London Calling

So we (we=myself and Julie, travel partner extraordinaire) arrived in London yesterday after a delightful flight that served two hot meals and had a million movies to chose from on our personal video screen. So cool! Anyway, we only slept around 3 hours.

We took the underground (subway) from Heathrow (our airport) to our hotel. Oh my goodness what an adventure. I was hauling two 50lb rolling suitcases and was a little uncertain as to where I was headed. Luckily, we made it to Paddington Station and got a taxi from there to our hotel which was a couple of blocks away. Our hotel is very quaint and our room is very tiny. Think of a closet. Now put a queen bed in it. Yeah.

After getting into our hotel room, showering, and sleeping for an extended period of time, Julie and I went out to explore our area. It is a very cute part of London (Kensington) and our hotel is right across the street from Hyde Park. So walked around the park, saw the ostentatious Prince Albert memorial, walked to and explored Harrods, and tried very hard to remember to look right first before crossing the street.

We walked back from Harrods through the park again and realized, as we reached the other side, that the gates were locked. Yes, we had been locked into Hyde Park. So we had to jump the fence with some other tourists who were also unaware that parks can get locked up after 8pm. Julie was quite graceful and was complemented on this fact by another tourist. I got stuck. Not fun.

Today we went to the Tower of London. Oh my gosh it was so cool!!!! I saw the towers where Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Jane Boleyn, Elizabeth and Jane Grey were held and the green where all (except Elizabeth, of course) were executed. Our Yeoman tour guide was very funny. Oh my goodness, all the history that was there, I felt like such a nerd but it was beyond amazing.

Then we walked on the Tower Bridge across the brown, murky River Thames and along the bank of the river Thames for what seemed like forever. We saw the Globe, wandered the Tate (a modern art museum), and saw St. Paul’s, which is gorgeous! We had plans to see Westminster and the Covent Gardens but it was chilly (I was in a tank top – not too smart in London) and we were exhausted. So instead we enjoyed one of Julie’s favorite pastimes – a nap.

So, here I am, in London. In England. On the other half of the world. Where there is an 8 hour time difference. Where everyone sounds like Harry Potter. Where the humor is a bit off (we watched this odd SNL type program last night – they made fun of Tom Cruise, can’t be that bad, huh?).

This is so neat!
Picture Time

Julie on the underground with all of our luggage

Our closet of a hotel room. It is literally only the size depicted in this picture.

Julie in Hyde Park

Double Decker Bus!! (they are everywhere, actually)

if only I could afford even a coat button from Harrods

THE TOWER!!!!

oh my gosh, the square where the execution platform was

when Anne Boleyn and others were executed

Julie in front of the Tower Bridge
myself in front of the Tower Bridge

this is where the bodies of Edward V and his brother were found. They were 12 and 10 when they dissapeared from the tower in 1483... the main suspect was their uncle, Richard III

London and the Thames

St. Paul's