Being a tourist is hard work I tell you.
We again slept in this morning until about 7:30. I don't believe that we have gone to bed before midnight a single evening here. With so much we want to do it's hard to lay ourselves down.
We headed out around 10 to make our way to the Tower of London. I hadn't eaten so I quickly found the only thing available, a Cadbury Egg McFlurry. Heaven help me it was good.
(Traitors Gate, Tower of London)
The Tower of London was huge for me on my first visit to London. The time period and the executions that took place here fascinate me. This time around I was able to focus more on the other stories of intrigue (besides the beheadings that is). The two princes that "disappeared" under the care of their uncle while here, thus enabling him to become king, was a particularly good one.(Tower Bridge in background)
After we spent several hours at the Tower we realized it was 3:30 and we were famished. A McFlurry wasn't meant to be an all day meal. We walked across Tower Bridge and found a little sandwhich shop. Panini has never tasted so good! And, the shop warmed up our chilled noses and fingers.Next was the London Dungeon. For 10 years now I have wanted to go there. In my head it was a dungeon with live actors (?). Nope. It's not. It was like a really good haunted house that took you back to the 1800's and the frightening conditions of life in London. It was interesting, but, ahem, not at all what I had expected. Dave had known it was a spook house, but didn't realize that I had higher hopes.
My memory of the real dungeon at Warwick Castle with have to suffice until we return again someday.
We topped off our day by walking around Big Ben, Parliament, Downing Street (where the Prime Minister lives), and Buckingham Palace.
(Classic Parliament Pose)
With our legs aching we hiked to a Tube stop and got on for the long ride back to Southgate. We stopped at a fish'n chip place that had been recommended to us by Chris. We were the only customers so Dave chatted up the man behind the counter. He had a very strong Turkish/English accent and was interesting to listen to. Dave was very chatty with him about his family, the fish varieties, and where he was from. He really impressed me :)
We took our wrapped up fried fish and walked in the chilly air to Asda, a supermarket comparable to a small Walmart. We loaded up on candy gifts (including my precious Minstrels), Prawn chips, digestives, and some other goodies.
On the street we caught the bus and within a stop or two Cecelia happened to hop on the bus also. She was excited to see us and was anxious to eat the fish'n chips too.
(Dave's new buddy, the fish'n chip guy)
At the house we unwrapped the fish and divided it up between the four of us (Chris was already home). We sat around the kitchen and had some good laughs. Although we haven't left yet, I'm already missing Cecelia and Chris.
We are now in bed in our 3rd floor room. Dave is reading and I'm typing away.
One more day, then it's home to our sweet house.
