Well if you haven’t figured out, our latest adventure was to London. Brad taught a training class at Lakenheath Airforce Base and we decided to make a weekend of it. With our time in Europe fleeting, we have to make the most of what’s left.
I woke up bright and early….wait can you use that phrase when the sun hasn’t come up yet? Ok, I woke up in the dead of night, 3:45 am to be exact, to catch a flight that put me just outside of London at 7:00 am. I met Brad at the airport where we took a bus into the city. We dropped our luggage off at the hotel, not even stepping foot in our room, and hit the ground running.
Now, I’d probably spent more time on TripAdvisor.com and other travel websites than the amount of time we’d actually be in London so needless to say I had a pretty good idea of how we’d spend our days. First stop – Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. We had a little time to spare so we took a stroll through St. James Park, winding our way through until we came upon the Palace. And for a little bonus, we just happened to be at the cross street where the soldiers marched through. Talk about good timing.
Here they are having a little meeting. What do you suppose they are talking about? “This hat is really itchy.” “I’m pretty sure my sword is bigger than yours.” “I should really get my bangs trimmed.”
Here's where I had Brad wispering in my ear "need more cowbell" which was hilarious and even more funny when I realized they were, indeed, playing a cowbell. Christopher Walken would be so proud.
Following the “show” we made our way through Hyde Park….well sort of, we TRIED to make our way through Hyde Park and managed to head the wrong direction. Someone really should give me a compass. Or an iPhone with GPS. After we got back on track, we stopped by a little pub for a quick bite before making our way to the infamous Harrods.
Brad thought he needed this shirt because it had his name on it. Too bad it was hideous. Oh, and about 300 pounds (roughly $550 depending on the strength of the dollar).
Next stop – Notting Hill and a little shopping on Portobello Road. I loved this area! Adorable houses, painted the silliest colors and shops filled with interesting knick-knacks and antiques. We found one little place that sold nothing but knobs and cabinet pulls. So fun!
That evening I had scheduled for the two of us to take a group walking tour. But not just any walking tour, the Blood and Tears Walk. A gruesome and interesting look at London’s bloody past. Everything from grave robbers and secret tunnels to Jack the Ripper and numerous other serial killers. I know, it sounds morbid and dark but it was a really interesting way to see that part of the city and imagine what things were like hundreds of years ago.
Sir William Wallace Memorial...you don't want to know how they killed him in this spot. Yuck!
Following the tour, we were starving. We wandered around (forever) before settling on an Italian place just off Piccadilly Circus. The food was fantastic and after a glass (or two) of wine we were done for. A short stroll through Trafalgar Square and we were back at our hotel.
Day two kicked off with a delicious breakfast at Garfunkel’s. We had already become seasoned pros on the tube and in a matter of minutes we were standing in front of the Tower of London. Our timing was impeccable; the minute we stepped inside a Yeoman Warder's tour (Beefeater's tour) was just about to get started. Our guide was hilarious and quite engaging. We learned a great deal of the history of the tower and it’s many inhabitants. We walked through the “Fit for a King” exhibit, checking out the armor worn throughout the centuries.
(Really King Henry VIII? Really? I don't think the women back then were that stupid.)
A trip to the Tower of London would not be complete without checking out the Crown Jewels. (Unfortunately, we were unable to take pictures inside.) As we were just about to leave the viewing area, an alarm when off and metal bars quickly sealed off the exits. Not sure if some idiot was trying to steal a crown or sword or something but it made for an entertaining morning.
I could have spent all day in the Tower but as this was a quick trip and we had so much more left to see, we simply promised ourselves we’d be back someday.
We strolled along the Thames River making our way to the Tower Bridge. If our stomachs hadn’t been running the show we may have also taken this tour, but instead we just walked across in search of the Borough Market.
We hit the jackpot when we found a place selling every kind of fish n’ chips you can imagine. We ordered beer battered rock fish and haddock. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. We grabbed a beer from a nearby pub and sat on a street barrier enjoying our meal…and the fantastic people watching.
When our bellies were telling us “no more!” we walked it off and headed towards Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. I’ll let the pictures do the talking.
We had hoped to see a show that night but after discovering we’d have to drop a small fortune just to see Wicked in decent seats, we passed and decided to enjoy a fantastic dinner instead. Even though we weren’t technically part of the “theater crowd” we pretended anyway and found a wonderful steakhouse in the West End district.
Being silly
It was getting late but with it being our last night in London and all, we weren’t quite ready to head in. Plus we were on vacation which meant eating a ridiculously amazing (and calorie packed) dessert was completely acceptable. We went back to Garfunkel’s and each ordered our own fancy dessert. But it didn’t stop there. It would have been wrong for us to have a hotel directly across the street from the original Sherlock Holmes’ Pub and not have a beer. So we did that, too.
Exhausted from a day filled with walking and sightseeing and eating…and more walking, we crashed.
We awoke to another beautiful morning and decided a typical English breakfast was a must. I’m not sure who decided beans and tomatoes belong on a breakfast plate but I suppose it works. Yum yum!
We visited Big Ben one last time and spent the rest of the morning in the National Gallery. Our time in London had come to an end and before we knew it, we were back on a bus to Stansted airport. A quick one hour flight and we were home.
If we’d had more time, there are about 100 more things I’d like to see and do…but I must say I was quite happy with how the trip turned out.
Next adventure….PARIS!!
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