【Xi's Travelogue】Experience British Aristocratic Life and Taste High Afternoon Tea in London

This travelogue is a record of Xi Jie's 14-day trip in June 2012 as a member of the Rayli Olympic reporter team interviewing Olympic champions. Let's take a good tour of London together.

Before the travelogue~

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There is a classic line in the movie "Big Shot's Funeral": "A British butler stands in the building, wearing a wig, very gentlemanly. As soon as the owner enters, no matter if there's something or not, he must say 'May I help you, sir?' in authentic London accent. It makes you feel honored!" This shows that while British aristocratic history is widely talked about, the lifestyle of the British aristocracy is even more enviable.

Today, the Rayli Olympic Sister Squad will take you to experience a taste of British aristocratic life. Are you ready? Go!

The British are very particular about quality of life. So where do they often choose their goods? One cannot help but mention Liberty. Liberty is a royal warrant holder located in Mayfair, London. Stepping into Liberty's Tudor-style ancient building, time seems to go back more than a hundred years. It's like entering a nobleman's private residence, walking on wooden floors, climbing old staircases, with footsteps softly echoing in the ancient atmosphere.

Liberty is most famous for its fabrics, especially those with small floral patterns. A whole floor of the store sells fabrics, with ample accessories like buttons and ribbons. Unlike in China, the British still enjoy having clothes made by tailors – partly for a proper fit, and partly because custom tailoring brings a sense of status satisfaction, I suppose!

Liberty's furniture section is also worth seeing. It is said that this sofa is from a very popular brand, House of Hackney. The velvet fabric is covered with animal patterns, and the price is not cheap – close to 20,000 RMB. This is indeed a place for high society consumption.

The candles are incredibly crafted, instantly reminding me of the luxurious candlestick decorations in medieval British castles in movies!

After experiencing the luxurious Liberty, in the afternoon, an unmissable part of aristocratic life is the royal afternoon tea. In the 19th century, gentlemen and ladies of British high society began to enjoy afternoon tea – by a warm fireplace in winter, or in a garden full of flowers in summer, drinking black tea.

We had been looking forward to the famous RITZ afternoon tea for a long time! This is a favorite of many British dignitaries, including Princess Diana. Reservations must be made two months in advance!

It seems that most consumers of the Ritz afternoon tea are tourists who come here out of admiration. Dress code requires formal attire – men must wear ties, women can wear dresses. But it seems not very strict; some women dress casually. At first, I was a bit shy about taking photos, but gradually I realized, oh, everyone is asking the waiters for photos!

The British are very particular about tea utensils. Silver teapots, porcelain with gold and light green accents – understated and elegant. The waiter said that this set of porcelain was specially made for the Ritz Hotel in 2006 for its 100th anniversary by the Queen's designated designer, and the brand name is Budson.

Let the aristocratic afternoon tea begin! The waiter recommended the Ritz Royal English Tea, which is a blend of Kenyan tea with Indian and Ceylon tea.

The highlight is the pastries, arranged from bottom to top: sandwiches, scones, and desserts. There is also a proper way to eat them: first the scones or the bottom-layer sandwiches, and finally the desserts. The idea is to let the tongue savor flavors from light to rich. Here I must especially recommend RITZ's scones! The full description of their scones should be: Freshly Baked Raisin and Apple Scones with Cornish Clotted Cream and Strawberry Preserve. Remember to definitely spread the most fragrant clotted cream and special jam when eating. Absolutely amazing!

While enjoying the afternoon tea, there is also beautiful music to accompany. Wow, at this moment the pianist in the lobby was playing "The Moon Represents My Heart," which really excited the Rayli Sister Squad! Ian is not just an ordinary pianist; he plays for the Queen several times a year. Last year, for Prince William's wedding, he was invited to perform at Buckingham Palace! Many politicians and celebrities have enjoyed his music at the RITZ and other venues, including Clinton, Margaret Thatcher, Pavarotti, Rod Stewart, and more. He also generously showed everyone his photos with various celebrities!

Giando, an Italian who has worked at the Ritz for 20 years, said that in the past, Madonna, Roger Moore, Cindy Crawford all came for tea, but in recent years, fewer come because the Ritz requires formal attire. These entertainment people don't like being told what to wear or do, so they don't come much anymore.

The RITZ afternoon tea is truly an unmissable experience when visiting London. We also got a taste of the aristocratic life! At about 420 RMB per person, it might be a bit pricey. But this kind of experience is not available everywhere. So, if you come to London, don't hesitate to splurge a little!