DASNET

We woke up Tuesday morning, got cleaned up, packed a smaller subset of bags, and ran out the door for the trek (3 blocks) to the train station. We took an Arriva train (basically, commuter rail) to Leeds, about 40 minutes away, then transferred to a GNER (Great Northeast Railroad) train for the trip to London. We got to Kings Cross station about 1:00 in the afternoon, and promptly dragged our bags over to Platform 9 3/4 (where you can catch the train to Hogwart's, if you're not quite as much a Muggle as we are). Then, it was a quick cab ride to our hotel (The Montague on the Gardens), lunch (at the London Cafe, a few blocks away), and then off to the Underground!

We walked to a nearby station (Tottenham) and took the subway (sorry, "Tube") to Charing Cross. Almost immediately, we noticed a nice little church in front of us. It was The Parish Church of St. Martin in The Fields. I think I've heard of that one. Anyway, we walked past it, and there in front of us was Trafalgar Square. Off in the distance, we could see the Victoria Tower at Parliament, while nearer to us were several very large lions and a statue on some sort of column. :) Continuing our walk, we headed towards Whitehall, and stopped at Horse Guards. This compound was originally the only (and remains the official) entrance to Buckingham Palace, and it is here that the Queen's Life Guard stands guard. We were lucky enough to have arrived just in time to see the changing of the sentries! Then, we continued on down past 10 Downing Street, the Cenotaph, and on to Parliament and Westminster Abbey.

We were too late to go inside anything, so we walked around the Abbey, checked out the Sovreign gate at Parliament, visited the park just south of the Victoria Tower, and wandered across the Thames to the London Eye. The Eye is a huge ferris wheel, containing something like 30 individual glass-enclosed pods, each of which can hold over 20 people. The wheel turns very slowly, so that you've got a 30-minute long ride high over London. Good thing about coming so late in the day: no lines and an almost empty pod. Bad thing: All the interesting sights are on the west side of the river, with the sun on the wrong side. Anyway, we enjoyed the ride, and the view, seeing Parliament, Downing Street, Buckingham Palace, Battersea Power Station, Westminster, St. Paul's, several weird looking buildings, and just barely, the Tower of London.

Also while up there we noticed a barge in the river just below us. On the barge was a flat sort of thing that looked like it might be a lighted sign or something. It said "London 2012" and included the Olympic rings. Turns out that very day the International Olympic Committee had announced the "short list" of five cities in competition for the 2012 Olympics, and London had made the list! (along with Madrid, Moscow, Paris, and New York) As we were walking away, it occured to us, "hm...a barge...fireworks!!" We checked with someone who looked semi-official, and, yes, fireworks were scheduled for 9:30. So we crossed back over the river (unfortunately, the closest footbridge with the best view was closed). We found some dinner at a nearby italian restaurant, walked back to the Victoria Embankment park (hoping that would be a good vantage point), and waited. About 10 minutes of 9, people came around telling us the park would close at nine, so we got up and searched for a better location. What should we stumble upon but a tapas bar, on a boat, right across the river from the barge! And there was an empty table! So we ran down, ordered drinks and some fried plantains, and waited for the show.

The first volley scared about everyone on the boat, because nobody knew it was coming. Nobody, that is, except us, and the two people in black t-shirts with walkie-talkies who obviously worked for the fireworks company. Shortly into the show, the London 2012 logo was lit up with sparklers, and we heard "3...2...1..." coming from the walkie-talkies about 10 feet away. Right on cue, the footbridge erupted in a waterfall of sparks! (now we know why it was closed). The show was short, unfortunately, but still an incredible thrill, and a great way to close our first day in London. We finished our drinks, watched them put out a small fire on the footbridge, congratulated the fireworks workers ("fireworkers"?) on the show, and took the tube back out of town (well, back to the hotel, anyway).

We got a late start. I mean, well, we were still fairly tired. First off, we went to the tube (Tottenham, again), and were surprised to be routed around the escalators. Turns out that one of the three escalators was down for long-term repairs, and in the morning both the others move up. So we took a side corridor and followed the sheep down a spiral stairway, 100 steps down (yes, David counted). It looked like they'd sunk a 12' wide steel tube, ran pipes down the middle, and wrapped stairs around it. Took us forever to get down.

Then, we got out at the Leicester Square station, and started looking for theatre tickets. After a while we gave up, not seeing much that really grabbed us (it seemed silly to see a show just for the sake of seeing a show), so then we got lost (trying to find an Information center) and then found our way to Trafalgar for sausage rolls (and a nice chat with an American who misses all the pigeons).

Then it was a rush to Buckingham Palace to see the Changing of the Guard. Halfway there, we ran into the back of a parade -- no, wait, that's the guard (you know, the one that's supposed to be changing). We caught up, took some pictures, and planted ourselves in the middle of the crowd. After some time we decided we'd never be able to see anything good (everything happens behind the fence, and about 5000 other tourists), so we moved on to Westminster Abbey.

Westminster is incredible. It's less a church than it is a National Cemetery. Henry V, Isaac Newton, Lord Tennyson, Handel, Chaucer, Laurence Olivier...over 3300 people are estimated to be buried there (poor record keeping early on). The building itself is a classic cathedral style, with a beautiful Chapter house, cloisters (we sat and listened to the bells there), a high altar, the tomb and shrine for Edward the Confessor (closed to the public). Also present was the Coronation Chair (used by every monarch since 1296), the Tomb of the Unknowns, and plaques for every poet and author imaginable. We only spent a few hours there, but could have stayed for hours more. As it was, we were hungry and wanted to move on.

As we moved north, we passed in front of Parliament, where the crowds seemed a little thicker (and more camera-laden) than they'd been the day before. We asked a security guard what the deal was (after he'd urged a path open) and he laughed, saying this was normal. We pressed him (there were several TV cameras on tripods), and he laughed again and told us to watch the news that night. Turns out just earlier that morning the Prime Minister had been hit with a "purple flour bomb" during Prime Minister's Questions. So things were a bit, if not tense, then at least circus-like. We left, grabbed a snack, and walked north up Whitehall (passing 10 Downing street -- the little door way in the back of the photo).

Our plan had been to visit Temple Church (featured in The da Vinci Code), but it was closed.
On our way there (after a tube ride and late lunch) we visited the Twinings Tea store. A sign in the store proclaimed that the "tea the rebels dumped in Boston was NOT Twining's Tea." After we left, we took the tube back to Trafalgar, where we went to an Evensong service at St. Martin in the Fields (after some time in the Crypt for a snack and light shopping). We'd expected a choral performance, and hadn't been ready for it to be a bona fide religious service. Hundreds of our Catholic ancestors must have been rolling over in their graves. Still, we sat it out (and smiled at the formal prayer "God save our gracious Queen"), but had to leave when David had a coughing fit (the acoustics in that place are incredible).

Then, it was back to the hotel room for some rest, then dinner at a place a few blocks away called Cagney's (everything based on the actor Jim Cagney). Very American menu, crowded sidewalk cafe, decent food, great setting. Then we walked back home, watched the news (Purple flour! Wow!) and crashed.

Again with the late rising. And head colds. And sheep-like descent into the tubes. Then, we breakfasted at a Nero Cafe (coffeeshop chain) just down the block from St. Paul's Cathedral, where we enjoyed a 2-hour guided tour with one other couple. The history there was incredible, the church magnificent (even though much of it was obscured by recent restoration work). We climbed the 550+ steps (David counted, Andrea looked at a sign) to the top of the dome and were treated to an incredible view of London (and, on the way, an incredible view of the interior of the cathedral). There's an American chapel in this cathedral. Apparently, after WWII (or, as they like to call it, "The War of 1939 - 1945"), representatives of the US asked Britian if we could have a memorial somewhere in the UK for Americans fallen in the defense of Britain. The Brits said "Of course, but it should be our responsibility to provide it for you." They cast around for a location, and someone must've said "Why not St. Paul's?" because that's where it is, in a place of very high honor at the easternmost end of the cathedral, behind the High Alter. We were, honestly, floored (and I can only imagine how the people who'd first asked for the memorial felt). The chapel featured intricate limewood carvings (including a "moon rocket" hidden in one corner), and Books of Remembrance for all the Americans killed in direct defense of the U.K. Very moving. Many of the other monuments in the cathedral are of a military nature, including a memorial to Admiral Lord Nelson (featuring a seasick Lion!) and the grave of the first American killed in WWII (a pilot, pretending to be a Canadian, and killed as a member of the RAF.)

After we finished at St. Paul's, we dashed to the Tower of London(including some lengthy underground inter-tube-station walking). We were just able to make the final Yeoman Warder's tour. The tour was great -- the Yeomen are actual members of the armed forces, and this is their final assignment (only qualifying after 22 years of active duty). They actually live in the tower complex with their family, and their children can be married in the tower chapel, and their grandchildren, baptised there.

We learned all about the various executions (some VIPs inside the tower grounds, most outside), the Traitor's Gate (where the guide offered a hearty "Welcome Home" to his Australian visitors), the legend of the Ravens ("When they leave, the kingdom falls." They have 7 ravens now. All with clipped wings, so they won't be leaving anytime soon.), and many many other interesting bits. Unfortunately, since we came so late, we couldn't see much -- truly, this is another half-day site, and if we'd gotten an earlier start to St. Paul's this might have worked out. But we got the tour, and we were able to see the Crown Jewels with no wait. That was impressive, too, as they've obviously been to Disney (3 different rooms with line mazes and big video screens showing looped videos -- there's definitely a long wait most days).

From the Tower we were able to see Tower Bridge, though we never actually got out to the bridge. We took another ride on the tube and paid a quick 20-minute visit to Harrod's, where you, too, can own a doggie canopy bed for the low price of £6,999 (about $12,000). Then, we wandered around looking for food and found a great place called the Bunch of Grapes, and then it was back home (in the rain -- which may have been the first rain we'd seen all trip). We caught up on some journaling, read some, and then, predictably, fell deep asleep.