A Weekend in London

After a long weekend in London my legs are aching and my mind is full of memories and reflections. Being in the city changes you. You cannot cause the city to slow down or shift or move, but somehow visiting it leaves you slightly different. As a child of open skies and full backyards, one of the world's greatest cities left me with quite a changed perspective.

The weekend began on Friday morning with a trip on the London Underground in order to see some of the most famous views in London. After our tube ride we turned a corner and Big Ben came into our view. Soon the sound of chimes filled the crisp January air as the famous clock announced the noon hour. It was breathtaking first look at this historic city.

The day continued with a walk to see Westminster Abbey, the Imperial Guard Museum, and Trafalgar Square. We stopped and attempted to take pictures atop the famous lions. However our American clumsiness could only be tolerated for so long and we found it much easier to simply snap shots of the lions themselves.

Our next stop was London's Covent Garden. This was probably my favorite area of the city. Covent Garden was full of fun shops and pubs,  local vendors filled the streets with "British crafts and design," and street performers captivated large crowds of visitors to the garden.            

The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering the city and exploring Picadilly Circus, London's West End Theaters, Chinatown, and of course McDonalds for dinner.. (what else could poor American travelers do in London?!)

The next day was full of more walking, shopping and exploring. We spent the first half of the day exploring Portobello market and enjoying delicious strawberry and nutella crepes. We experienced the madness of London's Oxford street and made our way through the crowds of Saturday shoppers. The afternoon was spent at Buckingham Palace and the British Museum.

One of the most delicious parts of our day! 

What a character! Portobello was full of performers!

Saturday was our last day in London, but Sunday gave us the opportunity to visit the Hampton Court Palace and Runnymede, the signing place of the Magna Carta. 

As of this moment, there is a snowball fight taking place outside that I would hate to miss. More updates to follow on the memories made during my first weekend exploring Britain!