What can I say, London was Spectacular

London Eye and Big Ben

The best part of touring London is that I got rid of the rental car and we took the tube and the hoppa bus.  It was so nice to relax and not be driving. We climbed to the upper level of the big red hoppa bus. Our first hop off was at St. James Palace.

St. James Palace

While at St. James Palace, the ceremony of changing of the Palace guards on horseback took place. The whole regimented routine was very interesting especially when they dismounted from their horses.  Part of the ceremony included the guard slapping the horse as part of the routine.  Darla thought it was very funny.

Initially, we took the tube into London from the airport. It was 4.90 pounds for an all day pass for the tube and took less than an hour to get to the middle of London. We had lunch at Burger King (not my idea of great food but what we don't do for our children?)

At Lillywhite's Department Store, there was a young man in the window who rode a mechanical horse trying to hit a polo ball.  Darla would have loved to try it but she was in a skirt - not conducive to riding a horse of any kind!

Our next hop off was Winchester Cathedral and of course, typical tourists - we took photos of Big Ben, the London Eye and the Cathedral. Hopped back on the bus and crossed London Bridge.

Our last hop off was the Tower of London; saw the Crown Jewels (11.30 pounds per person but worth every penny). The Beefeaters were all walking around in their red and blue costumes and one of them gave us a grand tour if only we could have understood everything he said.  Some words we missed because of his accent and some because it was a large crowd even though it was off season.

It was a our last hop off because Darla lost her ticket so then she decided we could see more of London using the tube.  Well, I am glad she could figure it out. There were trains going all four directions and many of different levels - I was totally baffled.  It was beyond me!