London, Day 2

March 31, 2019

We arrived in London early, around 7:15.  Then spent an hour in line for border control to check passports.  I know when some people travel, they want to look good.  Me, I look for comfort.  So I wore a knit travel dress and leggings. The travel dress is a Betabrand and is very loose and swingy with big pockets and one tiny zipped pocket.  I wore my hiking boots to get there, then at the gate changed them for lighter, more comfortable shoes.  (I changed back while waiting in line for passport checks.

On the plane, ya gotta love Delta.  Fed and watered passengers are happy passengers.  They came around soon after we took off with crackers, cookies, and bottled water, then drink service, then dinner and another two drink services (one was coffee/tea/water).   Then they offered water during the night a few times.  Heated towels before dinner and before breakfast.  Then we had breakfast with a drink service, then little Toblerone candy bars.  Wow--huge difference between them and Nowegian Air where you have to call a flight attendant for a glass of water (which is all you get). Delta also gives you a bag with a sleep mask and ear plugs and a bag with earbuds and a pillow and blanket.  Norwegian makes you pay for all of those.

After we cleared border and customs, I took the tube to the Tower Bridge station, transferring once.  Then it was 9:30 and I was supposed to leave my bags till 2:00.  I logged into the luggage place and it told me where to look (they use grocery and other little stores to actually store the bags while the money and all is online).  Well, the store was closed (it's Sunday).  So I tried the next one in the lineup and walked there--closed again!  Now for each of these, the luggage website says  that they are open.  I found another company, but they charge by the day and I didn't want a whole day, just a few hours.  So, I schlepped my bag and looked around, then went to a coffee shop for a muffin and juice while I read my book.

Detail from a small park across from a pretty little church

This mound in the park and the pavers in a path around it were made from pieces of old tombstones.  Most are broken, many of the inscriptions are indecipherable.

The Shard

Then went to a park.  There, I looked at my airbnb inbox and noticed that Alex had said that I could check in at 12:00.  By this time it was 11:45 and I was nearby.  So I read for a few more minutes, then walked there.  All of Alex's directions and door codes worked (despite Google Maps trying to send me the wrong way!).  I dropped my bags and texted Alex a thanks for being able to  check in early and that I was going to take a nap.  I dozed, then woke up to sunlight streaming through the windows and a huge  pain in my back.  I took an antinflammatory and knew that exercise would be the best fix for it (I have chronic sciatica).  So I carefully got dressed again (I had stripped off my stinky travel clothes to sleep), and went out.  Alex hadn't arrived yet.

I walked a circuitous route (my usual) to Tower Bridge, then walked mostly along the south side of the river when possible to the Houses of Parliament.  The buskers were out in force--everywhere!  I wanted to see what the finished face looked like (it was too far away to see).  I also took a selfie of myself with Big Ben in the background because I had promised my students that I would.

This was at a market I stopped at--there were markets everywhere!

Kind of a bit Stephen King!

the Shard again

Detail of a building

The city of London, not be confused with Metropolitan London

A tiny, old building

through the tunnel to some cute outdoor patios

a market made between buildings

I want to know the story of  this!

The flowering and leafing tree are beautiful after all of the snow at home!

The site of the original Globe Theater

The newer globe theater a few blocks away

Sights of London--St. Paul's in the background

The millenium bridge

A dark area graffitied and use now by skateboarders

Big Ben

London Eye

This is what is left of Winchester Castle.

For dinner, there were booths set up all over by the river, so I got some fish and chips and ate them on a bench overlooking the Thames.  The sun was shining and it was such a perfect London memory!
Then I walked back, looking for a Tesco Express or Sainsbury Local (smaller urban versions of the stores--we have a similar thing in the twin cities for Target and Lund's).  I found both on the same block and bought some muesli, milk, mandarin oranges, tea, and sugar.  I'm pretty sure I'll need more cereal and milk--I'll wait and see.  Arrived, met Alex (he had been in Paris and just arrived about an hour before I came back).  I'll write this, then go to sleep!  I wore my sort of new shoes (I broke then in, though) and got a blister on the bottom of each foot in the center near the toes  I probably need to buy the insoles for them.  Wow, I'm super tired.  I'll finish this and definitely go to bed!  I have my day tour to Avebury early tomorrow morning (7:30 am pick up at the train station).