Day 5 - Hamilton on the West End
- Gayle Hartleroad
- Apr 10
- 5 min read
Gayle: After having re-set the “bedding barrier” and a FULL day with Harry Potter, we each gloriously slept for 9-10 hrs! There’s no guilt in that, as this trip is a marathon, not a sprint.
Kara had originally booked us for a Harry Potter tour today. It was to show us sites used in the filming of the movies, like Millennium Bridge, and personal locations, like Daniel Radcliff’s school. While it would use the Tube, in studying the expanse of site locations, we canceled this. It made for a far more relaxing and slower paced morning of showers and getting ready for afternoon happenings.
We left the room around 11:20am and headed for the Victoria area of the city. Before leaving St. Pancras, Kara wanted to do a walk-through of the Eurostar check-in for tomorrow morning due to our early departure time. This was helpful for us, as well as my taking notes and photos for my travel client who will be here in July. Also, we noted how chilly it is in the morning and are adjusting our wardrobe for tomorrow as well.
One thing, as you will continue to learn is we like to have at least one “proper” meal in a city we are visiting. Seeking something that would fit the bill and nearby the theatre, Kara made a 12:15pm reservation for us at The Ivy Victoria.
Upon arrival our coats were taken and we were seated early. (Do I think we were seated near the door, where a cold breeze flowed each time the door opened, because we are Americans? Probably.)
Our starter was a shared portion of Truffle Arancini Balls. We can assure you these are NOT what you get in Rome, as this version was small, like the size of a small truffle. (We thought the “truffle” in the name was due to an ingredient, not the size!) Kara: While they were small, they did have a nice truffle flavor.
Gayle: For mains, Kara ordered the hearty Shepherd's Pie. I’d planned for something a bit more adventurous, but ultimately (& again) landed on the Fish & Chips. My peas weren’t traditional English “mushy”, nor American whole. They were a mix, as if they’d taken one spin in a food processor. Regardless, they were lovely. My giant piece of fish was fully battered with a light flavor. The “chips” (fries) were completely common to the point I only ate a few.
Kara: I saw a variety of meat pies in different spots around London during the trip so I’d been thinking about this British fare for a few days. This was hearty, but if it weren’t for the delicious beef au jus that they added to it, the flavor would have been quite ordinary. I swiped a few of Gayle’s “chips” to sop up just a little more of the au jus.
Gayle: For dessert, I shockingly opt-ed for the standard crème brûlée; it was also satisfactory, but nothing to write home about. Kara rightfully ordered the Chocolate Bomb. (I always love a dessert with a show element!) She made the “right” choice, as the caramel topping was perfect.
Kara: I don’t usually do fancy dessert but this sounded fun and I love a salted caramel sauce. This sauce was DIVINE. The chocolate dome came nestled in a wreath of foamed crème. My family will know that I don’t do “gooey” foods so whipped toppings are normally out. However, the cool foam with the warm caramel sauce was amazing. The chocolate bomb with a little ice cream was also tasty, but it was really all about the caramel sauce.
Gayle: The service was top-notch, nearly at the level of Disney Cruise Line Palo (our standard for service). However, as groups arrived, the volume notably increased and we realized we were being charged for bottles of still water.
Was it a perfectly fine, quality full meal? Yes. Would I seek it out again? With all the choices in London… No. Was it worth $120? Definitely not.
In an outdoor shopping area a block from the theatre, Kara stopped in to Boots (like small CVS/Walgreens) for more curling hair gel. She was surprised to find the same brands as at home. Going to pay in cash, she realized she’d only put Euros instead of the Pounds in her bag! Luckily, the attendant was kind and understanding and Kara just used tap to pay with her credit card as we’ve done throughout the trip.
Next we arrived at The Palace Victoria theatre for the matinee of Hamilton. Kara has seen it three times prior, but this was my first, having only seen it on Disney+. It’s been awhile since I’ve been to a stage production and was reminded how much I like the experience. (Of course this is a multi-Tony & Grammy award-winning show!)
It was incredible. It also really felt like they chose actors who very much sounded like the original Broadway cast. When listening to the soundtrack at home, I often skip a large section of the ending due to how sad it is. Between that aspect of the show and life events over the past couple of years, I couldn’t stop the flow of tears. Again, no regrets.
Kara: We’d chosen seats in the “Royal Circle” and went for center stage. Of all four times I’ve had the privilege of seeing the show live, these were by far the best seats I’ve ever had.
Gayle: While it was only 5:30pm at curtain, we knew we needed to get packed and headed home. We were again reminded to avoid the Tube between 5 & 6 pm. We were initially held in the terminal at Victoria and then had to endure crowds getting to, on, and off the train, with brief delays at nearly each stop in between. Arriving back at St. Pancras just a bit after 6pm we walked the connecting underground path to King’s Cross so Kara could see where the London Transit had placed “Platform 9 ¾” for the public. (I’d gotten my photo taken here on the previously referenced study abroad.) Due to having just done this at the Studio Tour and the crowds, we snapped a photo and headed back to the hotel.
We were back in time again for Happy Hour appetizers/small bites in Chambers Club, headed upstairs to pack, and started considering if we will be walking to our next hotel from the train tomorrow.
Kara's Video Summary
Kara made a video summary of each day of our trip. We're uploading each one at the end of the post for that day.
Next up… Cheerio London and a Tale of Two Trains
On that note… Disclaimer: I (Gayle) am a travel agent with Authorized Disney Travel Planner agency - Off to Neverland Travel. Contact me today for a no-obligation quote!
As to Disney artwork, logos, and properties: ©Disney | Ship Registry: The Bahamas | CST# 2090317-40 / Fla. Seller of Travel Ref. No. ST37203
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