A Day in London

Life always depends on your point of view...

London is a great city, and we were lucky to spend 24 hours exploring the town before catching our flight back to North America.  However, when doing so be sure that you MIND THE CLOCK - as things do happen at very specific times in London... let me explain:

We checked into our hotel, cleaned up, and hit the city at 10pm on our first night looking for some Fish 'n Chips and a great, authentically English experience.  Yet were absolutely dismayed when we realized:

10pm: KITCHENS CLOSE.  We were looking for an English pub to serve us the traditional "Fish 'n Chips", yet all the places we found stopped serving food at 10!  This would be unheard of in Catania, and definitely made us more than a little "bonkers."  Instead, we found a regular place of Picadilly Square but still missed the atmosphere.    

11pm: PUBS CLOSE.  After being turned away once, we thought after dinner we could at least find a good ol' English pub to eavesdrop on some accents and enjoy the local scene.  However, we were again shocked to hear that 11 is closing time for the English variety.  (Apparently the police were having to hand out too many 'red cards' and thus want people to head home earlier!)  Instead, we found an Irish place called O'Neill's that had terrific atmosphere.

12pm: TRAINS CLOSE.  Strike 3 and we were OUT!  After O'Neill's we went to take The Tube back to our hotel and it too was closed!  It was as if we had been dropped off one-hour too late in a time machine!  At least the busses were still working, and eventually made it home... one hour after our curfew (i'm sure.) 

What says London better than Flats and Mini-Coopers?

The next morning we had a very relaxing time walking around the Notting Hill neighborhood (of Hugh Grant fame), then toured the Kensington Palace (home to Princess Diana for 16 years), and Harrod's, the world's most famous and outrageous department store.  It was smashing baby, yeah! 

In Hyde Park I did my best fountain impression.

The Sunken Garden at Kensington has been manicured perfectly like this for over 100 years!

Christie - like all members of "The Commonwealth - feels a strong connection to the Royal Family and enjoyed her Starbuck's outside Princess Diana's old digs.

Going to Harrod's with my wife was like taking a Muslim to Mecca... the ultimate pilgrimage required to be done once in a lifetime to be complete.  I was blown away as well, after touring the "Room of Luxury," the "Egyptian Hall," the 7 huge rooms of food (including a Krispy Kreme), and finally, the "Pet Kingdom."

And in closing our time in London, I came across a hidden, valuable life lesson on a lowly city bus that may just reveal the one secret to success in life.  If applied, this one powerful phrase will make not just revolutionize bus safety, but make the entire world a better place:

~ J. Twice