London Day 3

On Saturday morning we ate breakfast in the room and then headed over to Leicester Square (via Trafalgar Square) to look for the tkts booth, where tickets to see shows for the day could be purchased at a discounted rate.  We didn't see any shows on the discounted ticket list that we were really dying to see, so we decided to hold off for the day and enjoy the sites of the city instead.  

Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square

We started at Westminster Abbey, and realized that we had made a lucky decision because the abbey was only open for another couple of hours, and closed on Sunday! We took advantage of the free audio tour and learned all about the famous people who have been buried there, or who have a memorial there. The pamphlet told us that Westminster Abbey has been the nation's Coronation church since 1066, when William the Conqueror was crowned there. Not unexpectedly, David spent a good deal of the tour looking at the ceiling and stone work and marveling at how they managed such detailed work so many years ago. 

Westminster Abbey
 

I figured we need proof that we were actually in London

David was more excited about getting a shot of the abbey than of me

After Westminster Abbey we walked around the House of Parliament, looked at Big Ben, and crossed Westminster Bridge. We opted out of the London Eye (the Ferris Wheel) and instead hopped on the tube to go to Borough Market with David's co-worker (from the US office but in the UK for 18 months). At Borough Market we enjoyed a chocolate crepe, some mulled wine, and perused all of the various produce, cheese and meat stalls.

House of Parliament and Big Ben from Westminster Bridge

Borough Market by London Bridge

After the market we all walked over to Tower Bridge and to take a look at the Tower of London. It had gotten too late in the day to actually Tour the tower, so we said goodbye to Aaron and made our way home via Borough Market again, where we picked up bread and cheese for breakfast and enjoyed a freshly squeezed juice and chocolate pastry. 

Tower Bridge

The bridge opening (this apparently happens about 600 times a year)

Back at the hotel we spent some time looking online and through our guidebook for a dinner place and settled on Porter's English restaurant - the name seemed appropriate for us! It was pretty good, even if a little touristy. It also gave us a chance to wander through Covent Garden, and I "bought" a series of mounted photographs while there (I always like to buy a watercolor or photograph representing the cities I visit in other countries). I put bought in quotations because after we picked it out we tried to pay the vendor and she exclaimed that she hadn't even seen us and we could have run off with it! Then she said, you should run off with it, it's St. Patrick's day (she was Irish) and wouldn't take our money. Once back at the hotel we spent some time planning the next day and headed to bed. 

A nice,  relaxing dinner at Porter's English Restaurant