Tea in London Day 2 Afternoon at Twinings and Highlight of my Trip

After a wonderful morning filled with tea and walking along the Thames, I headed out for my next tea stop-Twinings.  It was a quick ride on the Tube and a short walk up from the tube station to Strand.  Here is what you see as soon as you enter Strand, which is the road where the Twining's first tea shop was and is still located.

Twinings opened their first tea location here in 1706.  

I just love the pendant above the door, don't you?

Inside this small tea shop they have packed quite a bit into it.  They have a large selection of teas-many that I had not seen in the USA. 

They have a Loose Tea Bar where you can smell and sample teas.  They also have a sampling counter where you can ask to try a taste of tea. 



(photo courtesy of Twinings.com)



In the back, is a tea lovers treasury.  There is a very small museum that features some old teapots, tea caddies, tea historical documents and books, and photos.  You won't want to miss it. A very special thank you goes out to the management staff and especially Zed Callaghan for allowing me into the shop when they were closed during the holidays! 

After my tea business for the day had concluded, I decided to visit a few historical spots.  I walked along the bridge into Westminster (with many other tourist) to see Big Ben and the Parliament building.  Big Ben is at one end of the Parliament building.  I was able to stand long enough to hear the bells!

I decided not to take the time to tour the building because I had to get to what is now the highlight of my London trip. I wanted plenty of time to tour Westminster Abbey. In an earlier post, I assumed that the first time I saw the Abbey was when Lady Diana married Prince Charles.  However, a reader named Brian corrected me that they were married at St. Paul's Cathedral. My memories of seeing Westminster are from Princess Diana's memorial and Duchess Kate's wedding on TV. 

The church is more breathtaking that what I had seen on television.  You can chose to pick up a digital recording device that gives some background to each stop along the self guided tour.  I highly recommend it and it is free with the price of admission. 

After my tour, I opted to stay for the evening service and I am so glad I did.  It was one of the more moving spiritual experiences of my life listening to the organ and the choir sing with the fabulous acoustics of this Gothic style building that dates back to 1245.  I even sat where the choir boys were for Prince William and Kate's wedding!

The choir sounded like angels with majestic sounds echoing throughout the room. I just imagined all those that had been there before me, those whose final resting place is there, and all the significant things that have transpired in those halls, and all that Christ has done for me.  I bought a CD of the choir to remember the magical sound forever!

Come along with my virtual tour as my next blog post takes you on a walk through Kensington Gardens to the Victoria and Albert Museum which is full of tea related items.  Do you have a favorite London place so far from my blogs? 

Happy Sipping and Remembering London the Sounds of Westminster, Lisa