London in Pictures

Our last full day in London was spent walking around the city- shopping, eating, and just spending time together before heading to the Netherlands. It was nice being able to have a relatively low-key day to explore the city and enjoy the pretty sights.

We started the morning with delicious pastries from Fortitude Bakehouse. We each picked a savory breakfast pastry and shared two of the popular beignets, which were more like stuffed doughnuts back here in the States. Nevertheless, the creme-filled delights were delicious. These and lattes made for a good start to the morning.

Once fueled up, we headed toward Westminster. We took the tube, emerging with a view of Big Ben in Westminster. In 2019, there was construction on the historic clock tower, so we weren’t able to see it in its full glory. Furthermore, some of the streets were blocked on account of Trump’s visit to Downing Street in advance of the 2019 NATO summit, so we weren’t able to walk as freely around Westminster. This time, we were unobstructed.

We did not go into Westminster Abbey, as we had paid a visit on our last trip. We did, however, go into the gift shop to purchase some souvenirs for family back home. King Charles and corgis were the theme of our shopping spree, and the shop did not disappoint.

After dropping about £75 on gifts for my mom and nephews, we walked the mile or so toward Buckingham Palace.

The walk took us on part of the seven-mile Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Walk. According to Royal Parks UK, the walk passes through four of the eight royal parks, including St. James Park. We walked through the park, going over the Blue Bridge, which gave us lovely views of the palace to the west and the London Eye to the east. I took a photo of the memorial plaque on the bridge for my mom, who is a huge fan of Princess Diana. I understand the feeling. As kids, we stayed up in 1997 to watch her funeral service, and even today she is remembered for her style and beauty, but more importantly, her humanitarian work, especially her advocacy for children and those affected by HIV and AIDS.

We finished our walk through the park and found the Mall decorated with French flags. We learned that this was because of French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit later in the week.

The Mall was busy, however as we were there on a Saturday, there was no changing of the guard ceremony. Thus, there were not as many people as there would be on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 11:00 am. It was easy to get around, and take photos outside the palace.

We walked through the Canada Gate and through Green Park to the neighborhoods around the park. There were a number of pretty houses along our walk to a fancy consignment store and lunch, as well as other buildings that held some interest.

Walking around London was a great way to tour the city. We were able to get some good exercise while also saving money on transportation costs. The day was cooler than it had been earlier in the week, so it was nice being outside- especially since the underground was notoriously hot this time of year.

Some things to consider:

I did want to give an update on how we used Transport for London. Back in 2019, we purchased Oyster cards with our CityPass. At time of writing, we were able to use our tap-enabled credit cards and Apple Pay to tap into the National Rail, Underground, and bus lines. This made getting on and off very easy, especially when we came in from Heathrow. For Sami, who was not yet eighteen and without a credit card, Mees let her borrow an Oyster card belonging to his parents. We just made sure to refill it as needed.

It was super hot when we arrived in London. And even as temperatures cooled off through the week, it was still important to stay hydrated. We carried water bottles with us to make sure we drank plenty of water. While I have seen the internet poking fun at Americans for their water bottle obsession, I think it’s better safe than sorry.

We also carried umbrellas. The weather was very changeful most of the time we were there, and we did have to take them out every day except for the 4th.

Google Maps worked well most of the time. There was some issues with the tube schedule, especially in the evening when some of the stops along the Jubilee line closed for some reason. In this case, CityMapper proved to be a more reliable app.

We learned, as we often do, to take things as they come, and to be flexible. Toward dinnertime, we hit a wall and needed a rest and some dinner. After trying to find a pub from which to grab dinner, we ended up at the Shake Shack on Argyll Street. While Shake Shack is not one of our favorites here in the States, we just needed something to eat before we all turned hangry. It just happened that we were near the Palladium, where the musical Evita was playing live. The girls saw that Rachel Zegler, the new Hunger Games actress who is cast as the musical’s titular character, Eva Peron, had been performing “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” on the balcony of the Palladium to the masses outside the London theater. And we had providentially arrived just in time to see it.

It was exquisite. The pivotal number was performed beautifully, and held the crowd in wonder. Mees, being the tallest of our group was able to record the scene, and take photos. I wish we had been able to see the whole thing; perhaps next time we are in London we’ll catch a musical. But this experience was a good reminder for me that life often happens in between our best laid plans, and that memories are made in serendipitous moments.

Honorable Mentions:

We did visit a few other areas on this trip. We went up to Notting Hill to visit Pippa Small Jewellery and Ottolenghi, a favorite of Mees’ parents. The neighborhood was charming, and the walk made for a nice workout, even in the heat of the day.

After exploring Notting Hill, we had dinner at the Din Tai Fung at Canary Wharf, and walked around the park. The teardrop reminded me of the Cloud Gate (aka the bean) at Millennium Park in Chicago.

Our London trek was an adventure to remember. As the kids are getting older, and we welcome new members into our family, I have to appreciate the quick passage of time. Beautiful places, fun moments, and many photos are hallmarks of our recent trips, and I hope to look fondly on these times. But the adventure doesn’t end here. Next stop: the Netherlands.