[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hile our 12 day Mediterranean cruise was now at an end, we still had one more exciting destination on our agenda: London, England. So when we arrived back in Barcelona, we quickly checked out of our cruise ship and took off to the airport to catch our plane to London. Within 2 hours we were at Heathrow Airport and going through customs. Dreading the long lines at the ticket machines we could already see growing by the minute, we were thrilled when a lovely Gatwick express teller approached to ask if we wanted to buy our train tickets with her. In a matter of minutes we had our tickets in our hands and riding the express to Victoria Station in central London.
Everything was going smoothly up until we stepped foot outside Victoria Station to heavy rain. And although we packed in a couple of umbrellas for this same purpose—thank goodness we were forewarned—we didn’t necessarily take into account that we would be dragging our carry-ons through the rain nor that we would get lost along the way to our hotel. Fortunately, several wonderful Londoners were more than happy to help us find our hotel—despite mispronouncing the street address a couple of times.
Finally we arrived at Hotel Caswell where we were quickly checked in and given a key to our room. After a must-needed shower, we decided to go venture out and explore several of the fun, quirky pubs and shops we saw near our hotel earlier. Now here is a tip for those visiting London for the first time, and don’t know where to find delicious, budget-friendly foods. Check out supermarkets. For those of us from across the pond (aka US), the currency exchange can definitely leave a dent in our wallet.
So with this in mind, we ventured inside Sainsbury (a large supermarket chain in London) to see what we could pick up for dinner. We were pleasantly surprised at all the affordable fresh fruits, meats and cooked meals options offered there. After browsing through each aisle, we picked up a loaf of bread, several cold cut meats and cheeses, as well as a few “English” snacks we don’t have back home. The best part is that not only did we have food to last us throughout our trip but cost us no more than £ 28 pounds (or approximately $45 dollars).
Riding on just a few hours of sleep, we headed back to our hotel with our groceries. Once in our room, we whipped ourselves some delicious turkey and roast beef sandwiches with English mustard (a must try) on whole wheat bread, munched on individually wrapped potato chips, and enjoyed a glass of merlot. Before calling it a night, we picked out our outfits, packed our lunches, and made sure our gadgets were charged and ready for all the sightseeing we had in store the next day.
The next day we woke up bright and early to start our first day of sightseeing. After enjoying the hotel’s continental breakfast of warm croissants, cereal, stacks of buttered toast with jam, orange juice and tea, we made our way to Buckingham Road where we caught the 48-hour hop on hop off bus we booked.
Once we were given our maps and headphones, we rushed upstairs to grab front-row seats on the top deck—not an easy feat considering the large tourist crowds vying for those same seats. So safe to say, we were lucky! The first major landmark we spotted was Buckingham Gate, and just a few feet from there, the famous Buckingham Palace where Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family often reside. Now since some of us had never been to London before, we opted to enjoy looking at all the monuments and areas of interest from the comfort of the bus and wait until tomorrow to explore more closely.
We moved on to another impressive landmark, Westminster Abbey. Noted as one of the most important religious buildings in the United Kingdom, the Westminster Abbey has been the burial site for British monarchs, politicians, sovereigns and artists. And since 1066, every coronation has taken place here. Some of the famous individuals buried there include Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin.
Although we have come to expect the rich history reflected in the city, seeing face to face the incredible architecture from the jaw-dropping facades to the smallest ornate details, left us in momentary disbelief. Here we were witnessing these incredible sights that reflect centuries upon centuries of British history. It truly was a humbling moment for us.
Look for PART II of this adventure next…
