What a wonderful city London is! We've been here two days and have been literally running from one tour to another. We're pretty exhausted, and look ferward to exploring a few sights on our own.
This morning we took a tour that began at Trafalgar Square. We took the underground (their word for subway) from our hotel. We've found the London underground to be a great way to get around and less costly than taxis. We had a whirlwind tour seeing Parliament, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, and the changing of the guard at the palace. Most impressive were the crown jewels in the Tower of London.
We have bein touring so much that this afternoon, we decided to do a little shopping. We went to one of the world famous department stores. The enormity of the place was overwhelming. We found we were more comfortable shopping inthe smaller shops. I bought a wool scarf and a tea set.
Hyde Park is walking distance from our hotel. So at the end of a hectic day, we decided a stroll through the park was just what we needed. We ended up sitting on a park bench for about an hour. The people-watching was fun. All the classic English characters passed before us -- men in derby hats and pin stripes, nannies pushing baby carriages, and bobbies among them.
Our morning tour guide said no visit to London is complete without tea at the Ritz Hotel. So from Hyde Park we walked a short distance up Picadilly and had a most memorable testime. It was really a small meal, with hot dishes being offered with the usual fare of scones, cookies, and cakes.
After sufficiently stuffing ourselves at teatime, we walked a bit more. But the London rush hour got to us so we decided to take in a movie rather than try to get back to the hotel. Somehow, I've gotten enough energy to write this entry in my trip diary. I've had a truly wonderful day. I love this city.
September 12
I've got to catch up on two days of diary entries. We went to the theater last night, and got back to the hotel too late to do any writing.
Yesterday, we took a break from organized tours, and decided to visit several London sites on our own. In the morning we went to Westminster Abbey. We bought a guidebook and took a leisurely tour of the church.
In the afternoon, we visited the British Museum. The place is so huge that it is impossible to even think of covering it all in one afternoon. But we took a quick tour and saw the Magna Carta, the Rosetta Stone, and a huge collection of original manuscripts and musical scores -- Bach, Handel, Beethoven, Keats, Shelley, Dickens, and many more.
Today, we left London and took a day tour to Stratford-on-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. We went by bus with a large group but the tour guide was so well informed that it was well worth it. We covered a lot in one day and even took time for a leisurely lunch at a local hotel.
Stratford-on-Avon is a picturesque little town and still maintains its Elizabethan flavor. Most buildings are the originals and have been very well preserved. We enjoyed seeing all the sites related to Shakespeare's life.
Tomorrow is our last day in London. We'll have to make the most of it!
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