope you enjoyed your sojourn around t'smoke. I'm drawing up plans for a crawl of Atherstone if the locals can afford to leave bags of grands lying around!

[hopwas]

Thanks for the update Hoppy, but I have to raise a metaphorical eyebrow on a coupla points...
Geographical research: taxi from Leicester Sq to Covent Garden? Tube from Charing Cross to Embankment? Both journeys are just a few mins walk.
Advice requested from, and provided by, PuGers re potential pubs around Victoria: none appeared on your tick list.
Harrods Green Man. Ouch! You gotta fit in a few 'spoons to counterbalance prices like that.
London Gold. I thought you'd found a new beer in one day that I was unaware of after 25yrs down 'ere, but now I'm unsure whether it was London Pride or Golden Pride, neither of which would fit your tasting notes as well as, say, Fullers Discovery?

Anyhow, hope you enjoyed your sojourn around t'smoke. I'm drawing up plans for a crawl of Atherstone if the locals can afford to leave bags of grands lying around!

Hi trainman!

Leicester Sq to Covent Garden, Charing to Embarkement blah blah.. I know it is short walk but my sister is suffering from incurable back injury so thats why we took these taxi and Tubes.

The reason I didnt went to pubs that was suggested by PG forumers is that we simply dont have time, we had to go straight to Harrods, then Leicester SQ etc etc. All in under 6 hours.

Lol! Green Man at Harrods.. Oh boy it was my fault to say "My round!" to my sister... I wished I never said that when barmaid told me the cost of two drinks..

Honestly I thought I knew all Fullers range until I saw London's Gold on Monday... Too hoppy to my taste and expensive (well not to Londoners!)

You are welcome to Atherstone as long someone leave £1,000 on bench in bus station!

[rpadam]

Honestly I thought I knew all Fullers range until I saw London's Gold on Monday... Too hoppy to my taste and expensive (well not to Londoners!)

I thought that London Gold was a Youngs beer?

[trainman]

Hi trainman!

my sister is suffering from incurable back injury so thats why we took these taxi and Tubes.

Sorry to hear that Hoppy, I wondered whether mobility may have been an issue when you mentioned wheelchair access, but decided perhaps not when talk turned to a walk along Embankment, then from the Albert to the coach stn, which is a decent trot.

Perhaps rp has cracked the London Gold conundrum? Right name wrong brewery?

[hopwas]

Sorry to hear that Hoppy, I wondered whether mobility may have been an issue when you mentioned wheelchair access, but decided perhaps not when talk turned to a walk along Embankment, then from the Albert to the coach stn, which is a decent trot.

Perhaps rp has cracked the London Gold conundrum? Right name wrong brewery?

No no nothing do with mobility. She just had back operation few months ago, she can still walk but not all the time. Embarkment to Victoria was included with two or three stops. I wanted take her in taxi to Victoria but she refused! I must say she is a fighter!

About London Gold.. I think RP is right. I must take note next time I visit to London!

[arwkrite]

Good write up Hoppy. I see you have found out a disability can drastically alter the way you go about things. Best wishes to your sister, like my mrs they fight so much they worry you.

[hopwas]

Good write up Hoppy. I see you have found out a disability can drastically alter the way you go about things. Best wishes to your sister, like my mrs they fight so much they worry you.

Thanks Sir! I shall give your message to my Sister. Oh I sent you PM.

Hoppy