Last full day! It was a fun vacation, over too soon, but then again I feel SO SO SO SO FAT, I really miss Frank, and I want some snuggle time with JR! meow! My mom and I both agree that we feel like we need a cleanse when we get back. I think I will fast for a day… at least!
The weather today was just like yesterday: a mix of sunny blue skies all the way to rain. We got rained on only once for less than 10 minutes before the National Gallery opened while we were waiting in line. It was a strong rain, but I was stubborn about not taking out my umbrella. My mom took hers out so I benefited from that…. and didn’t have to deal with a carrying a wet umbrella around with me! Thanks Mom *wink*
Our first stop today was to explore Goodwin’s Court which was the inspiration for Diagon Alley in Harry Potter. I am not really an HP fan, I was in it for the beautiful architecture, but still the HP connection is neat.
From there, we walked to Westminster Abbey. It opens at 9:30 so we aimed to get there 30 minutes early knowing the line-ups are always very long. Of course, Murphy’s Law being a strong force, there was a ceremony at the Abbey and it would only open to tourists at 2PM.
Later while we sat at the hotel bar having a nightcap, we learned it was for ANZAC day and Kate & Harry made an appearance!! I had previously looked up the agenda for Royal Events and found nothing for the “senior royals”. Had we known in advance we would have maybe stuck around to catch a glimpse…. but then again, 3 hours of waiting for a 5 second glimpse is kind of a waste of time.
Instead, we decided to visit the National Gallery but had time to kill since it only opened at 10 so we had a coffee and spent a little time in Trafalgar Square.
We LOVED the National Gallery, it was simply fantastic! We had to force ourselves to leave because it’s too easy to spend all day admiring all the artwork.
Once we were done, we went around the corner to the National Portrait Gallery where I had a lot of fun playing “name the famous face” with myself.
Lunch was in a pub, a typical touristy place but the vibe was good enough for what I wanted.
Afterwards, we set off to wait in line to get into Westminster Abbey. We got there around 1:30 and it was not that bad yet; only a few hundred people. The line moved fast but it just kept growing and growing and growing… we were so thankful we showed up when we did!
The Abbey is almost too much to take in. It’s like trying to eat an elephant – where do you start? It was overwhelming. Not pictures allowed which I think is a shame, but I think the epiphany I had at Windsor Castle applies here too: It’s not (just) because they want you to buy the book, it’s because they need to keep people moving. I have no doubt whatsoever that had we been allowed to take pictures, we would have stayed an extra hour at least.
Next, it was off to the Sherlock Holmes Museum which I have wanted to visit for a few trips to London now but just never got around to it. I have read a few books, not that many, I would say I am a “beginner fan”. For someone who is an aficionado, this place is nirvana. My mom was not sure what to expect because Holmes is not even on her radar but she was pleasantly surprised because it was a great look into an authentic Victorian home and it was really captivating.
We stopped for a drink at a nearby pub trying to decide what to do next for our last night out, and decided on Little Venice. I was not as impressed with it this time as I was the first time I saw it… it’s nice, but really – it’s a canal, big deal. Also, I don’t know why they call it Little Venice, I would call it Little Amsterdam. No gondolas, lots of houseboats.
We walked along the canal for a while then had out last supper and YET ANOTHER London chain restaurant; we thought this would be rather fitting. We hit all the major ones on this trip: Côte, Café Rouge, Caffé Concerto, Pizza Express, Yo Sushi, Zizzi, Ivy, Stanza… I am sure I am forgetting some. We both agreed that we were not the slightest bit interested in international chain restaurants, but local chains are part of the local culture – they are ubiquitous!
Once back at the hotel, we enjoyed some down time in the lounge, had a nightcap and called it a day.
Tomorrow, we don’t have to start going to the airport before 1PM, so we’ll have breakfast, pack and then head over to the Natural History Museum for a few hours since it’s just a block away from the hotel.
That’s it! It really was a great vacation. Thanks again for following along, stay tuned for the next adventures this October!
