Things that I love - Saturday - London

Since we have now just experienced the Opening Day ceremony for the 2012 Olympics I think that it is only appropriate to dedicate today’s blog to London.

Last year I had the opportunity to travel to London for the first time.  While it was a very…very short business trip I was determined to make the most of it.  It was also a week after the “Royal Wedding” so much of the city was still reeling from the excitement of the festivities.  

I arrived in London around 8 a.m. on a Wednesday.    After taking one of these

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to my hotel (which  was located in the Hyde Park area) I decided to take a short nap before heading out to see this exciting city.  Here is a picture of my hotel:

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 Would you like to go on the walking tour with me?   I walked right by the Princess Diana Memorial Gardens and could not resist taking a pic!

I almost walked right by this without realizing that this was just not an ordinary Hard Rock Café – this was the London Hard Rock Café!

On my tour I passed one of these who was very friendly and greeted me with a hello.  Do you think that he thought I might be lost?  

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At the end of my walking tour that day I wanted to experience a true English Tea.  And with any proper English tea – once must have scones and clotted cream.  Now I must say the scones in the U.S. are nothing like the scones in England.  While they were totally different I did find them quite tasty.  

On Thursday my day was for the most part all meetings but at the end of the meetings the group decided to reconvene in Covent Garden for some local scenery.  I was quite excited to have the opportunity to experience first hand the “tube”

I do believe that half of London had decided to visit Covent Gardens that evening…well specifically the Punch and Judy Pub.  I actually made it to a real English Pub…mark that off my bucket list!

 Punch and Judy Pub

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On Friday after finishing meetings I struck out on my own and took one of these

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to see some of  these exciting places:

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 Big Ben

London Bridge

 Westminster Abbey
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St Paul's Cathedral

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Once the double decker returned to my originating location I walked through Hyde Park back to my hotel.  I decided to have an early dinner in the hotel restaurant since I would be flying out on a very early morning flight the next day.   Imagine my surprise when my table was right next to the window and this was I could see from my table.

 Buckingham Palace

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It was truly a dream trip and one that I will never forget.  I would love to return one day soon and spend more time in this lovely and historical country.