London. Take 3.

Late for breakfast, but once our bellies were full, we were ready to go!

The Underground Tube was our transportation decision for the day, so we purchased our all day pass and descended into the maze.  The trains were running frequently, but people lined the platform, so our ride was cozy!

When we emerged, Parliament and Westminster Abbey in their architectural splendor stood before us.

In 960 Westminster Abbey became the home to Benedictine Monks.  One hundred years later it became the coronation church where 17 monarchs would eventually be crowned.  Though in 1245 the building of the present church was started by Henry III.  The Gothic building has become one of the most important places in the country.  And here I stood with the opportunity to walk where kings and queens have trod.

The extensive history within the Abbey fascinates me.  I knew that it was final resting place for many royal people throughout history--particularly kings and queens; however, I was unprepared for the number of people buried here--over 3,000.  As we walked down the first hallway from the visitor's entrance, I scanned the inscriptions, and the first name I recognized was Charles Darwin.  Then the tomb of the unknown British soldier on the floor surrounded by poppies made me pause, and at that moment a morning prayer was offered and we bowed our heads as we listened.  An unforgettable moment.

Sir Isaac Newton's monument was in front of the choir screen near his grave. Then I stood in the center of the choir room wishing I could hear the voices of the famous choir fill the massive church.

We meandered through the royal tombs and monuments before reaching Geoffery Chaucer's tomb.  Strange to read the inscription of a man whose works I have studied extensively and with admiration.  He was the first in what would become the poet's corner.  (The photo is of an Abbey courtyard inserted here to break up the monotony for those of you not quite as passionate about English literature and poetry.)

Many poets and writers are buried at Westminster Abbey.  Tennyson, John Dryden, Thomas Hardy, Rudyard Kipling, and Dr. Samuel Johnson, whom I also admire, rest in the Abbey.  And after walking the streets of London, the words of Charles Dickens, one of my favorite authors, were on my mind when I paused at his grave here which was merely inscribed with his name and time on earth.  It was as he wished, and for it I respect him even more.  (Though in fairness to Chaucer who was also a voice for the downtrodden, I should mention that a plain slab marked his tomb before the marble monument was made in his honor 150 years later.)

Memorialized (but buried elsewhere) in the Poet's Corner are many other great English writers and poets~ Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Shelley, Austen, and Bronte are a just a few.  As I stood in the Poet's corner, my English teacher's heart was overwhelmed...and grateful to stand in this the place I never dreamed I would have the opportunity to see.

Afterwards we strolled over to the Cabinet War Rooms.  In the weeks before Britain joined WWII, concrete was pumped beneath the Whitehall building to create the war rooms.  The concrete was nearly three metres thick and reinforced with steel, and how they maintained secrecy during this job is still unknown, but the rooms remained secret until after the war.  Interestingly, there were rooms within the war rooms that were secret to those who worked and lived there too.

Churchill's rhetoric was powerful, and as an admirer, it was fun to walk down the halls and view the rooms where he did his most famous negotiating and work.

The famous red telephone booths still dot the streets~much to my delight!

Seriously, the phone never stops ringing for Ron--but even in London?

After attempting to absorb more history than one could possibly digest that morning, we were famished.  Luckily we found a little English pub nearby (these folks anticipate the need for food and drink on every corner), and ducked in--and down to the basement where lunch was served.  I had the best stew served with mashed potatoes--it was my favorite pub fare of the trip!

Rejuvenated, we found our way back to the subway with Covent Gardens as our destination.  Covent Gardens was the first modern public square in London dating back to the 17th century.  Covent originally was interpreted as monastery or convent.  Perhaps the name stems from the time when the area belonged to Westminster Abbey and it was walled off so they could use the land and orchards (resulting in gardens?).  The history that followed makes me smile, as today it is known as a theater district, and the old fruit and vegetable market area now houses retail stores, including the largest apple store in the world.  Did I forget to mention the prostitutes and pubs that also resided there a hundred years ago or so?

Anyway, we reached our Covent Gardens subway stop and started walking...and walking...and stopping and reading the map...and walking...and then walking back the way we came.  We circled Covent Gardens, but we finally found it!

In the transportation museum we discovered the tunneling history of London noted in my Take 1 entry. When we stepped outside again it was evening.  The street musicians were playing--loved the string quartet playing Christmas music.  An entertainer was gathering a crowd in front of St. Paul's Church--referred to as the actors' church.  Here we entered the church courtyard and the simple church erected centuries before.

Did I mention the cobblestone streets?  They are unlike anything in America.  The rough surface is picturesque, but not functionally as friendly for walking.

Finally as the day disappeared, we sought out the subway station as the evening crowd milled around all the entertainers in the streets beneath the glow of the theatre lights.

Back at the hotel, the weary travelers opted to dine in the hotel restaurant and began the task of repacking.

In the morning, we were up early and finished packing in plenty of time.  We were ready to go home. We caught a cab ride back to the airport.  Enjoying our final views of London, we buzzed through the maze of streets in the infamous little black cab, grateful we weren't driving.

At the airport, I discovered the British version of Harry Potter that I thought the kids might enjoy.  Having never read the books myself and with renewed appreciation for London, I thought it would be a fun family read!

It was a 30 minute walk to our gate, but no worries, we could sit for 10.5 hours after we boarded!  Tapping turkeys kept us entertained at the gate~the British mocking our crazy American customs.

But all mocking aside, a fantastic meal awaited us at home in California with friends and family gathered round.

A perfect ending.

London. Take 2.

I rose early and soaked my feet.

At breakfast, I sipped my tea and watched as men carried the all the Christmas trees around the hotel.

Afterwards, we strolled through Hyde Park in the brisk morning air.  The winter carnival sat quietly in sharp contrast to the hum and lights of the previous evening.

At the lakeshore, we watched the fat ducks and swans.

The trees were turning colors and the leaves were falling gently to the ground.  

A modern arch framed Kensington Palace in the distance.  The palace was built in 1689 and is still used by royal families.  Princess Diana resided there until her death.

As we meandered down the path we reached the fountains--a beautiful maze of flowing water with a jutting medieval tower where large haunting birds were perched.

Soon we were back on Oxford street being enticed to shop by the elaborately decorated store fronts.

At every intersection "look right" and "look left" are stamped on the ground to remind American tourists that the traffic flow is different in London.  As the cars zipped down the street my sense of self preservation adapted quickly.

The British signs made me smile too.  I found their labels very literal.  

Lift = Elevator
Toilet = Restroom

Way In = Entrance

Way Out = Exit

Tube/Underground = Subway

Mind your step = Watch your step

Disabled Toilet = Handicapped Restroom

Carriage = Taxi

Give Way = Yield

Returning to the hotel at midmorning, my husband donned his suit in preparation for the awards luncheon.  By 11:30 AM champagne was being circulated amidst the gathering crowd.  Soon we were ushered into the ballroom.  The ornate room was dimly lit with massive sparkling chandeliers.  Tables covered with white tablecloths and gleaming with silverware and glasses filled the column lined room.  There were as many glasses as pieces of silverware at each setting (in other words lots of each).  The appetizers arrived and the accompanying wine was poured, and when the plate was swept away I was down one fork and one glass.  The entree was accompanied by another wine.  Then dessert...and another wine.  Then came the trays of meat, cheese, and olives.  And another tray of sweets.  In the meantime, the international tunneling presentation rolled forward.  The Bay Tunnel was highly commended a.k.a. runner-up/second place--a great accomplishment!  Per the invitation, carriage time was 5 PM.

The Bay Tunnel group was headed to dinner later at a nearby pub, and we tried to join them, unsuccessfully, as they were no where to be seen; however, a second door farther down the street opened to a staircase and another dining room (not accessible from the inside of the pub).  Thinking we failed to find the right location, we roamed back down Oxford street where my favorite Christmas lights twinkled overhead.

"City sidewalks, busy sidewalks...It's Christmas time in the city."  We explored the British department stores and found a few things to take home to the kids--who were never far from our minds.  By 9 PM the stores started to close and we walked back to our hotel, exhausted.

That elusive sleep came more easily--until the telephone rang!  It was 8:30 AM and we were late for breakfast! 

London. Take 1.

In 1841 the tunnel beneath the Thames River in London was finally completed.  It was the first known tunnel beneath a body of water.  In 1869 it was purchased by the underground railway and the steam trains immediately started rolling through it.  It still remains part of the underground system today.

Thus I arrived in London 172 years later for the International Tunneling Awards with my tunneling husband.

Wintry gray skies greeted us as the plane taxied down the runway.  Soon we would be piling into the "carriage" and cruising down the wrong side of the road into the city.

Darkness was rapidly descending when the doorman in his top hat and long, tailed coat greeted us at our hotel, so we made a quick change and walked to Oxford street which was bustling with shoppers.  Hungry, we dove into the first restaurant we found.  It was a lucky find, as the Italian fare was utterly delightful!

Later in the evening, we stepped inside our first pub--welcoming the warmth.  Wooden planks lined the floor and hues of red and gold adorned the walls and elaborate drapes hung round the windows.  Though the cozy room was filled with people, voices merely murmured around us--very different than noisy American restaurants and bars.  Pubs are oft referred to as gathering houses, and it was obvious that drinking was not the primary purpose of the patrons.

Back at the hotel, we tried to sleep during the hours we generally are awake--very tricky!

Early the next morning, the adventure began on the Red Bus Tour where we were perched at the top of the double decker bus in the front row which granted us great views of London.  Our guide sat with us, as we were the only patrons for the first hour.  We listened closely to his stories, as we adjusted to the British accent.  We rolled by all the famous scenes of London.

The curved street and buildings exemplified the adaptions of a city settled long ago before roads were filled with cars. 

In Trafalger Square, we saw the Blue Rooster which a female sculpture contributed to offset all the military statues.  She is appealing to the British sense of humor, as the blue color and the animal represent France.  Trafalger Square is named after the 1805 Battle of Trafalger when Britain defeated France.

Falconry keeps the pigeons at bay in the square--and a fine of £500 for feeding the birds.

We stepped off the bus at Buckingham Palace and joined the throngs of people outside the palace gates.    The horse guard trotted down the road.

After snapping a few photos, we walked down the sidewalk towards the pier. Ron noticed the horse guard lining up a few blocks away, so we detoured and watched the changing of the horse guard.

We resumed walking to the pier and waited for our ferry ride to the Tower of London.  The deep voice of Big Ben began to reverberate above us--twelve times.

From the river Thames, we drifted by the London Eye, the Globe, the oldest pub, and as our ride drew nigh we had a spectacular view of the Tower Bridge.

Debarking at the pier, we walked up to the Tower of London. The castle maze started with the original structure in the center erected in 1080.  The massive stone rooms were cold and grey.  The stairs wound up the towers.  Walking along the outer castle walls overlooking the moat, we could survey the area.  We were treading over 933 years of history and where the kings and queens had trod.  The tower aptly named, the Bloody Tower, had final words etched in the stones from prisoners before they met their fate--reminded us of barbaric times in history.  Juxtaposed nearby were the Crown Jewels.  A massive display of Knights' Armor--including some that belonged to the kings that once lived at the tower of London.  Growing weary, we stopped to dine at the Raven's Kiosk.  Charles II decreed that six ravens should always guard the Tower of London otherwise, according to legend, the white tower will fall and  terrible disaster will befall England.  Nonetheless, the warm pot pie gave us strength to carry on our journey!

The outer castle walls appear to be lined with crosses--my impression that it was religious protection was quickly corrected when I learned that they are accesses for archers to protect the castle.

Wearily we trudged to the bus stop as the sun started to slip lower in sky.

For dinner we enjoy fish and chips at nearby pub, as I sipped on my first glass of mulled wine.

Hotel. Sweet. Hotel.