For the first time we decided to stay in ONE place for a whole vacation. Long enough to put the cameras away and just enjoy the surroundings. Long enough to walk the same roads and visit the same parks. And we quickly conformed to the ebb and flow of our host city: London.
Over the years we have visited London as a gateway to other destinations – a quick peak at Trafalgar, Big Ben and in modern times, the Eye. But never have we taken the time to become ‘Londoners’ – exploring pubs, eat hearty English breakfasts and indulging in Sunday shopping at flea markets.
Soon we found ourselves in the daily routine of grabbing a breakfast, wait for peak times on the Tube to subside, catch the Underground to a point of choice, explore by aimless walking and return before peak traffic starts again. In between trying to find the best fish and chips in town. Just to sit back (or stand outside a pub) with a pint and watch the world goes on its merry way.
We have discovered an incredibly tourist-friendly city. Maps everywhere, ticket booths every block or two and above all, jovial locals. We saw Wicked on West End, took a trip to Stonehenge and Bath, shopped at Spittle Fields, Petty Coat Lane and Jubilee Markets. We got lost in China Town and Soho, marveled at the National Museum and Trafalgar and even treated our daughter to a One Direction concert at Wembley Stadium. We saw the Crown Jewels and the bizarre cruelty of the Middle Ages at the Tower of London. We walked the London Bridge twice and explored the gardens around Kensington Palace more than once.
And as we flew back, we started to think about other great cities: Vienna, Berlin, Rome, Athens…
