I flew to London for a few short days with my brother (Troy), his girlfriend (Polly) and met up with one of my old college roommates (Howie) while there.
4/18/25 (Friday)
I flew from Pensacola (PNS) to Atlanta (ATL) where Troy and Polly were there waiting on me. We were all on the same overnight flight to London and landed at Heathrow (LHR). I do not think I slept any during the flight although this is usually how I fly.
4/19/25 (Saturday)
Landing in London at Heathrow Saturday morning, the three of us took trains from Heathrow into London and eventually got off at the Tower Hill Station. We did take a few wrong turns along the way, but not by much. We did not end up in France or anything.
The Tower Hill Station was great for us as it is just a couple of blocks from Tower Hotel where we stayed with a fantastic view of Thames. The elevators need work, but the hotel is great. Stay there any chance you get to London. Get a river view room or even a view of the bridge if one is available.
We had plenty of daylight on arrival so we had drinks at The Vu in the hotel and then walked a big loop past the Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, stopped in at the Tower Store for tourist ideas and then walked along the river, across the London Bridge (different than the Tower Bridge), found our first dragon which guards one of the streets in and out of the City of London, past the Shard, stopped for hot beers at the Shipmaker Tavern where we chatted with a young day-drinking Brit guy who was all about moving to the States although he was really just drunk talking.
We continued our walk to an overly loud restaurant and bar on the Tower Bridge road but decided to leave due to the noise, walked across the Tower Bridge and ate dinner at a restaurant in our Tower Hotel, The Vicinity. The weather was beautiful. Sunset was much later it seemed due to being farther north. We had drinks at The Vu and called it a night.
4/20/25 Sunday (Easter)
Easter Sunday, we toured the Tower of London including the Crown Jewels Exhibit, Armory Museum, walked the Tower walls and through the War Museum. The White Chapel was closed for renovations. I do not think I have ever been in the chapel.
Afternoon Tea at The Vu (which was also Easter Tea).
The three of us took a London Double-decker bus to the Changing of the Guard. We had just missed the ceremony so we walked down to the Big Ben area. After a nearby tavern drink, we took a taxi back to the hotel and then walked across Tower Bridge for dinner at Travotti. It has great views of the Tower of London side of the river.
After dinner, we took a taxi to the Hypodrome where I proceeded to lose about 300 pounds on slots and roulette. Troy, of course, knew exactly how to play but did not seem to be able to help me when I needed it most... or help Polly or himself either. I'm sure it was just a fluke (Troy wanted me to make a correction here. He lost no money as he did not make any bets, thus he knows how to gamble).
With less money in our pockets, we took a taxi back to the hotel, had drinks at The Vu and then called it a night.
4/21/25 Monday
We woke a little late and rushed to get our coffee and breakfast downstairs at Starbucks and then a taxi to watch the Changing of the Guard since we missed it yesterday. We made it! Then we walked behind the horses to the front of Buckingham Palace and listened to the marching band.
We walked, after that procession, to Trafalgar Square and spent some time in the National Gallery. Then we walked south and stopped in the Harry Potter store with its $800+ chess sets which Troy said ' definitely no' to. Then, we rode on the top front seat of a double-decker bus to St. Paul's Cathedral. We saw a huge dragon on the way.
At St. Paul's, we sat through a service, appropriate it being Easter. I had hoped to get baptized but that was a 'no' due to my lack in royal blood (I probably have some), popularity and funds. Instead, we walked to the top of the dome which is a long and circular trapes up almost to Heaven, I think. My legs still burn.
From there, we walked across Millennium Bridge to The Globe, ate at the Swan and walked over to Southwark Cathedral as I had bought a cathedral passport at St. Paul's. The gift shop was closed but the lady offering info got the stamp for us. She told us stories about the cathedral. Her favorite was the pink marble market for our American Indian Chief who had visited over 100 years ago. Shakespeare also attended services there.
We took a taxi to the Mousetrap Theatre from the cathedral. Troy bought society books before the show from a local bookstore (Another correction from Troy: he bought Folio Society books from a different store).
The play was great. We can't tell anyone about who did it. I do not think any of us guessed the murderer.
4/22/25 Tuesday
Howard met us for breakfast at the hotel. Troy and Polly left after breakfast for their flight to Belfast. I went with Howard to the British Museum - saw the Rosetta Stone - and then lunch (sushi). We sat in a park trying to solve all of our problems with the world and then walked on to The Old Bank of England on Fleet Street. We taxied back to the hotel. I bought souvenirs at the Tower of London Store, walked around the marina behind Tower Hotel, ate pizza on the marina for dinner and called it a night. It is always great to see Howie on my trips. It is odd that he if one of those that lives the farthest away, yet I see him the most of all my college buddies.
I flew back home the next day, but not before I got my first Louis Vuitton passport cover at LHR.
I learned later that Troy proposed to Polly in Ireland. He did take my advice on kissing the Blarney Stoney for good luck and he says his luck has indeed gotten better. He said he has always regretted not rubbing the balls of the bull on Wall Street in NYC for good luck when I took him up there on a trip years and years ago. If only he had listened then.
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