My friend Marystephanie and I certainly set a good pace for ourselves on our trip to London this March, and just because Monday was our last full day, we were not going to slow down.

We had arranged to have tea at the Pan Pacific Hotel and after a series of emails from them, agreed to change our time to noon! Far too early for tea, but what could we do? Using the CityMapper app, we found our way there on the Tube, and we basically had the place to ourselves! We settled into the lovely garden-themed room and prepared to indulge. First we had to choose our tea, of course! I opted for the Milk Oolong and Marystephanie ordered the Gyokuro Green Tea. We also had a glass of sparkling rosé. (That’s allowed at the beginning of any meal when you are on vacation.) Then it was on to the amuse-bouche, a roasted butternut squash soup and an Isle of Mull cheddar tart. Yummy, and I was already full. But fear not: I was not giving up that easily.

Next came the savories: a quartet of sandwiches like no other. There was smoked salmon with crème fraîche, dill, and lemon on rye; cucumber and cream cheese with mint on white bread; ham and mustard on white; and a Buford brown egg and watercress on brioche. We were absolutely full, but we were not going to stop there. We are not quitters! Though seriously, one serving would have been absolutely enough for two people.

We had reached the scone portion of our tea, and these were unlike any scones I had ever had before. These refined delights had candied ginger and were served with clotted cream, strawberry jam and orange marmalade. We did our best, but we were reaching maximum capacity.

We took a small break as our server then came with another pot of tea. Marystephanie stayed with the green tea, but I switched to Masala chai. And then came the pièce de résistance-the incredible pastries that the Pan Pacific is known for, which are served in a birdcage next to the table. We each had four: A chocolate hazelnut layer cake; a passion fruit orange tart; honey pomegranate mousse served on a sable; and tarragon custard with apricot compote served on a poppy seed sponge.  Though I did not finish them, I tried each and they were all beyond compare. I do wish that I had eaten dessert first, since I may have been able to enjoy them more fully.

I had eaten my weight in savories and sweets and was more than ready for a postprandial siesta, but I knew we had to push onward. About which more next week….