Friday...a day late...

We did SOOOOOO much Friday that we were too pooped to come down to the computer to blog the day! We have truly been the ultimate tourists in this town, going and seeing and doing everything we can cram into the day. So far my legs and Cat's knee and hip are hanging in there. We have the "tube" figured out. That's amazing planning and engineering itself. The system goes all over, and it is always full of folks. Neat to see so many really using the public transport. (Mind the gap!) Yet the traffic is absolutely crazy...I would NEVER bring a car into the city! Horns beeping, cars slamming to a stop, and what looks like billions of taxis. Looks like New York but everyone is driving on the wrong side of the road! We are crossing street at crossing signals whenever possible, and otherwise jointly deciding it is safe to go and saying a prayer for safe crossing! Loving being here.....pretty much sunny weather so far (sure I just ruined that!)...warm sun and cool breezes. It doesn't get dark until almost 10 pm, yet the sun is shining before we are awake, we are that far north.

Here's the rundown for Friday June 19...we must have walked a million miles!
Our hotel is literally cross the street from Hyde Park (we look out the window at the park) so we started there. Beautiful fountains, the Serpentine Lake, and space, space, space! Trees and open fields, birds and nature all around and people everywhere walking dogs, pushing prams (strollers), running and walking. Walking down a path we noticed a LARGE building rising in the distance over a hill and turned to see what it was (we didn't' have a map yet). As we got to the rise of the hill we realized we were looking at Kensington Palace! Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens are connected (we would have know that had we a map!). We went on up to the Palace and as we were looking we heard a helicopter that was obviously coming in for a landing, so we turned and followed it to the field behind the Orangery where indeed it was on the ground. Seeing police officers all around and a royal symbol on the side of the chopper we knew something was going on, so Cat asked the officer who told us that Prince Charles was on his way to get the chopper! Soon 2 cars were escorted into the field and the Prince got out (cameras snapping here!) and got into the chopper! We stayed to watch it lift and ride off into the day, Charles waving to us below as away he went! (this was my second sighting of Prince Charles and a chopper---he landed on the campus of W&M when I was there, but I don't think he recognized me here!)

Coming off that excitement we looked around the Orangery and went in search of Diana's Fountain on the other side of the park. It is a lovely serene spot where water flows peacefully and with ripples and waves in a circular fashion. There are places to sit and reflect and enjoy the beauty. It reminded me of the memorial in Oklahoma City.

We finally came out on the other side of the park along Rotten Row, a horse trail that has been there for years (since one of the kings way back) and is still used today.

We were at Hyde Park Corner where we went into an info center and learned more about the area from a cute little old man working there. While talking to him the guards and horses went by, returning from the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace! (cameras clicking again!)

We crossed over through Apsley Arch on our way to find lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe, not a true British eatery but we were starving...

After reenergizing we headed to Piccadilly Circus, a total madhouse of confusion! I have not been to Times Square but this is what I imagine it to be like. People everywhere, cars coming in from 6 directions, big signs and video boards on buildings, and of course The Gap right on the corner! Cat had to go just to see if it was big and yep---3 floors! We did find a police officer so Cat gave him one of the VSP patches that Harvey gave us, but he had nothing to trade. (Sorry Harvey---he said they are not issued patches.)

Next off to Trafalgar Square, another really trafficky and confusing area. There are huge statues ( and I do mean HUGE!!!! They do statues in sizes I have never seen before!) and people were climbing and sitting all over them in the middle with the traffic going all around. I think people around her are a bit crazy....

Still walking we ended up in a shopping area and did we find the stores! D&G, Gucci, and Prada, to name a few. We went in to look at the Prada shoes. I am in search of some simple brown leather sandals, and I found some , but I didn't think spending £150 (about 300 USD) was a good idea, so nothing purchased there!

We wandered down the street further and happened upon St. James church, an Anglican/Episcopal church. This place was wonderful! It was bombed during the WW, leaving mostly a shell but the the intricate wood carvings around the altar survived. The church has been fully rebuilt but is in dire need of repair, yet it is beautiful with massive arches conered in carvings and details. I was very overcome just being in there and I left a prayer on the prayer tree...this was another accidental highlight of the day for me.

We finally decided to try the tube (subway) back to the hotel, too tired to walk all the way back and we were far from home! We thought we were getting off at the closest station but we missed and ended up a good ways away and in a somewhat sketchy part of town. We made it though safely but leave it to say I don't think we will get off there again...

power nap time....

And back out via tube to Buckingham Palace. That's a BIG home! People were loitering all around, like us, and again crawling all over the massive statues in front. We noticed that the gates were open and we asked if there was something going on. The officer never missing and mark replied that the queen heard we were there and had the gates open for us to come to tea! Ends up that those particular gates were open to let folks who work at the Palace get out! Oh well...

We hiked down to the river to see Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Rising from the river, it looks like someone dribbled sand to create the structure. And it is MASSIVE. (things are BIG here!)

Right across from Big Ben is the London Eye, the gigantic ferris wheel built for the turn of the century. We walked across the river, on a bridge of course, and got our tickets. It takes 30 minutes to "fly the eye" as they call it. The views were breathtaking! You could see all over London and I don't know how far beyond. I loved this, Cat was a little creeped out by the height but she did fine! I did drop my camera while on board and the bonk scared everyone...good news...camera survived!

Time to eat again and we went searching....it is hard to find places to eat that have food that sounds normal to us, so we tend to check out menus a lot. We ended up at Waterloo Station (do you see a trend of eating at train stations here?) , dining at Sloe. Pretty good pizzas!
We shopped in the station too, getting some British candies and some snacky things. You can find just about anything you want in the train stations, restaurants, Burger King and McDonald's, grocery stores, tie shops, and dry cleaners! They are like little self-contained neighborhoods.

We got the tube back to the hotel and this time got off in the right place about a block away...totally exhausted ...

After some searching the internet and asking for help at the hotel we realized that the trip to Heckmondwike was not going to be...we could find a train to go to Leeds but couldn't find a bus to go from Leeds to Heckmondwike or the reverses, and we couldn't find a train back from Leeds, so we had to give it up. Even the hotel guy who pulled up train schedules was absolutely no help at all. We were afraid of getting to Leeds and not being able to get anywhere from there.

More on what we did instead in the next installment! I have to go to bed! midnight here.....