Spring Break, London: Day ONE (and a Half!!)

A few weeks ago, Duane and I were able to catch a flight to London.  Seat availability looked good (which it tends not to for the UK), so we headed to the airport several hours earlier than necessary, executed our usual "hurry up and wait" routine, and...it paid off!  There was even room up front, so we flew business class!!!!

We left at 10:05 p.m. Sunday night, and arrived at Heathrow around noon on Monday, London-time.  We took the tube to Victoria Station, and checked in at our hotel (the Park Plaza).  I always forget how "befuddled" I am after flying all night, with occasional sleep, and I also always forget how WONDERFUL a shower is at washing off the "airplane cooties", and reviving me...if only for a little while.

We showered, changed clothes, and headed out to explore the neighborhood.  We were DELIGHTED to discover that the UK is about six weeks ahead of Minnesota, spring-wise, and there were daffodils, tulips, and buds on all of the trees.  It was LOVELY!!

While exploring, we discovered a beautiful old church, St. Gabriel's.  It looked abandoned...a few small broken windows, and lots of vegetation growing between the cracks of the pavement inside the fence, but there were signs up for services, and lights on inside.

We also found a Sainsbury's grocery store, so stocked up on some of our "staples"...Fox biscuits, cookies, and, FINALLY, a couple of bottles of Kopparberg Cider.  I discovered Kopparberg on our last trip to London, two years ago, and have been trying UNSUCCESSFULLY to find it in the U.S. ever since.

I bought a bottle of strawberry lime cider, and a bottle of pear cider.  Although nothing ever lives up to expectations when thinking about it over a period of time, and even though it tasted like a "more adult wine cooler", it was still nice to finally enjoy one again.

We passed lots of fun little cafes, parks, theaters, and pubs...

...and even found my namesake on a stationer's shop!

The Victoria Station area is a VERY convenient "home base".  We had dinner at the Bag O'Nails Pub near the hotel...

 

...and were close enough to walk to Buckingham Palace after that.  It was cloudy and a little dreary, but there were flowers and green grass, which MORE than made up for it.

 

 

After exploring a park across the street from Buckingham Palace...

 

...we headed back to the hotel, and went to bed.

A SUPER LONG day, but GREAT to be back "across the pond" again!!!