Day 2 of our included tours - Part 1- Churchill War Museum & City Tour

Day 2 of included touring brought with it our earliest start yet at 7AM for Coach 1. All of the coaches were only spaced out by 10 minute intervals so the last bus left at 7:30AM. The first two buses were back by 4PM and the latter two back by 4:30PM. Today's tour was called Britain at War & Panoramic London.

The weather was typical for London with a rainy start. So of course our bus had to park just down the street from Westminster Abbey while our guide led us on a speed walking tour of London highlights to get us over to the Churchill War Museum. 

We did use our listening devices during the walk as our guide pointed out various landmarks. It was tough to keep up with the group myself and especially tough for Dad. Thankfully, we could hear the commentary and we had seen all of the main city landmarks on our previous visit. It was all we could do to just keep the group in sight. We had packed our lined raincoats so we could use them for both cold and rainy weather days but we had not anticipated this lengthy walk so did not bother to grab the small umbrella we'd packed. Still being on these pre-cruise hotel days, there was not a Viking provided umbrella available to use. 

Once we arrived at the Churchill War Rooms, we had the opportunity to finally tell our guide about how hard it was to keep up and ask him to please go slower or allow those of us with mobility issues to catch up before moving on. He was apologetic but kept insisting that we had to have rushed to make our scheduled time for this visit. While we did get escorted access down to the exhibits in an elevator, the walk had tired us out and Dad needed to sit out most of the spaces. 

Viking and the museum had set up some pastries, tea, coffee, and water exclusive for our four buses in a banquet room between the two main exhibit areas. After we'd both got some water and rested for a bit, Dad had me go on to see whatever else I could while he took a break. 

There was a self-guided audio tour that we were all given to use while down in the exhibits.

There were arrows around directing you as to what order to walk through the exhibits but even with just our first two bus groups, the space became very crowded. 

This stretch between the first two exhibit areas with an offshoot hallway to the banquet room was the only place with seating - a long bench against the wall.

We asked our guide when Dad didn't feel up to walking amongst the exhibits anymore if the bus was going to pick us back up. The guide insisted that we'd have to do the same walk back because the bus couldn't get any closer. We asked Dee (who'd arrived with another bus) about getting a taxi to take us back and she told us that would have the same problem as the bus. Dee was a lot more willing than our guide to seek an alternative solution and offered to have one of the guides lead us back to the bus early before coming back for the group so that we wouldn't have to rush. We took her up on the offer (the guide chosen ended up being our assigned guide anyway) and agreed to meet the guide up at the gift shop by a certain time. 

The pleasant surprise that we discovered when Dad was ready for us to slowly make our way to the gift shop is that you had to walk through the narrow passageways showcasing the glassed in room mockups. With everyone else either in the main exhibit areas or enjoying their refreshments, we were able to walk at our own pace alone through these passageways that would have been much more congested than the other hallways. This section was the main features of the exhibits that Dad had wanted to see so it was refreshingly nice to take our time and be able to see everything without being blocked by a crowd.

We ended up coming out of the small gift shop (at the time in the middle of remodeling) and had time for a bathroom break before our guide met back up with us. The walk back was much easier, especially since the rain had let up, and our guide stayed with us walking at a much more leisurely pace. This gave us the chance get some bonus commentary and questions asked about the area and his work with Viking as we made our way back to the bus. We were thankful to our guide and Dee for making such an accomodation and appreciated the time to rest on the bus while we waited for the rest of the group to finish their visit.

Our final stop of Day 1 is to the Golden Lion Pub

When we arrived at the Golden Lion Pub, we were surprised by a restored WWII tank and its owner/reenactor in uniform waiting for us in the pub's parking lot. Once he'd given a presentation on the features and uses of the tank, he took the time to answer all questions and posed for pictures. 

Once inside, we were offered tea, coffee, and some pastries before being led into the main bar area. The owner, Greg, helped tend bar to anyone who wanted to try an alcoholic beverage while he regaled us with the history of the pub. Greg talked until his staff gently reminded him of the time so that we could have time left over to explore the pub on our own.

The Golden Lion Pub is located in Southwick, pronounced Suthick, as we learned that locals don't pronounce the "w" when saying the town name. The entire village is owned by Southwick Estates, apart from the Church Lodge, which is why the Golden Lion Pub has a red door to match all the other owned buildings. The Church Lodge is the only one to have a white painted door. The lounge bar was used during World War II and the planning stages of Operation Overlord as the unofficial Officer's Mess. 

Inside the pub, the walls are lined with memorabilia, including a cardboard cutout to showcase the corner where Churchill, Eisenhower, Montgomery, and Smuts hunkered over maps to plan the attack. 

 

On the bus ride back to London, we were provided with water bottles. One unique thing about plastic bottled drinks in Europe is that they come with the cap that stays attached while drinking the product. It is meant to help reduce waste so that the cap stays with the bottle when tossed for recycling. Took us a few days before we finally figured out that if we press the cap as far down as it lets us, it will lock in place and we no longer had to hold it back when drinking to keep it from poking us in the eye!

Once back at the hotel, Dad opted to rest in the room while I visited the Park Corner Brassiere alone for dinner. I charged the dinner to the room as nothing outside of breakfast (and the pub pastries) was included by Viking in today's tour. Total cost for my meal was £49.16. I was charged £5.50 for still water which we soon learned was based on buying your own large bottle for the table. I was charged £6.00 for a single glass bottle of Diet Coke. We found that a lot of sodas on this trip were sold as these glass bottles which required a bottle opener to get into. We stocked up whenever in the Executive Lounge at the hotel so we could have some to drink in our hotel room. 

My Corn Ribs appetizer cost £8.00. It was basically a barbecue flavored corn on the cob that they cut down into strips. I was not expecting them to have cut straight through the center of the cob like an apple versus shearing off strips of kernels. I felt a bit silly trying to figure out how to eat such a messy appetizer. I left a good bit of it behind after trying to cut off the kernels from each section.

As for my entree, have you really been to England if you don't try the fish and chips? I have had this dish several times on several trips including our first time in London while dining at the Sherlock Holmes Pub. If we ever meet on a trip, ask me about the British bacon at that pub!

This "Cod & Chips" cost £24.00. I got some strange looks when I chuckled at how it looked like my fish was trying to escape the plate! Then I couldn't help but chuckle again when I made my first cut in the middle and watched it deflate back onto the plate. Guess even Londoners have their own version of Deflategate!

Once I tried the dish, I was pleasantly surprised at how light tasting the breading was despite being crispy. The fish was fresh and well cooked. The fish flaked nicely but also stayed together as several large chunks making it easy to eat. Ketchup was offered but I chose to decline instead dipping my "chips" in the tartar sauce provided. 

The remainder of my total included a £5.66 service charge and a £7.25 VAT (or Value Added Tax) charge. We asked our waiter on the first evening about tipping protocol and he pointed out that a 13% service charge based on your bill total is automatically added so no additional tipping is expected like it would be in an American restaurant. He did add that such an additional tip would be happily accepted, just not expected of course.

Our first day of included tours - Part 2 - Gunwharf Quays

Our next stop on the tour was free time to do as we wished after being dropped off at Gunwharf Quays - a marina and outlet shopping center. Some highlights were covered such as shopping, restaurants to grab lunch on our own, and how to tour the historic ships docked in the marina. We were given the tip to ask for a free "observation only" style ticket if we only wanted to view the ships from the dock. Walking around inside the ships required a paid ticket but if you only wanted to walk along the dock and view them or take pictures, you could get a free ticket. 

The dock also offers a great view of the Spinnaker Tower standing tall behind the H.M.S. Warrior.

Once you pass the guard/employee checking for those paid tickets, there is a ramp for mobility access to tour these historic ships. Though there is a sign cautioning how treacherous walking can be once onboard.

Dad and I chose to grab lunch at the guide's recommendation, The Ship & Castle. Our guide gave us the lowdown on the ride over about how ordering at a British Pub means you grab a numbered table, decide what you want to eat from the menus that sit in a stand at the table, then go up to the bar to place your order and give them the number to your table so they know where to bring it once the food is ready. This is also when you would pay for the meal and receive any drinks requested to carry back to your table. This restaurant is also located right across from the warships and around the corner from where the bus picked us up so we chose it partly for the lack of walking required. 

We both played it gastronomically safe and ordered the "Smashed Burger" described as a 3 oz patty with cheese and served with fries. Interesting how the hotel's menu and most everywhere else used the British term of "chips" while this menu listed them as fries. The burger patty was so small it looked almost non existent inside the bun and came with nothing but the cheese on top. Not the typical arrangement of onions, tomato, lettuce, and pickles you might find at an American restaurant. As far as taste goes however, the burgers had a bland mealy taste to them reminding me of either formerly frozen or those imitation plant based burger patties. The fries were good but the ketchup had some sort of spice or diced veggie mix added to it that neither of us cared for. It also made the consistency thinner. 

The temperature outside was a little cool and the winds were brisk so Dad opted to hang out at the table while I wandered around to see if there was anything else to check out while we still had our free time. After walking a couple blocks it was time to jump back on the bus.

Have you even been to England if you don't get a photo of the "Look Left" pedestrian markings?