Saturday, November 3:
Tokens and treasures, yesterday’s pleasures
Cheap imitations of heirlooms of old
Dented and tarnished, scarred and unvarnished
In old Portobello they’re bought and they’re sold

Portebollo Road, Portobello Road
Street where the riches of ages are stowed
Artifacts to glorify our regal abode
Are hidden in the flotsam in Portobello road.
You’ll find what you want in the Portobello Road

From Disney’s Bednobs & Broomstick, which was stuck in my head most of the week. Portobello Road Market is, indeed, just like the song. Knicknacks of all shapes and sizes spill out of stalls lining the street. It was great.

Rachael and I had high tea in a modern tea shop nearby and we visited the Victoria & Albert Museum, a museum of cultural history of sorts that was founded with the proceeds of the Great Exhibition of 1850 (which would be an interesting subject for an historic romance novel!). I was really hoping to see costume history at the V & A, but they only displayed a small portion of their costume collection. Online they have an extensive collection of fashion history photographs and some fascinating feature articles such as Corsets and Crinoline.

Incidentally, while at Rachael’s I read Twice the Temptation by Suzanne Enoch that has two stories, one historic and one contemporary, both centering around a cursed heirloom necklace. In the second story the heroine is responsible for a touring jewelry exhibition by the V & A, which made seeing the V & A all the cooler, but unfortunately the V & A jewelry exhibit was closed for renovation while we were there. I liked the historic story better than the contemporary one anyway.

Sunday, November 4:
We took the train to Cambridge, which is lovely, where I saw my friend Tracy. The college house system sounds just like Hogwarts and the town looks like Hogsmead. I even took my photo next to platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross Station on the way there! We had high tea again (yum) and advised Tracy on what romance novel she should read for her first foray into the genre. She wanted something light as a break from her Bioengineering PhD studies. oof!

Monday, November 5:
I walked through Hyde Park. Yay! Now I can imagine it in every Regency Romance where the hero and heroine ride down Rotten Row, or walk through the gardens, or fall into the Serpentine (Kate in the Viscount Who Loved Me!). I saw a rider in traditional riding costume (wearing Hessians?) and I remembered that the top thing I wanted to do in London was go for a horse ride in Hyde Park. Phooey to remember on my last day. I couldn’t find the stables, but I did find the phone numbers for two stables that hire horses for riding in the park. Next time for sure! I followed the rider down Rotten Row for a bit, simply because I was so excited to actually see someone riding in Hyde Park, until he started cantering, at which time I was left in the dust.

Later I took the Tube to Covent Garden, saw Covent Garden Market, walked to the British Museum, strolled down Drury Lane, and toured the Royal Theater Drury Lane – all popular Regency Romance locations.

I admit, sadly, that I didn’t write much on my trip, but I got a lot of research done for my book! I read a lot at Rachael’s, partly because I got sick and partly because I couldn’t resist digging into Rachael’s collection of romance novels. I discovered two new yummy authors I really like: Kasey Michaels and Eloisa James. And I had fun. I would love to go back someday. You could stay years in London and not see everything!