For my last day in London, I decided to go off in search of some of the infamous London street art.
Apparently, someone has a sense of humor.
And how exactly does this happen?
And then, of course, comes the political art:
Banksy maybe?
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Day Seven
Tuesday, December 3, 2007
For my last day in London, I decided to go off in search of some of the infamous London street art.
Apparently, someone has a sense of humor.
And how exactly does this happen?
And then, of course, comes the political art:
Banksy maybe?
For my last day in London, I decided to go off in search of some of the infamous London street art.
Apparently, someone has a sense of humor.
And how exactly does this happen?
And then, of course, comes the political art:
Banksy maybe?
Day Six
Monday, December 3, 2007
Woke up feeling a little better, and decided that rather than over-exert myself (again), I would set out for just one thing...The London Eye!
This giant ferris wheel had been drawing me to it since I first started reading up on London. I headed out on the tube to Westminster, expecting to be right there, but I must had made a mistake, because I still had quite a bit of walking. Luckily, I'd grown fond of my walks along the Thames.
the ride:
the view:
I reached the eye, purchased my ticket, and got on line. The ride takes about thirty minutes, but offers some of the most spectacular views, especially of Parliament and Buckingham Palace.
I briefly decided to head out to Westminster Cathedral--but decided against pushing myself too far, and came back to the hotel. Dan ended up working late that night, so he brought home some sandwiches for dinner, which we ate in the room, then went to bed.
Woke up feeling a little better, and decided that rather than over-exert myself (again), I would set out for just one thing...The London Eye!
This giant ferris wheel had been drawing me to it since I first started reading up on London. I headed out on the tube to Westminster, expecting to be right there, but I must had made a mistake, because I still had quite a bit of walking. Luckily, I'd grown fond of my walks along the Thames.
the ride:
the view:
I reached the eye, purchased my ticket, and got on line. The ride takes about thirty minutes, but offers some of the most spectacular views, especially of Parliament and Buckingham Palace.
I briefly decided to head out to Westminster Cathedral--but decided against pushing myself too far, and came back to the hotel. Dan ended up working late that night, so he brought home some sandwiches for dinner, which we ate in the room, then went to bed.
Day Five
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Today we headed off to see the last of the major sites. We headed down Cannon Street, looking for the Temple of the Mithras and I discovered why I kept missing it on my previous excursions. It, like St. Martin-in-the-fields, was surrounded by construction walls. At least I was able to sneak my camera through a small hole in the wall and capture a picture of a small corner of this ancient site.
(notice the sign on the restaurant, "Temple Court"?)
From here we headed to St. Paul’s, and after some more pictures,
we crossed the Millennium Bridge. We took a quick walk around to see the Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, then took the tube to Buckingham.
Dan was thrilled to be here.
After Buckingham, we walked along the river in St. Jame’s Park, home to the world’s friendliest squirrels.
We headed back across the Westminster Bridge towards the London Eye. Unfortunately, I wasn’t feeling up to much more sightseeing, so I went back to the hotel and Dan headed off to meet the group for the Harry Potter tour led my London Walks.
Lucky for me, Dan took lots of pictures during the tour.
The inspiration for Diagon Alley, the economic hub of the wizarding world:
Phone booth that serves as the entrance to the Ministry of Magic:
London's old stock exchange, where bonds were traded to hunt down Nicholas Flamel's philosopher's stone (the secret of eternal life) said to have been discovered by this 14th Century alchemyst:
Local watering hole of Aleister Crowley, who believed himself to be invisible while wearing a certain jacket, serving as inspiration for the invisibility cloak:
Alan, tour guide:
Today we headed off to see the last of the major sites. We headed down Cannon Street, looking for the Temple of the Mithras and I discovered why I kept missing it on my previous excursions. It, like St. Martin-in-the-fields, was surrounded by construction walls. At least I was able to sneak my camera through a small hole in the wall and capture a picture of a small corner of this ancient site.
(notice the sign on the restaurant, "Temple Court"?)
From here we headed to St. Paul’s, and after some more pictures,
we crossed the Millennium Bridge. We took a quick walk around to see the Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, then took the tube to Buckingham.
Dan was thrilled to be here.
After Buckingham, we walked along the river in St. Jame’s Park, home to the world’s friendliest squirrels.
We headed back across the Westminster Bridge towards the London Eye. Unfortunately, I wasn’t feeling up to much more sightseeing, so I went back to the hotel and Dan headed off to meet the group for the Harry Potter tour led my London Walks.
Lucky for me, Dan took lots of pictures during the tour.
The inspiration for Diagon Alley, the economic hub of the wizarding world:
Phone booth that serves as the entrance to the Ministry of Magic:
London's old stock exchange, where bonds were traded to hunt down Nicholas Flamel's philosopher's stone (the secret of eternal life) said to have been discovered by this 14th Century alchemyst:
Local watering hole of Aleister Crowley, who believed himself to be invisible while wearing a certain jacket, serving as inspiration for the invisibility cloak:
Alan, tour guide:
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Day Four
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Got a bit of a late start today, with me not feeling my best, and Dan recovering from work. We started out on the tube to Pimlico, and walked along the Thames until we came to the Tate Gallery.
We spent about an hour here, consisting mostly of me dragging him through the modern rooms.
After leaving the Tate we walked up to Smith Square to find St. John’s Church, a beautiful building that is now used as a concert hall! From here we retraced our steps to back to the Thames and entered Victoria Tower Gardens for its spectacular views of Parliament and Big Ben.
We crossed Millbank and tried to peak into the Abbey Gardens, but all I could see were some treetops peaking over the stone wall—but it looked to be quite plush and green. We next headed toward the Jewel Tower, which is much smaller than I would have expected,
but it was the first time I'd seen a moat.
We next came to Westminster Abbey and, amazingly, we arrived at 2:45, with Evensong services starting at 3:00! We simply stated that we were there for worship, and were led deep into the Abbey, past all the statues, stained glass windows, and carved wood, and shown to our seats at the far end of the cathedral.
The experience was priceless. I am not a religious person, but I got goose bumps the moment the chorus began to sing. The service lasted about 45 minutes, during which you are treated to a mesmerizing choir and breathtaking views.
After the service, we headed to the Westminster Bridge a stunning view of Parliament and Big Ben reflecting the setting sun.
By now we were running late on our itinerary, after the unscheduled stops at the Tate and the Abbey. So we decided to cut out some steps and find the Cabinet War Rooms.
We made it with about an hour and a half to closing. This underground bunker near Downing Street is where Winston Churchill and his Cabinet commanded the British forces during WW II. We got to see the meeting rooms, maps (one with a small Hitler sketch) among other things. It was interesting, but probably more so for Dan than me.
By the time we left, it was getting late, so we headed off to find dinner. We found the Silver Cross Pub, and had a lovely dinner—bacon and eggs for me (British bacon is not like American bacon), and a stake and ale pie for Dan.
After dinner we took a walk through Trafalgar Square, and then headed back to the hotel.
Got a bit of a late start today, with me not feeling my best, and Dan recovering from work. We started out on the tube to Pimlico, and walked along the Thames until we came to the Tate Gallery.
We spent about an hour here, consisting mostly of me dragging him through the modern rooms.
After leaving the Tate we walked up to Smith Square to find St. John’s Church, a beautiful building that is now used as a concert hall! From here we retraced our steps to back to the Thames and entered Victoria Tower Gardens for its spectacular views of Parliament and Big Ben.
We crossed Millbank and tried to peak into the Abbey Gardens, but all I could see were some treetops peaking over the stone wall—but it looked to be quite plush and green. We next headed toward the Jewel Tower, which is much smaller than I would have expected,
but it was the first time I'd seen a moat.
We next came to Westminster Abbey and, amazingly, we arrived at 2:45, with Evensong services starting at 3:00! We simply stated that we were there for worship, and were led deep into the Abbey, past all the statues, stained glass windows, and carved wood, and shown to our seats at the far end of the cathedral.
The experience was priceless. I am not a religious person, but I got goose bumps the moment the chorus began to sing. The service lasted about 45 minutes, during which you are treated to a mesmerizing choir and breathtaking views.
After the service, we headed to the Westminster Bridge a stunning view of Parliament and Big Ben reflecting the setting sun.
By now we were running late on our itinerary, after the unscheduled stops at the Tate and the Abbey. So we decided to cut out some steps and find the Cabinet War Rooms.
We made it with about an hour and a half to closing. This underground bunker near Downing Street is where Winston Churchill and his Cabinet commanded the British forces during WW II. We got to see the meeting rooms, maps (one with a small Hitler sketch) among other things. It was interesting, but probably more so for Dan than me.
By the time we left, it was getting late, so we headed off to find dinner. We found the Silver Cross Pub, and had a lovely dinner—bacon and eggs for me (British bacon is not like American bacon), and a stake and ale pie for Dan.
After dinner we took a walk through Trafalgar Square, and then headed back to the hotel.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Day Three
Friday, November 30, 2007
I had all intentions of starting the day off with the 10:45 London Walk’s “Royal Tour”, but the headache I woke up with told me otherwise (I should have stuck to beer, no more wine). So, after sleeping in a bit, I headed out around 11:00 to Piccadilly Circus.
Piccadilly’s not too much to speak of, it really is just a very busy intersection with a bunch of billboards—a small scale Times Square—but a site to see nonetheless. From there I walked down Regent Street to Pall Mall and came to the far more impressive Trafalgar Square.
I spent some time walking around the fountains, talking pictures of the column, avoiding pigeons. I was set to visit St. Martin-in-the-Fields, but was dismayed to find it under construction and completely hidden by scaffolding.
I tried to find Craven Street to see the one time home of Ben Franklin, but couldn’t, so I turned back to the Square and visited the National Gallery.
The Gallery has a very cool feature where you can enter your interests into a computer which then prints out a personalized tour to help you navigate through the giant museum. I selected the “Highlights Tour”, but most of the highlighted paintings were, for some unknown reason, it rooms that were closed “until further notice”.
Regretting my two pound donation to the Gallery, I left the museum and headed down Whitehall to St. James’ Park, which surprisingly became one of my favorite places. The park is beautiful, and a nice, peaceful break from the buzz of the City.
I stopped for a sandwich and watched the birds for a while. Then headed to Buckingham Palace.
Arriving at the palace I was glad that I skipped the early morning tour.....
After viewing the palace, and watching the guards, I got myself royally lost looking for Hyde Park.
Well, I came to Wellington Arch, and was disappointed to learn that I couldn’t go up to the top as I had heard.
Then I realized that I wasn’t in Hyde Park, but Green Park. I consulted my A-Z, then was again on my way.
Hyde Park was stunning.
It was the last day of November, and the Rose Garden was still in bloom! I watched the Winter Carnival being set up, then wandered along the Serpentine taking in the views. I made my way to the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain which was deserted at the time, but I can imagine it being full with playing children in the summertime.
By this time it had started to rain, heavily, so I started off towards the nearest tube station when, to my surprise, I stumbled upon all the glitz that is Harrods! The pictures just don’t do it justice—the lights, the trees, the windows—what a fabulous end to my day’s journey.
I headed off back to the hotel to dry off and meet up with Dan for dinner.
We hit the White Hart Pub on Bishopsgate Road for proper British pub fare—fish and chips for me and a meat platter for Dan, not to mention a few pints.
Went back to the Hoxton nicely stuffed and buzzed, and drifted immediately to sleep.
I had all intentions of starting the day off with the 10:45 London Walk’s “Royal Tour”, but the headache I woke up with told me otherwise (I should have stuck to beer, no more wine). So, after sleeping in a bit, I headed out around 11:00 to Piccadilly Circus.
Piccadilly’s not too much to speak of, it really is just a very busy intersection with a bunch of billboards—a small scale Times Square—but a site to see nonetheless. From there I walked down Regent Street to Pall Mall and came to the far more impressive Trafalgar Square.
I spent some time walking around the fountains, talking pictures of the column, avoiding pigeons. I was set to visit St. Martin-in-the-Fields, but was dismayed to find it under construction and completely hidden by scaffolding.
I tried to find Craven Street to see the one time home of Ben Franklin, but couldn’t, so I turned back to the Square and visited the National Gallery.
The Gallery has a very cool feature where you can enter your interests into a computer which then prints out a personalized tour to help you navigate through the giant museum. I selected the “Highlights Tour”, but most of the highlighted paintings were, for some unknown reason, it rooms that were closed “until further notice”.
Regretting my two pound donation to the Gallery, I left the museum and headed down Whitehall to St. James’ Park, which surprisingly became one of my favorite places. The park is beautiful, and a nice, peaceful break from the buzz of the City.
I stopped for a sandwich and watched the birds for a while. Then headed to Buckingham Palace.
Arriving at the palace I was glad that I skipped the early morning tour.....
After viewing the palace, and watching the guards, I got myself royally lost looking for Hyde Park.
Well, I came to Wellington Arch, and was disappointed to learn that I couldn’t go up to the top as I had heard.
Then I realized that I wasn’t in Hyde Park, but Green Park. I consulted my A-Z, then was again on my way.
Hyde Park was stunning.
It was the last day of November, and the Rose Garden was still in bloom! I watched the Winter Carnival being set up, then wandered along the Serpentine taking in the views. I made my way to the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain which was deserted at the time, but I can imagine it being full with playing children in the summertime.
By this time it had started to rain, heavily, so I started off towards the nearest tube station when, to my surprise, I stumbled upon all the glitz that is Harrods! The pictures just don’t do it justice—the lights, the trees, the windows—what a fabulous end to my day’s journey.
I headed off back to the hotel to dry off and meet up with Dan for dinner.
We hit the White Hart Pub on Bishopsgate Road for proper British pub fare—fish and chips for me and a meat platter for Dan, not to mention a few pints.
Went back to the Hoxton nicely stuffed and buzzed, and drifted immediately to sleep.
Day Two
Day Two
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Woke up with very sore feet and legs—I should have brought a pedometer!
Ate the “Prêt” breakfast supplied by the hotel—yoghurt parfait, fresh OJ and a banana, then off to another busy day.
I took off walking towards Cannon Street, looking for the Temple of the Mithras (but never finding it). My disappointment was short-lived as I caught a glimpse of St. Paul’s. I hadn't expected to be as moved as I was by the sight—a sentiment that would definitely be repeated during this trip.
I made my way to the Blackfriar’s Bridge—which took some fancy footwork to cross some very, very busy roads, London is not always friendly to walkers. Crossing the Blarckfriar’s I caught my first glimpse of the London Eye, then looked back to the east and wished I had taken the Millennium Bridge straight from St. Paul’s! I hopped back onto the Queens Walk and came to the Tate Modern.
The Tate was hard to miss with the giant spider (Louise Bourgeois’ extraordinary sculpture Maman) gracing the walkway.
Not to be undone, the first thing I saw walking into the gallery was “Shibboleth” by Dorris Salcedo—a long, snaking crack running across the length of Turbine Hall.
The rest of the gallery did not disappoint, some wildly abstract exhibits—a room filled with cots—and some classic like Pollock and Monet. I had a pleasant lunch in the café, mostly for a chance to sit down, and then on to the rest of my day.
Right next door to the Tate was Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, which I didn’t want to pay to enter, so I just took a picture of the outside, then headed on my way.
I crossed the Millennium Bridge, which was very cool, but scary to think how it had to be shut down when it was first built.
I headed down Embankment, passing some nice surprises along the way—the Inner Temple Gardens, the Embankment Gardens—passed the Waterloo Bridge, and then, finally, reached the Westminster Bridge.
I heard it before I saw it, a loud, booming “bong”, then looked up and there was Big Ben! I got ridiculously excited, nearly pushing people over to get towards the tower.
It cannot be missed. I just walked around for a while, taking pictures of the tower and Parliament buildings.
I headed into the Victoria Tower Gardens, which offers breathtaking views, and then continued to wonder around, not really sure of where I was headed, until I stumbled across the Westminster Abbey.
It wasn’t open to tourists at the time, but I spent some time wondering around the outside, admiring the architecture, and yes, taking lots of pictures.
Finally, with aching legs I made my way back to Parliament to take the tube back to the hotel.
After enjoying a cup of tea and soaking my feet I got a call from Dan inviting me to dinner with his coworker Leah. Although excited for my first night out on the town, it meant more walking. Ugh. I got changed and headed back out to his office on Fenchurch. We met up with Leah, and then headed out to The Dickens Inn, a wonderful little Italian restaurant on the Thames. The lower level is a fancy restaurant, but the upstairs is a more casual pizza/pasta place, which was fantastic, and offered wonderful views. We left the restaurant and crossed the Tower Bridge so Dan could experience it.
Leah introduced us to the wonderful Oyster Card, and then it was back to the hotel.
Only two days into this trip and London had really started to feel like home.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Woke up with very sore feet and legs—I should have brought a pedometer!
Ate the “Prêt” breakfast supplied by the hotel—yoghurt parfait, fresh OJ and a banana, then off to another busy day.
I took off walking towards Cannon Street, looking for the Temple of the Mithras (but never finding it). My disappointment was short-lived as I caught a glimpse of St. Paul’s. I hadn't expected to be as moved as I was by the sight—a sentiment that would definitely be repeated during this trip.
I made my way to the Blackfriar’s Bridge—which took some fancy footwork to cross some very, very busy roads, London is not always friendly to walkers. Crossing the Blarckfriar’s I caught my first glimpse of the London Eye, then looked back to the east and wished I had taken the Millennium Bridge straight from St. Paul’s! I hopped back onto the Queens Walk and came to the Tate Modern.
The Tate was hard to miss with the giant spider (Louise Bourgeois’ extraordinary sculpture Maman) gracing the walkway.
Not to be undone, the first thing I saw walking into the gallery was “Shibboleth” by Dorris Salcedo—a long, snaking crack running across the length of Turbine Hall.
The rest of the gallery did not disappoint, some wildly abstract exhibits—a room filled with cots—and some classic like Pollock and Monet. I had a pleasant lunch in the café, mostly for a chance to sit down, and then on to the rest of my day.
Right next door to the Tate was Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, which I didn’t want to pay to enter, so I just took a picture of the outside, then headed on my way.
I crossed the Millennium Bridge, which was very cool, but scary to think how it had to be shut down when it was first built.
I headed down Embankment, passing some nice surprises along the way—the Inner Temple Gardens, the Embankment Gardens—passed the Waterloo Bridge, and then, finally, reached the Westminster Bridge.
I heard it before I saw it, a loud, booming “bong”, then looked up and there was Big Ben! I got ridiculously excited, nearly pushing people over to get towards the tower.
It cannot be missed. I just walked around for a while, taking pictures of the tower and Parliament buildings.
I headed into the Victoria Tower Gardens, which offers breathtaking views, and then continued to wonder around, not really sure of where I was headed, until I stumbled across the Westminster Abbey.
It wasn’t open to tourists at the time, but I spent some time wondering around the outside, admiring the architecture, and yes, taking lots of pictures.
Finally, with aching legs I made my way back to Parliament to take the tube back to the hotel.
After enjoying a cup of tea and soaking my feet I got a call from Dan inviting me to dinner with his coworker Leah. Although excited for my first night out on the town, it meant more walking. Ugh. I got changed and headed back out to his office on Fenchurch. We met up with Leah, and then headed out to The Dickens Inn, a wonderful little Italian restaurant on the Thames. The lower level is a fancy restaurant, but the upstairs is a more casual pizza/pasta place, which was fantastic, and offered wonderful views. We left the restaurant and crossed the Tower Bridge so Dan could experience it.
Leah introduced us to the wonderful Oyster Card, and then it was back to the hotel.
Only two days into this trip and London had really started to feel like home.
Trip Report, Day One
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
We arrived at Gatwick around 7:00 am and breezed through Customs. Stopped to buy train tickets-Gatwick Express to London Bridge--then went on to baggage claim. We collected our luggage and followed the signs for the Southeast Terminal. The train was on time, but very crowded. We transferred to London Bridge, unfortunately in the middle of rush hour. It was very difficult getting the luggage on the train with everyone pushing ahead of the annoying American tourists.
Transferred at London Bridge to Old Street Station. Exited the station and had a very hard time finding the Hoxton since, of course, we hadn’t thought to bring the exact address. I remembered it was near Great Eastern Street, but despite having my handy A-Z, we still got quite lost and took another hour to find the hotel.
Check in was simple, even though we were very early. Went to our room on the 6th floor. The room was small, but very nice and comfortable. Ignoring all advice I’d ever read, we took a nap. Woke up around noon, showered, and then Dan was off to work. I walked with him to his office on Fenchurch, had a quick sandwich at Subway (wasn’t ready to try anything “new” yet), then I walked down to the London Bridge.
I was excited and just so proud of myself that I was able to find it on my own, and was giddy taking pictures, until I looked over and saw the Tower Bridge—I had to get there!
I left the Bridge and walked along the Queens Walk overlooking the Thames River. Snapped tons of pictures along the way. There are some amazing buildings along the river, especially City Hall.
Saw the HMS Belfast—impressive, but not really my thing—on to Tower Bridge!
I crossed the Bridge very, very slowly, camera out the whole time. I managed to get asked out along the way, but that is a different story. I didn’t take the “Tower Bridge Experience” and now I regret it a bit.
Came to the end of the Bridge, made my way through Dead Man’s Hole (giggling the entire time at the name) and made my way to the Tower of London. It was amazing to be in such a historical place, and odd to see a place known for such gruesome traditions lit up for the holidays and hosting an ice-skating rink! After watching the ice-skaters for a while, I used the public bathrooms (btw, the nicest and cleanest in London).
By now it was getting dark and I couldn’t resist snapping more pictures of the Tower Bridge, lit up against the beautiful nighttime sky.
Finally, I made my way back across the Tower Bridge and back down the Queen’s Walk. I got to see the Bridge lift to allow a boat to pass (and paused to listen to a tour guide tell his group how rarely it happens). I guess I thought I had far more endourance than I truly did. I set out to find Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, but it turned out to be much further then I realized, and gave up before I found it. On the way, however, I did come across Southwark Cathedral and The Golden Hinde.
I crossed the London Bridge, now lit up an interesting shade of pink, and traced my way back through the streets of London, making my way back to the Hoxton.
I used the free computers in the lobby to let my family know I survived my first day, and to let Dan know I found my way back to the hotel, then headed up to the room. Jet lag hit and I fell asleep waiting for Dan. We ate at the hotel restaurant, the Hoxton Grill (vegan pasta for me, bangers and mash for Dan), got a couple of beers from the corner store, then slept like the dead.
We arrived at Gatwick around 7:00 am and breezed through Customs. Stopped to buy train tickets-Gatwick Express to London Bridge--then went on to baggage claim. We collected our luggage and followed the signs for the Southeast Terminal. The train was on time, but very crowded. We transferred to London Bridge, unfortunately in the middle of rush hour. It was very difficult getting the luggage on the train with everyone pushing ahead of the annoying American tourists.
Transferred at London Bridge to Old Street Station. Exited the station and had a very hard time finding the Hoxton since, of course, we hadn’t thought to bring the exact address. I remembered it was near Great Eastern Street, but despite having my handy A-Z, we still got quite lost and took another hour to find the hotel.
Check in was simple, even though we were very early. Went to our room on the 6th floor. The room was small, but very nice and comfortable. Ignoring all advice I’d ever read, we took a nap. Woke up around noon, showered, and then Dan was off to work. I walked with him to his office on Fenchurch, had a quick sandwich at Subway (wasn’t ready to try anything “new” yet), then I walked down to the London Bridge.
I was excited and just so proud of myself that I was able to find it on my own, and was giddy taking pictures, until I looked over and saw the Tower Bridge—I had to get there!
I left the Bridge and walked along the Queens Walk overlooking the Thames River. Snapped tons of pictures along the way. There are some amazing buildings along the river, especially City Hall.
Saw the HMS Belfast—impressive, but not really my thing—on to Tower Bridge!
I crossed the Bridge very, very slowly, camera out the whole time. I managed to get asked out along the way, but that is a different story. I didn’t take the “Tower Bridge Experience” and now I regret it a bit.
Came to the end of the Bridge, made my way through Dead Man’s Hole (giggling the entire time at the name) and made my way to the Tower of London. It was amazing to be in such a historical place, and odd to see a place known for such gruesome traditions lit up for the holidays and hosting an ice-skating rink! After watching the ice-skaters for a while, I used the public bathrooms (btw, the nicest and cleanest in London).
By now it was getting dark and I couldn’t resist snapping more pictures of the Tower Bridge, lit up against the beautiful nighttime sky.
Finally, I made my way back across the Tower Bridge and back down the Queen’s Walk. I got to see the Bridge lift to allow a boat to pass (and paused to listen to a tour guide tell his group how rarely it happens). I guess I thought I had far more endourance than I truly did. I set out to find Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, but it turned out to be much further then I realized, and gave up before I found it. On the way, however, I did come across Southwark Cathedral and The Golden Hinde.
I crossed the London Bridge, now lit up an interesting shade of pink, and traced my way back through the streets of London, making my way back to the Hoxton.
I used the free computers in the lobby to let my family know I survived my first day, and to let Dan know I found my way back to the hotel, then headed up to the room. Jet lag hit and I fell asleep waiting for Dan. We ate at the hotel restaurant, the Hoxton Grill (vegan pasta for me, bangers and mash for Dan), got a couple of beers from the corner store, then slept like the dead.
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