2020 Jen – This day marked when I first fell in love with London with a little adventure the night before.
The night after Windemere was its own adventure. It all started with a lackluster interaction with the hotel receptionist.
This gentleman barely spoke to me. He took my credit card and gave me vague directions to my room. I got lost anyway but found the room and the shared bathroom.
In my haste to leave the room, I forgot to take pictures. The room didn’t deserve it anyway. I left for supper but decided to look at reviews on hotels.com (aka lifesaver) when I returned. As soon as I read about bed bugs and a rat I booked another hotel and bolted. The receptionist didn’t speak to me when I returned the key. (I strongly recommend against staying at the Langland Hotel.) 2020 Jen here – This marked a huge leap of faith for me since prior to this I had all the directions printed out and did not want to travel after dark which I did on this day.
I rested well at my new hotel, ready to embark on the next day of the adventure.
Since I booked the room late, they did not offer free breakfast. No problem. I ate at the Starbucks across the street from the Underground. I added a packet of Justin’s Maple Almond Butter (amazing!) to some Perfect Porridge and had the best breakfast ever.
After breakfast I took my map which I had circled places of interest to me and set off on the underground. First stop, Tower Hill.
This may be just a wall but it’s been around since Roman times!
From there I circled the Tower of London.
I kept thinking of Lady Jane Gray. (That’s what watching the movie a few days before will do.) I didn’t pay the entrance fee to go inside and instead continued across Tower Bridge. 2020 Jen – I had no idea what I was missing. Since it had a little line at the entrance I decided against it. Thankfully, Mom and I visited six years later. I also had no idea that you could actually go up and see the interior of Tower Bridge. 2011 Jen had a lot to learn.
The entire time I crossed I hummed “London Bridge is falling down” and didn’t figure out that London Bridge is a different bridge entirely until I reached the other side and saw signs pointing in the opposite direction. I did manage a great shot once I crossed.
From here I headed in search of the Borough Market which I’d read about on Elle’s blog. I ended up crossing the actual London Bridge 3 times before I got there. The actual London Bridge is quite disappointing.
I did find Borough Market.
While it was nice it would have been a disappointment had lunch not been so good.
This quinoa burger was amazing! I even left the cabbage on because the sauce was pretty good too. I bought some freshly squeezed acai (and 3 other fruits) juice to wash it down.
It looks like sludge but tasted delicious. 2020 Jen – Unfortunately, Mom and I did not get to visit the Borough Market on our 2017 trip. Just a couple weeks prior a terrorist attack had occurred on the groups and they still had it closed off.
When I crossed London Bridge again I happened to pass by the restored Globe Theatre.
It wasn’t on my list but I didn’t mind seeing it. 2020 Jen – Part of me wishes I had gone closer since the Pandemic may spell the end to live theatre at this restored location.
It started to sprinkle then and I needed to get back to the hotel to charge my camera for an hour or so. (The battery light came on at the Tower of London.)
I wish it hadn’t been raining or I would have taken a picture of the Millennium Bridge. (Americans should recognize this bridge from Harry Potter 6.) I did manage to get a picture of St. Paul’s Cathedral, another unexpected pleasure. 2020 Jen – Looking back on these recaps make me wonder if I planned at all.
After an hour to dry off and recharge my batteries I headed back out, first to Harrods.
Since it didn’t appeal to me though so I headed down towards Buckingham Palace, passing a monument to Wellington.
This one, featuring the Beefeaters, is for my grandma. She asked specifically.
Trying to get a picture with all the people around proved quite the challenge. It’s a good thing I didn’t go Saturday though. Thousands of people filled this courtyard for the Trouping of the Colors in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s official birthday. 2020 Jen – so close to history!
While here I took my favorite picture of the entire trip.
As I walked alongside Green Park toward Trafalgar Square it started to sprinkle again. Like an idiot I left my umbrella in the hotel room so I just put my hood up.
The rain started to let up as I walked down towards Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Taking unobstructed pictures here was even more difficult than Buckingham Palace.
Westminster Abbey closed just before I arrived so I spent 5 minutes outside trying to get a picture. 2020 Jen – I planned a lot better and we got to go inside the Abbey. Amazing.
Around this time I wondered what time it was but didn’t remember the giant clock behind my head until a couple minutes later.
This is attempt 8 or 10. I gave up trying to get all of Big Ben and me in a picture.
I walked past the London Eye.
But indulged in a delicious looking waffle creation.
Unfortunately the strawberries were the best part. The waffle itself sat heavy in my stomach until I walked it off.
I crossed yet another bridge…
before heading to Hyde Park.
I walked across the entire park hoping to reach Kensington Palace at the other side. I chose the wrong path for that. By the time I reached this point…
…my feet had had enough. (A google maps search told me I walked over 2.5 miles.) [2020 Jen – I was a walking lightweight.] I found the right path though and headed over. Only to be greeted by a blocked off palace. Apparently it’s undergoing some restoration work. This was as close as I got.
On the way back to the hotel room I squeezed in one last attraction, Cleopatra’s Needle.
I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to seeing things or places mentioned in books. This one comes from Rick Riordan’s Kane Chronicles.
By the time I got back to the hotel with supper I couldn’t wait to put my feet up. A visit to the British Museum awaited the following day and I wanted to make sure my feet were up to it.