Visiting Keats House, Hampstead

[BrokenLyre]

It's been too long since I have been on this forum. I miss it very much. Hope to be on here more often.

My wife and I are still planning on visiting London in June 2019. Will be staying two days at a B & B near Hampstead of course. Will also be staying in a hotel in London for 8 days and northern England for 3 days.

I will be visiting Keats House at least once - probably twice - while my wife does something else in the area. And yes, I will take pictures and post them here.

It's a "Bucket List" thing as you know.

[Saturn]

Not long now, I'm sure it will be worth it I hope.

It's THE pilgrimage for Keats lovers.

Much as I love the Keats/Shelley house in Rome the connotations of it are a bit too grim and sad for it to be a wholly enjoyable experience [though if you ever get the chance, and if the chance ever arose, i would go back in a heartbeat].

The Hampstead house, though not exactly as it would have been in Keats' time, it's as close as you can get to feeling what everyday life might have bene like in his time; you can imagine being there.

Enjoy!

[Ravenwing]

You Brits are very lucky to have many historic locations where some of the world's truly most talented poets lived.

@BrokenLyre, I found the following webpage that lists some locations in London that Shakespeare most likely was familiar with. If you are also able to visit any of them, then I hope for you to do so, too!

"10 Locations For Discovering William Shakespeare’s London", by Alice Trickey: https://www.guidelondon.org.uk/blog/aro ... es-london/

There is also the townhouse in Camden Town that the 19th century French poets, Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine rented. This video shows some footage of it: http://www.camden.tv/movies/rambo.mp4

[Saturn]

You could stay months in London and not see everything there is there of literary and historical interest.

I've been visiting it for over ten years and I don't think I've seen 1% of all I'd like to see.

[Cybele]

Oh, BrokenLyre! I'm so jealous! My husband and I have talked for years about going to the UK so that he and his borther could do their "Roots" thing. (His family emmigrated from Glasgow just before WWII.) The closest I've been has been "driving" around Hampstead via Google Street view!
Do have a wonderful, enjoyable and safe trip!

[Cybele]

Well, BrokenLyre, you've not yet had your dream trip, but right at this moment, my husband is researching hotels in the London area. If, in your research, you've discovered any gems and/or reasonably-priced places to stay, could you forward any recommendadions?
And, Saturn, since you are much more familiar with London than any of us over here, I'd be so grateful to learn from your recommendations.
We are in the early stages of planning a trip in August, I'm very excited by trying to reign in my enthusiasm in case our plans fall through. (I also have what is very possibly the world's worst sense of dicrection and can get profoundly lost anywhere. This worries me a bit. )

[Saturn]

I wish I could help on the hotel front - I never have really stayed in a hotel in London [ie in central London] itself but at at a friends' in one of the boroughs.

Depending on your budget and how long you wish to stay you might want to look at staying in accommodation in a self-catering apartment in the outskirts of London, somewhere that has good access to The Tube [London's underground network].
If you are near a tube station you can pretty much get around anywhere in London, and it is very cheap transport as long as you don't mind the occasional crowds.
Tube access is key and you can research your routes before you travel online, or there are many Tube station maps to help you plan your journey before you go.
In central London , once you are there you are never very far away from a tube station, so if you do get a bit lost it's easy to get back on track by visiting a station and looking at the maps or asking directions from staff.

London is a city with historic and interesting sights and buildings almost on every corner and you can stumble across things by happy accident.

Whether or not you go, I would recommend getting an 'Oyster' card which will allow you to use the tube, overland trains and buses which can be topped up at stations throughout the city.

Most of all enjoy it!

[BrokenLyre]

Saturn, Cybele, Ravenwing,

Thank you all for the responses and encouragement and ideas on travel. My wife and I will be in London June 15- June 28. We'll be at Keats House June 19 and 20th!!! YEAH!! Maybe they will let me give the tour. I wish.

Cybele - we are staying in London at a great place recommended by my friend here in Buffalo. He's from London originally and goes back 5 times/year. The place he stays at is far cheaper than other places in London. Excellent service and food nearby. It's the "Point A Hotel in Paddington" 41-47 Praed Street, London, England W2 1NR Phone +442 072 583 140. Check them out. Mention my friend Mizanul Kabir (from Orchard Park, NY, where I live) and mention me as I am recommending it too. I'm a friend of yours.

Ravenwing - thanks for the links. I will look at everything. Appreciate your kindness.

Saturn - your familiarity with London is very helpful. I will take your advice and better manage my way around.

Thanks to all - I have to go to Keats House twice - once to survive the inevitable emotional onslaught from the flood of remembering all I know about his life; and once to absorb it and enjoy it.

I will keep you all posted.
- BrokenLyre

[Saturn]

Excellent, I hope it is all you wish it to be.

Even besides your Keats pilgrimage, London is one of the worlds great cities, there is never enough time to see everything worth seeing. Enjoy.

[Cybele]

Thank you all for the advice!

[Cybele]

And hurray!! We've booked our flight! I'm so excited! <Insert currently non-existent Happy Dance emoji here.> We'll be there in early August!