June 15th - 17th: London, England
Rose: Flying First Class on my European vacation!
Thorn: Our flight was delayed due to lightning, which caused increased anxiety about catching our connecting flight from Amsterdam to London.
(Everyday I journaled a "rose" and a "thorn", much similar to a "high" and a "low.")
In London, Susan and I stayed at the Lime Tree Hotel. This was a family run hotel with incredible staff. It was definitely my favorite hotel of the trip, and we enjoyed the tranquil gardens in the backyard, even though we were right in the heart of London. As soon as we settled into our hotel, Susan and I walked a few short blocks to Buckingham Palace. It was super neat to see the Queen's residence (there were lights on!), and the crowds were very minimal. Then we walked to "Thomas Cubbit's" for dinner. Susan had roasted chicken breast and I had a lamb pot pie. Unfortunately, I decided that I do not like lamb; however, it was fun to taste a very traditional English dish! Following a short "jet-lag" nap after dinner, Susan and I got gelato at the corner shop to enjoy in the hotel's garden.
Surprisingly enough, both Susan and I got a great night of sleep despite the jet lag! We enjoyed breakfast at the hotel (I ordered a traditional English breakfast: scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, baked beans, and a grilled tomato with English breakfast tea, and Susan ordered muesli with fruit). Fueled up and energized, Susan and I were off on the "Big Bus" Hop-On and Hop-Off tour! We zoomed all over London the entire day. My favorite part of the tour was riding the open top bus with the London Eye on my left and Big Ben on my right. My mouth was hanging open like a little kid in a candy shop every minute.
TIP: Plan for traffic - especially in big cities! Even on the Big Bus tour we spent a lot of time in traffic. So if you are planning to attend a West End show or have an appointment while in London, make sure to plan enough time for potential traffic.
We visited Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral first on the tour. The architecture and ceilings were absolutely breathtaking. At both stops we did the audio tour, which we recommend! It is nice to know what you are seeing. We grabbed a quick lunch at Express City. We were in search of a Rick Steves recommendation and followed the guide book, but the restaurant was closed so we stopped at the nearest eating place. It was not that great, but thankfully the sights that followed lunch made up for it. :) We finished out the bus tour by stopping at the Tower of London (the crown jewels were stunning!).
TIP: Wander off the "tourist street" - you will see more locals!
Dinner this evening was a fantastic Rick Steves guidebook recommendation: "St. George's Tavern." It was only a couple blocks from our hotel and the epitome of a true British Pub! As soon as Susan walked in, she was greeted by a hearty British pub-goer. Our waiter (the owner) was the jolliest man I ever met. Susan ordered a chicken and leek pie and I had bangers and mash (sausages with mashed potatoes). All the food was delicious and the atmosphere was even better!
TIP: Do not RUN out of pounds in London - few cabs take credit cards, therefore you need cash for cabs! *Disclaimer: our cab driver told us that all of the black cabs in London were switching over to credit card readers throughout the summer. This has not yet been confirmed by us, so take your chances!
Following dinner, we went to London's West End to see "Aladdin: The Musical" at the Prince Edward Theatre. It was spectacular! Every set, costume, and musical number outdid the previous one. The musical was funny, fresh, and jaw-dropping. After the play, we rode in an iconic London black cab to complete our London experience! Overall, I loved London and would highly recommend it to anyone interested. I am counting down the days until I can visit it again!
Thorn: Our flight was delayed due to lightning, which caused increased anxiety about catching our connecting flight from Amsterdam to London.
(Everyday I journaled a "rose" and a "thorn", much similar to a "high" and a "low.")
In London, Susan and I stayed at the Lime Tree Hotel. This was a family run hotel with incredible staff. It was definitely my favorite hotel of the trip, and we enjoyed the tranquil gardens in the backyard, even though we were right in the heart of London. As soon as we settled into our hotel, Susan and I walked a few short blocks to Buckingham Palace. It was super neat to see the Queen's residence (there were lights on!), and the crowds were very minimal. Then we walked to "Thomas Cubbit's" for dinner. Susan had roasted chicken breast and I had a lamb pot pie. Unfortunately, I decided that I do not like lamb; however, it was fun to taste a very traditional English dish! Following a short "jet-lag" nap after dinner, Susan and I got gelato at the corner shop to enjoy in the hotel's garden.
Surprisingly enough, both Susan and I got a great night of sleep despite the jet lag! We enjoyed breakfast at the hotel (I ordered a traditional English breakfast: scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, baked beans, and a grilled tomato with English breakfast tea, and Susan ordered muesli with fruit). Fueled up and energized, Susan and I were off on the "Big Bus" Hop-On and Hop-Off tour! We zoomed all over London the entire day. My favorite part of the tour was riding the open top bus with the London Eye on my left and Big Ben on my right. My mouth was hanging open like a little kid in a candy shop every minute.
TIP: Plan for traffic - especially in big cities! Even on the Big Bus tour we spent a lot of time in traffic. So if you are planning to attend a West End show or have an appointment while in London, make sure to plan enough time for potential traffic.
We visited Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral first on the tour. The architecture and ceilings were absolutely breathtaking. At both stops we did the audio tour, which we recommend! It is nice to know what you are seeing. We grabbed a quick lunch at Express City. We were in search of a Rick Steves recommendation and followed the guide book, but the restaurant was closed so we stopped at the nearest eating place. It was not that great, but thankfully the sights that followed lunch made up for it. :) We finished out the bus tour by stopping at the Tower of London (the crown jewels were stunning!).
TIP: Wander off the "tourist street" - you will see more locals!
Dinner this evening was a fantastic Rick Steves guidebook recommendation: "St. George's Tavern." It was only a couple blocks from our hotel and the epitome of a true British Pub! As soon as Susan walked in, she was greeted by a hearty British pub-goer. Our waiter (the owner) was the jolliest man I ever met. Susan ordered a chicken and leek pie and I had bangers and mash (sausages with mashed potatoes). All the food was delicious and the atmosphere was even better!
TIP: Do not RUN out of pounds in London - few cabs take credit cards, therefore you need cash for cabs! *Disclaimer: our cab driver told us that all of the black cabs in London were switching over to credit card readers throughout the summer. This has not yet been confirmed by us, so take your chances!
Following dinner, we went to London's West End to see "Aladdin: The Musical" at the Prince Edward Theatre. It was spectacular! Every set, costume, and musical number outdid the previous one. The musical was funny, fresh, and jaw-dropping. After the play, we rode in an iconic London black cab to complete our London experience! Overall, I loved London and would highly recommend it to anyone interested. I am counting down the days until I can visit it again!