I wanted to quickly finish up writing about our time in London so my next blog can be dedicated to our time in Paris. Last I left off I was telling you about my horrible panic attack at Hakassan, so I think it’s time to move on to happier things! Dare I say it’s time to move on to the bloody brilliant experiences in London?! Ha!
Monday we made it our mission to tick off several of the major sightseeing destinations. It was a rainy day and we decided to go comfy style. Erin and I were laughing over the fact that we used to make fun of our moms for dressing like…well, MOMS! And suddenly there we were in our sneakers and sensible gear, ready for a day of hoofing it around London! What goes around comes around! After grabbing coffee, we walked over to Big Ben. With our trusty Rick Steve’s book in hand, we learned that the name Big Ben does not actually refer to the tower or the clock, but actually refers to the bell of the clock. The tower is officially known at the Elizabeth Tower, but I think most people just call it Big Ben. But…now you know it’s actually the BELL! Oh, and the tower is approximately 155 years old. Ding Dong!! We did not go in (I’m not even sure you can go in!?!?) but we definitely snapped a few pictures before moving on to Westminster Abbey.
Westminster Abbey...oh how this church took my breath away. Erin and I just marveled at the site of this very famous cathedral, taking in the incredible gothic architecture and history that this building holds. We entered the church and again were simply mesmerized by everything there was to see, read and absorb. Coronations have been held here, dating as far back as 1066! Royal Weddings have taken place here as far back as 1100 and as recently as 2011, when Prince William and Cate Middleton were married. It is also the burial site of many British monarchs. One particularly touching part of Westminster Abbey is the grave of The Unknown Warrior. It is just inside the great west door, in the center of the nave. Inside this tomb lies an unidentified British soldier killed on a European battlefield during the First World War. This grave is the only one in the abbey on which it is forbidden to walk. I was, of course, curious about this, so later I watched some YouTube vids of Cate walking the aisle, and indeed, she stepped around the tomb. I am SO my mother's daughter.
After our wonderful tour through Westminster Abbey, we made our way over to Buckingham. Unfortunately, we were there during a season in which the changing of the guard happens every OTHER day, and this particular day it wasn't happening. We still saw the guards standing out front, in their royal guard regalia, and that was enough for us. From there, we walked to the Calvary Museum and saw a really cool display of horses and soldiers running their routines as the rain started to come down harder and harder. Finally, our last stop was the National Gallery…a museum filled with many famous works of art, including Van Gogh’s Sunflowers. After a late lunch at a polenteria (a restaurant that specializes in all things polenta...oddly yummy!) and martinis in the evening at an interesting place called Beach Blanket Babylon, we were ready to rest our weary heads. It was a LONG day.
The next day, Tuesday, we made our way to Notting Hill! This was our first trip on the tube, and it was really quite simple! Oh my gosh, this area of London is oh so charming!! There are tons of second hand stores, with a bit of a Melrose-ish feel. The shops are quaint and the houses were darling. Portobello Road is filled with outdoor booths and stands selling various goods. After window shopping and popping into many of the shops, we went to find the famous blue door from the movie Notting Hill. And of course, we grabbed some photos!
Next, we were back on the tube to head to an area of London called Islington, to meet Erin’s dear friend Katherine for lunch! We met at a delicious place called The Fish and Chip Shop and we dined on some REALLY good food! Erin and I decided to share two things so we could have a taste of each. Obviously we ordered fish and chips, but we also ordered a shrimp burger which was just ridiculous. So delish!! After we had a lovely time catching up with Erin’s friend, Erin and I strolled around Islington for a bit, with no real destination in mind. We found an adorable little secret garden and an interesting canal where we stopped for a little photo shoot.
Last stop for the day was a trip to Harrods. Wow, Harrods was completely overwhelming to me. It makes Nordstroms look like Target. Ha! It was very swanky and I could smell the money oozing from some of the shoppers. I did, however, fulfill one of my bucket list items while at Harrods. I bought my sick cup!! What’s a sick cup you ask?? Growing up, and even to this day, my mom has a very beautiful tea cup that she keeps in the china cabinet. As far back as I can remember, she has always brought it out for occasions when we needed to feel better. Maybe it was sickness, maybe it was a broken heart. Many times my mom would set me up on the couch and brought me tea in the sick cup and I felt just a little better. I am so glad she brilliantly suggested that I buy my very own sick cup while I was in London. So it was in beautiful Harrods that I found my perfect sick cup!
A few highlights of our last day in London include walking around Kensington Gardens and seeing the Princess Diana memorial, which was lovely. We also enjoyed high tea at a wonderful place called the Dean Street Townhouse. I would highly recommend this place for high tea, or at least a drink! Very cool ambience and location.
After five awesome days in London, and feeling like we had conquered the city pretty darn well, we were ready to board the Chunnel to Paris on Thursday, September 4.
Travel Tip #6 - You don't need to spend hours and hours at each site. You will completely burn out if you do that! Pick and choose the places where you really want to invest some time!
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