England
After spending a week exploring Scotland, we headed south into England. As you might imagine, my husband couldn’t wait to drop off our rental car and not have to hassle with driving around. We made a couple stops along the way to break up the drive from Edinburgh to London. First up was Alnwick Castle, followed by visits to Newstead Abbey and Nottingham Castle. All were beautiful places to spend a couple hours stretching our legs.
We spent the majority of our time in London, with just a few stops a long the way. If we ever go back, I’d love to get out into the countryside more, visit the White Cliffs of Dover and also do a stop in Wales.
Once we made it to London, we returned the rental and blissfully used public transportation for the next five days. London has pretty much nailed it when it comes to an easy-to-use transportation system. When looking for a hotel, choose on close to a rail/tube station and you’ll be good to go. We spent our first afternoon in London taking in the sights around Buckingham Palace and the River Thames. We didn’t go for a ride on the London Eye, instead we enjoyed looking at it from across the river.
On our first full day in London, we tackled the Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Parliament, the Imperial War Museum and the naval fleet. Whewwww! Yes, it made for a long, jam-packed day, but we saw a lot. Make sure you buy your entrance tickets ahead of time. We bought the London Pass, which gains you entry into tons of different places. It worked well for us based on all the places we wanted to visit. Check it out ahead of time and see if it will save you money as compared to buying individual tickets to everything. We also bought a transportation pass and it pretty much worked out perfectly for us.
The Westminster Abbey is fascinating and just so full of history. Make sure to take a guided tour so you don’t miss out on anything. Visiting the abbey that serves as the final resting place of so many historic figures is quite amazing. I was especially interested in seeing the tombs of Queen Elizabeth I, Charles Darwin and Sir Isaac Newton, to name just a few. Sorry, no glimpses of the spectacular interior (no photos allowed). Parliament was in session, so we didn’t go inside those government buildings, but they were pretty spectacular to look at from the outside. I even captured an iconic picture of the red telephone booth with Big Ben in the background. Boarding the naval ships and walking through the Imperial War Museum is a must for military/history buffs. My husband could have stayed there all day had we not had dinner reservations.
After a very full day of sightseeing, we had reservations for what turned out to be one of the best meals of our lives. I’d always wanted to try out one of Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants, and I thought what better place than London. If you’ve read any of my other trip write-ups, you know how much I love food. We made our reservations at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay months ahead of time, and they were fully booked on the night we went. I went all out and did the multi course meal, while my husband ordered a’ la carte. Everything was delicious and so meticulously prepared. The service was flawless and it seemed to run so smoothly, almost like a choreographed routine. At the end of the meal, the maître d’ invited us to go on a tour of the kitchen. I guess he noticed how “in” to everything I was. I am so glad we splurged for such an extravagant meal, it was totally worth it.
The following day we explored the Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. Both of these locations are so iconic and fascinating. I would definitely recommend taking tours of both to learn the full history behind them. Tower Bridge is one of the most recognizable bridges in the world. Going to the top and walking across the clear floor is something new to try. The views down over London are certainly impressive.
The Tower of London is so much more than what you might think. It has served as a fortress, palace, prison, execution site, final resting place and home to the crown jewels. Built by William the Conqueror nearly a thousand years ago, you can probably imagine all the stories and legends that come from here. You MUST go on one of the tours led by the famous Beefeaters. I won’t spoil it by telling you how they got their name, but it’s super interesting.
The Tower of London is where Queen Elizabeth I was imprisoned by her sister Mary. It is also the place where King Henry VIII, Elizabeth’s father, sent several of his wives to be executed, you’re probably familiar with Anne Boleyn. You can actually stand on Tower Green and see where the executions took place. Many of those who were sent to the tower never left, thus giving way to many stories about the ghosts who haunt this place. Take the time to view the crown jewels, they’re stunning. Our visit to the Tower of London was one of my favorite things we did during our visit to London.
One evening we enjoyed a modern version of Romeo and Juliet at The Shakespeare Globe Theater. What an awesome experience. If you’re a fan of Shakespeare or even theater in general, this is a must. The open air theater is replicated to mirror the original theater from the 17th century where William Shakespeare worked. Be prepared for updated/modernized versions of original plays. We loved the one we attended and would highly recommend catching one while you’re in town. Skip eating at the theater’s restaurant, it was just okay. There are tons of really good restaurants within walking distance. I suggest you give one of them a try before the show.
Another beautiful place to visit is Kensington Palace. This is the current home of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (William & Kate). It was the childhood home of Queen Victoria, and the home where Princess Diana raised her sons William & Harry. While visiting, we got to enjoy the exhibition of Princess Diana’s fashion. This is the perfect place to visit on a sunny morning or afternoon. The gardens that surround the palace are the perfect place to take a beautiful and serene walk.
The final place we visited was Wimbeldon. This was one of those places that we thought we might visit, but it all depended on whether or not we had the time. We took a quick train ride heading southwest of London. It was an interesting tour and we learned a lot about the place where the oldest tennis tournament in the world is held each year in July. If you like tennis, this is a must see while in London.
Overall, the food in the UK was better than I expected it to be. There is lots more than bangers and mash or fish and chips. Our meal at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay was seasonal and delicious. We also enjoyed lots of delicious breakfasts and snacks while we were out and about. The meat pies were amazing. I was disappointed that I never had a truly delicious scone while we were there. The roll type thing in the picture below totally missed the mark, even though they called it a scone.
All in all, our trip to London was amazing. We got to see and do so much, and I think we got a real feel for what London is all about. England is someplace that I’d like to eventually return to. There are still many places I’d like to visit and explore there. For the history buffs out there, England is an absolute must. I’ve always been fascinated by the monarchy, especially Queen Elizabeth I. There is just so much to see. Cheers, Governor!!!
