Travel Log Day 3 (Monday)

Today was another glorious autumn day in London! Get ready for some reading, this was the longest tourist day so far. I was equipped with my dorky disposable camera and off we went. All I needed to complete my idiot American tourist look was a set of binoculars strung round my neck!!!

We started the day early to catch the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace at 11:30 am. We walked from the flat to Buckingham Palace…about a 15 minute walk and arrived around 11:15 am. We secured a decent spot in front of the palace so we would be sure to see the time honored ritual. Before you can see anything you hear the band playing as they come down the street that approaches the palace. It was a regal sound and I began to get excited as I heard the music. The band approached from the farthest side of the palace relative to where we stood. The band entered the side palace gates and played as the guards “did their thing.” There was a lot of precise foot stomping, turning and loud calling (I couldn’t discern what was being said). The whole process seemed to take a long time! The ceremony took place on both sides in front of the palace so we were able to get an excellent view when the guards and band came to our side. As the procedure seemed to go on, behind us I heard horse hooves clomping down the street. Several (about 10) guards were riding on horses away from the palace. The guards were wearing very long cape-like coats which draped over the horses and large hats with tall plumes. The band then centered itself directly in front of the palace and continued playing. It was almost like a concert…the musicians had stands for their sheet music and played away. The areas in front of the palace began to get crowded. We decided we’d seen what we wanted to see and made our way to the next destination…Westminster Abbey.

I wish I’d read The DaVinci Code again before coming to London! Kent and I toured the marvelous church while Ben hung out with Ed and Pat in the courtyard. Ed and Pat had toured the church before and kindly offered to look after Ben while Kent and I went in. Kent (being the good husband he is) had been in before but he accompanied me anyway. The architecture was amazing! I could literally smell the age and history of the place, it was a wondrous place. No pictures were allowed so there won’t be any in my collection.

As Kent and I left Westminster Abbey Ed greeted us and told us to come quickly because members of Parliament (complete in their robes and wigs) were milling about Parliament Square. One of the barristers was standing just in front of Ed and Pat. Ben was smiling and nearly laughing at the man in his wig.

As we walked away from Westminster Abbey and through Parliament Square we saw many more barristers in their wigs hopping into fancy limos. It was great timing!

We walked across the River Thames using the Westminster Bridge and on to the South Bank. The intention of going this way was to take a ride on the Eye. The Eye is basically a very large ferris wheel with large pods which accommodate probably 20 or so people. The Eye moves very slowly around and supposedly the views of the city are fantastic (on a clear day). While the weather was ideal for this activity…Kent and I checked out the line for tickets and due the long line, the time being near lunch and the inability to take Ben on the Eye in his stroller we decided to make our way to a Pub for lunch instead! We strolled along the embankment and saw performance mimes, school children on field trips, business people on lunch break and joggers. Some of the mimes were really good! Good enough to even get some pocket change from us!! We crossed back over the Thames using Hungerford Railway bridge and headed towards Charing Cross Station. Realizing a pub would likely not have appropriate baby changing stations we sought out a restroom in the Charing Cross Station. While one would normally have to pay for use of the bathroom in a public place such as this we were able to secure a key to the family bathroom and get Ben settled.

We walked down Strand and onward to our second Pub of this journey, the Coal Hole. We sat outside and I enjoyed my first fish and chips meal. It was tasty but essentially it was fried fish and French fries…nothing terribly exciting or unfamiliar. I did, however, discover a nice drink. A shanny or shanty (not sure of the spelling). It’s half beer half lemon something or other maybe lemon bitters. Anyway, it was really delicious and refreshing and I am not much of a beer drinker.

After lunch we walked to Covent Garden. This was an area of open-air cafes, street entertainers, shops and markets. Kent found a cigar shop, Pat a Christmas shop and I strolled around with Ben. While I thought ahead and changed Ben before the pub, I couldn’t prevent the blowout he had which required a change in the public toilet and a change of clothes… I brought an extra outfit but it was not the one I thought it was and was only a long sleeve onesie. Thank God the weather was nice and I could cover his legs with a blankie!

Next we walked to the brass rubbing centre, Trafalgar Square and Picadilly Circus. The latter is much like Times Square in NYC…it was bustling, loud, crowded and Ben slept through the whole thing!

Finally, with tired feet we headed back to the flat. We had drinks in the flat and allowed Ben to enjoy sweet freedom from the stroller. We had dinner at Café Rouge, near Harrod’s. Ben tried spinach from Pat’s mussels dish and actually seemed to like it! Ben is having some interesting “firsts” this trip. He really wants to feed himself and eat foods with more texture. Ben is also really into standing up, however, he doesn’t know what to do once he gets there!!

I am still having trouble with the time difference and Ben is not sleeping in the travel bed.