Day Two the entire story

After a big breakfast we rode the bus with Sharon to Piccadilly circus on the top of a double decker bus. What fun and a lovely view of the city neighborhoods from Hampstead into central London. Once there we strolled to Leicester square to buy tickets for Billy Elliot at the half price ticket place, and then set off walking to Buckingham Palace through the park. Along the way we saw many memorial statues, lovely gardens and ponds and walked along the Princess Diana Memorial walkway.

I found 'Buck House' rather large and semi-prison like, I couldn't imagine wanting to live there. Sharon says the Queen calls it 'her office' so I suppose she agrees with me. The gardens behind the palace are supposed to be incredible but they are protected from entrance and view by a VERY large stone wall topped with barbed wire and spikes. As we walked away from the palace someone royal went out for a ride around town in a carriage and through Wellington Arch, pretty neat. No idea who it was and there were 2 carriages, 2 royals or was one a decoy? Hmmmm...

We continued walking through more lovely parks and crowded streets stopping at Westminster Cathedral. Incredible mosaics, although I realized after I left that I wasn't supposed to photograph here. Oh well, enjoy anyway. We also stopped this morning to find a place to rendezvous with Crystal Saturday and check out prices and schedules for the trip to Dover. I think we have it all figured out.

We stopped for lunch at a quick service sushi place, Hoss and Wes would have really enjoyed it. You pick up a box and the sushi are in a refrigerator case wrapped in twos or individually in plastic. You fill your box, order miso soup and tuck in. Very reasonable prices for London.

Eventually we arrived at Westminster Abbey and paid £15 each entrance. Plug that into your dollar calculator: things here really are that expensive. We arrived just shortly after 3pm, the Abbey is open until 6 pm and they provide an individual audio tour. Quickly we discovered that our audio devices had only 30% of the information and learned from the staff that after 3pm they give the 'short tour'. This fact was neither advertised nor stated when we paid what seems like an absurd amount of money to enter. We both talked separately to several staff members and were unable to persuade them that we should have the entire tour available and decide what we would like to listen to in the 3 hours we had there. We also discovered that they close a few things early on Wednesdays. Again, no warning. I was just baffled! I am so used to kindly asking for something (i.e. the entire audio tour) and receiving it at home that the rather matter-of-fact 'No you cannot have the entire tour' response was flat out strange to me.

Well, Bob said I looked rather grumpy after that. Darn it - I wanted the entire tour and this is my only day at Westminster Abbey! We toured the entire Abbey with 30% of the information and found ourselves at the exit where Bob accidentally set of the alarm by walking to close to the door with his audio tour (something warned against in one of the sections omitted from the 'short tour'!). Anyway, he ended up exchanging his guide (as it was beeping incessantly) and that one had the entire tour on it! So, we went back through and listened to everything else.

In fact we toured the abbey twice yesterday and then went to the prayer service in the nave. I was thrilled to see the burial sites of Robert Browning (my distant relative), Handel (who doesn't love Handel?), Newton and of course Darwin, go figure. I even took an illegal photo out of enthusiasm. No flash, no foul - right?

Afterwards we were off to dinner: fish and chips and beer while watching rugby match with shouting Londoners in suits. Hilarious. The pub was very dark, sorry the photos are so yellow.

We then went to see Billy Elliot at the Victoria Palace Theater (circa 1886). Beautiful theater building, everyone dressed very informally and concessions available in the house (beer, ice cream, soft drinks, candy, chips). What a different atmosphere and what a remarkable, fabulous evening. The cast was outstanding, the music and dancing was fantastic and the boy playing Billy was just delightful. Loved it, loved it. We particularly enjoyed after the show when the kids in the show hopped out the stage door into Mom's minivan waving and smiling. What a hoot.

We took a different bus line back to Sharon's neighborhood and with Bob's remarkable bearings and sense of direction walked right home to write you all. Today we are off to the tower of London, St. Paul's and points unknown. Hope this satisfies your vicarious travel needs for now Diane!