SW - Knightsbridge and Kensington

I took bus #414 today and headed over to Knightsbridge. I got off the bus at Knightsbridge station and Harrods is right there, very convenient!

Harrods -

Since I can't afford anything in there, I went for the food hall instead.



The bakery was the only thing I can afford and I bought a bacon and cheese baguette for dinner. It only cost me £1.75!

The food hall is pretty cool. Each room has a different theme and there are counters you can sit at to eat the food, but minimum charge is £10/person.

Look at all that Godiva!! Joyce would droll over this.

At the Egyptian escalators, there's a Diana and Dodi Memorial. It's nothing big, but it's a great tourist attraction.

Inside that triangle thing is the ring Dodi had bought for Diana two days before the accident. Also, there's a glass that Diana had used for dinner before the accident. Her lipstick smudge is still on the glass. (Gross..lol)

That's the ring. This is the best I can do...given the dark lighting.

This is the ceiling of the Egyptian escalators. I think it's the horoscope or astrology map.

View from outside

Then I walked towards the Wellington Arch...

Harvey Nichols...the sales people there are like models

The Wellington Arch - it was built in 1828 to commemorate Wellington's victories in the Napoleonic Wars.

Then I walked across Green Park and got to Buckingham Palace. There is like a pre-celebration of the 2012 Olympics thing going on. On Sunday, after Beijing concludes the Olympics, there will be a handover celebration here.

The Buckingham Palace - there was no change of guards today. I'll come back another day to see that.


I couldn't walk anymore and needed a rest so I got on the tube at St. James's Park and head over to High St. Kensington instead of walking back to Hyde Park.

There are some shopping areas and major retail stores such as ZARA, H&M, M&S, etc.

...but what I was really there for was this 4 stories Whole Foods! The products are pretty similar to the ones in the US...and of course, there are free samples on some produce and tea/coffee. I didn't buy anything, but I took a good tour around to check out the prices.

Then I walked over to Kensington Gardens. This is the Kensington Palace, which is most notably known for Princess Diana of Wales' residence from her marriage to the Prince till her death.

The garden on the side of the palace.

It started to get gloomy but it didn't rain, luckily.

I walked around the park and got to the Royal Albert Hall. This is the venue for BBC Proms festival.

This is the Royal Robert Memorial.

Then I walked over to Imperial College London. I didn't go inside the campus. This is the science and technology building.

This is the Tanaka Business School entrance.

Science Museum was right next to it and since it's free admission, why not take a browse?

I don't know if you remember from Bourne Supremacy...but they use CCTV to "stalk" people everywhere. In London, there are CCTVs EVERYWHERE, including the bus and probably the most narrow alley as well.

Inside the Science Museum...this place is huge! It has 6 levels...I will definitely take Jevon here so he can do his part and make up all kinds of "scientific facts" to answer my random questions..HAHAHA

ERNIE - Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment

Yeah, Ernest, this whole random number generator is named after you lol...!
My parents and Ernest will probably enjoy this place too...yeah my family's pretty nerdy...and of course cuz it's free! I stayed till ~5:45pm because it was closing at 6pm.

The Natural Science Museum is right next door but it was closing at 6 so I'll save it for next time.

That's pretty much my trip for today! I decided to stay in tonight because my legs are sore and I'm poor because I'm short on cash (LOL everywhere I go, Jevon, everywhere I go!!)....and I need to start packing because I am finally moving into my permanent accommodation tomorrow! I can end the living-out-of-a-suitcase thing...finally!