London – Beauty and Blooms

London has always been on my travel bucket-list so visiting the sights had me grinning from ear-to-ear. We began our morning adventure outside Buckingham Palace to stare at the guards, but the crowds quickly had us retreating to our next stop – Big Ben!

After snapping a few photos with Big Ben and the London eye we grabbed lunch at Café Nero and ate on a set of steps over looking the river thames. Once refueled we walked down the road to Westminster Abbey. Being crunched for time, we were only able to oggle at the abbey’s beauty from the sidewalk. Next time we are in London we will have to book a few tours!

On our walk to the Tower of London I made Ian stop and take a few stereotypical photos – one in a phone booth and another next to a set of red buses. Yes, this was super touristy of me but can you blame a girl?!

Ian and I both agree that the Tower of London is at the top of our tour list next time we are in the city. We peered longingly through the gate entrance for a few minutes before we had to run back to our hotel and get on the train back to Edinburgh. Our time in London was short, but we felt we made the most of the time we had in the city.

Check back in tomorrow to see what we got up to in Edinburgh!

After waking up at the crack of dawn, Ian and I boarded our train into London. The journey into London was breathtaking. The train tracks skirted along the coastline which allowed me to soak up views of crashing waves and cottage lined roads. It was a good thing I enjoyed starring out the window since we were at a standstill for an hour after the train in front of us hit livestock on the tracks. Oh the joys of traveling!

Once we arrived in London we were greeted by the hustle and bustle of Kings Cross. I drug Ian to Platform 9 3/4 (any Harry Potter fans?!) to get a glimpse of the famous photo op, but I was too anxious to explore the city to stand in line to snap a picture. After we checked into our hotel we were back on the tube and headed to Notting Hill.

I quickly fell in love with the brightly colored neighborhood. Ian and I browsed the street vendors and popped into boutique shops until our feet said “no more!” and we had to seek out a coffee shop to rest. After relaxing with a cup of coffee in hand we were rejuvenated and ready to wander through the Kensington Palace Gardens.

While it was a gloomy day in London the gardens were flocked with families having picnics, playing with remote controlled boats in the pond, and meandering through the garden paths. It felt alive with activity and was the perfect location to rest our feet (for the second time!) and people watch.