A view from the nest: Day 3

We slept in and almost missed breakfast this morning. So much for getting an early start, but we are on "vacation." Well sort of. Atleast for Saturday and Sunday. No work agendas for Bob. Well, we took the train into London and immediately knew we needed a street map. London is not as easy to get around as New York. We quickly found out that you need to know how the buses and tubes run. We didn't really do our homework before this trip, so we had to do a quick study course. It took us a bit of time, but we managed. Our first stop was Buckingham Palace. It was extremely crowded. People were lining the sides of the roads and we asked a "bobby" what was going on. Apparently there was going to be a practice procession for the Queen's birthday on the 17th of June. So we stayed to view the procession. It was pretty elaborate. We couldn't get very close to the palace. Hoping to see it better on another day.We then walked over to Westminister Cathedral and Westminister Abbey. Very beautiful on the outside. We didn't go in either as yet. Everything in London is VERY expensive. Some sights are free (and we are taking in those!), but most cost about 10 pounds a person to get in, which is roughly $20 a person. Food is extremely high also. An average lunch for two people is about $24 - $36 for just a sandwich and water. Water comes as either sparkling (carbonated) or still (plain). People here start drinking alcoholic beverages before noon. London is very international. People from everywhere! Anything goes as far as dress here. We've seen it all. We walked alot today, across the Thames River and back. Saw Big Ben and the London Eye, which is the largest ferris wheel in the world. We went by St. Paul's Cathedral (another 10 pounds to get in). Then we decided to take the tube to Portobello Road to visit the flea market that is there every Saturday. That was a very interesting sight! Great place to people watch. Booths lined both sides of the road for a few miles. The road was narrow and the crowds were many. Antiques, jewelry, clothing, fresh produce, lots of stuff. But prices were not bargains. I could do better at Sam Moon's. I'm sure that those who come on a regular basis would know which booths had the best prices. But for a first timer, it was a little overwhelming. But it was a fun experience. The weather has been gorgeous, so that made it a good day. We hopped on a bus back to the train station, and went to dinner at an Italian restaurant nearby before we headed back to our "village." It was a nice respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. We sat outside on the deck, sipping tea and eating shortbread cookies, taking in the quietness of the English countryside. We're resting up for another trek back into London tomorrow. We've got our maps and hopefully have a better idea of where we are headed. Here's some pictures from today!

The Hilton Park Hotel, our B&B.

Buckingham Palace