click on each image below to see a larger pic
From the station, we went straight to the hotel ! Its the most beautiful hotel I’ve seen and been in my whole life ! From the outside, it looked so Victorian. We were about to go through the sliding doors when the porter greeted us by saying, “Good afternoon, are you checking in?” We said yes and then he took our luggage and wrote down our name and said he’ll have our luggage brought directly to our room. When I went into the hotel, the interiors just took my breath away. It took me a few seconds to take in where I was and how beautiful everything was ! The walls, the ground, the ceilings, the furniture, the huge ceiling light… It was just so gorgeous. It isn’t the world I’m used to living in but it felt so good being here!
Then another member of staff from the Claridge’s welcomed us and took us to the lobby to check in. At the check-in counter, someone else took care of us. So many people at our service! The room wasn’t ready yet so they suggested that we went out for lunch and they’d call us when the room was ready. The weather was great so we had lunch outside and then got the call from the hotel. We were taken to our room in a lift which actually had a couch in it. Really! No I wasn’t dreaming! And there was also an elevator operator to press the buttons and close the lift doors for us! Oh my goodness, such luxury!!!
Our room was huge and absolutely magnificent! And what about the bathroom! No need to give you a description : the pictures speak for themselves!
I took some time there to write a note to Nicola. I had bought a postcard representing the castle which is the symbol of the city where I live. I thought that the postcard would be a good idea instead of just a piece of paper. And in a red envelope so that she could see it ! I wanted to write so many things, to tell her how I admired her, but there wasn’t enough space on the postcard. It would have to wait till after the performance, if I manage to see Nicola.
It was time then to go to the National Theatre to get the tickets and leave a note for Nicola. We took the stairs instead of the lift to go out and I don’t know which one was the more beautiful!
aerial view of Claridge’s stairwell
In the tube, of course I kept thinking about Spooks and I must have smiled at one point because my husband asked me why I had this smile on my face. I told him he wouldn’t understand : there was an indication on one of the windows of the Tube, “CCTV in progress”. MI5 is everywhere! And when we were walking into the Tube stations, all these cameras … Was there a Ruth Evershed or Malcolm or Tariq watching me? I got very nostalgic for the show …
We got out at Embankment and the NT was just in front of us. It looked so huge. And on the right, the London Eye, Big Ben and Whitehall (was Home Secretary Towers there, I wondered). It was late afternoon and with that lighting, we managed to take some beautiful pictures.
So I’ve watched again this Spooks episod with Lucas and Ros at St Pancras in season 7 (s7.6) and the lift I’ve taken into picture is really the one we can see at the end of the episod!!!
I laughed, I cried, I laughed again! Such a great review/report of your trip to London & Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time! Thank you for sharing with other fans!
I’m soooo glad you liked it! I’m really happy that you felt all these emotions reading the report : it means that I managed to describe all the emotions I felt when I was there so that other fans can feel the same! I was so thrilled when I read other fans’ reports that I wanted to share my experience with others!
What a great write-up! But too bad you don’t look happy at ALL! LOL! I’m so happy for you. And good for you for calling out her name and getting her to come back and meet you! I’m so jealous she kissed you on the cheek! She did the same to my husband but no to me 🙁 You expressed so well exactly the way I felt when I met her. I was floating on air and I was so happy even after meeting her for the third time. So you have a lot to look forward to the next time you meet her! Wow, Claridge’s, can’t top that!
I still don’t know where I found the courage to call her by her name. If I had waited 2 more seconds, she’d been away… When she turned back to me, I was so surprised and I didn’t know what to say for a few seconds! That’s why I talked about the note! To give me time to realise Nicola was there in front of me and I was talking to her! I can’t believe you’ve met her 3 times! You’re so lucky! I can’t wait for the next time. I hope I won’t have to wait too long! If there’s a next time, I’ll make a list of the things I wanna ask/say not to forget as it happened when I met her! The Claridge’s was a great experience! It’s going to be hard to do better! Perhaps a suite next time! I should start saving money right now!
Even if I have 2 pictures and an autograph, it’s still hard for me to really believe I’ve met Nicola Walker! She was sooo fantastic, nice, great,beautiful, gorgeous, etc…!!! Indeed, it’s going to be hard to do better than the Claridge’s! The Savoy? LOL
Brilliant report, Virginie. So pleased you got to meet Nicola. The Claridge’s, eh? How are the rest of us Nicola fans ever going to top that when we go to London next time?!