LONDON – When we entered Room 7 of the Emyln House Hotel in
the West London section of the city, we thought we’d been handed the key to the
storage closet/furnace room. The stifling hot and narrow dwelling held twin
beds that ran the length of one wall. The floor space between the beds and the
opposing wall was wide enough to set our bags but not much else. In front of the only window in the room, a
tiny (inoperable) TV sat atop a (operable) mini fridge, and both were tethered
to the wall by a short leash. With hardly any elbowroom in our confined roost,
we took turns sliding past one another to use the even smaller bathroom. Which,
by the way, you couldn’t close the door to without catching the atrocious green
bedspread in the jamb. Other features of our luxury room included: a heater
cranked on high (worth mentioning twice – it was THAT hot), cracked and brown
tiles in the bathroom, soiled carpet, and an assortment of other people’s hair
in the shower drain. But when we arrived in London after a long flight, three
train connections and two subway rides, all we wanted for the night was a bed
and four walls. So, under those terms, the mission was completed.
Despite all of the aforementioned awesomeness of the room,
the best part (READ: most ludicrous) was its nightly rate of $70. Now, that
number may not seem high to some, but given the amenities (WIFI? Forget about
it), or the lack thereof, and comparing this lodging to other stops on our
EuroTrip, 70 doll hairs was pretty steep for two well-seasoned shoestring
travelers. However, this WAS the most economical option for our stay that
weekend, not to mention our ONLY option hostel-wise for a last minute booking. Besides,
even before planning the trip to London, we were well aware that Britain has never
been considered a bargain destination. Yes, the United Kingdom is rather
small, but it cost a pretty pence to navigate through. Okay, enough talk of
our budget being obliterated. I just really wanted to use the word ‘pence’ in a
sentence. (Pence – unit of British currency)
Saturday - May 4
My first word after we hit the pavement Saturday morning was
“coffee,” and by now Juston knows I’m not kidding when I express the need for
caffeine. It was 6:30 in the morning and we were en route to the Hilton Olympia
Hotel for our scheduled pickup to embark on the tour to Stonehenge. The bus was
to pick us up at 7:40 am, but first we had to find a place to print our tickets
(last minute) on a Saturday morning, and I refused to get on the bus until
coffee was in tow. Fortunately, by the grace of God, we were able to print our
tickets at the swanky Hilton hotel AND we spotted a small breakfast stand
around the corner to cure our java jones. The coffee tasted like instant that
had been reheated twice, but it didn’t matter – we had a long day ahead of us
and I had to believe that somewhere in there was caffeine.
After walking 2.5 miles to our pickup location, we were was
happy – nay, elated – to be spending the next two hours in a reclining seat on
a first class coach bus to Stonehenge. Generally, we avoid any organized group
tours, as we prefer to venture and wander on our own. But seeing as how
Stonehenge was two hours away from the city, we gave in and booked the guided
tour for $80 USD.
Hailed as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Stonehenge
is an ancient marvel that is both fascinating and perplexing. (Read more info here: http://www.history.com/topics/stonehenge)
After returning to the city, we headed toward the Royals and
Buckingham Palace.
On the way there, we took a stroll through Kensington
Gardens to see Kensington Palace and Round Lake. We also stopped for a little
window-shopping at Harrods, the world’s most famous department store. Then, wandered up Constitution Hill to view
the Wellington Arch. This commemorates the Duke of Wellington’s victories in
the Napoleonic wars. His impressive mansion, Apsley House, was also just across
road.
Following our tea and crumpets with the Queen, Prince
William and Kate, we went for a glimpse at Winston Churchill’s Cabinet War
Rooms – home to Churchill during WWII. (Side note – in college I had the
privilege of meeting a granddaughter of Churchill, who shared with our class
some of her grandfather’s daily routines which included his love of taking
daily baths and working in bed. So, to honor Sir Winston, I am composing this
blog post snuggled up and in the comfort of my own bedstead as well. The bed
I’m borrowing in Germany, that is)
After Churchill was paid respects, Westminster Abbey was in
our view. As London’s most prestigious religious building, the Abbey is the
setting for coronations, state funerals, and the burial place of many
celebrated kings and queens. Not far from there, we found Big Ben (not the quarterback)
towering into the sky, in all of its clock-face glory. It’s cliché, but seeing
the big guy for the first time really did send a shiver up my spine and plant
Goosebumps down my arms.
Next to Benny boy, we found Parliament Square and the Houses
of Parliament. Not far from there set Trafalgar Square, home to one of London’s
most famous landmarks – Nelson’s Column. The National Portrait Gallery and
National Gallery are also housed there.
By this time, all the tea and crumpets have worn off and it
was time for fish and chips - although, we sprang for chicken and chips
instead. Let’s be honest, London isn’t known for it’s delectable cuisine, so we
really didn’t feel like we were missing out on too much by opting for the
chicken over fish. Anyways, we enjoyed our lunch at the small café situated
directly in front of the world-famous London Eye, the largest observation wheel
in the world. Crossing the river that evening, we went to see one of London’s
best-loved landmarks, the Tower Bridge (or London Bridge). Nearby was the Tower
of London, originally built by William the Conqueror in the 11th-century and
now one of London’s two World Heritage Sites.
Sunday - May 5
After pounding the pavement Saturday to hit the tourist
attractions, we did what we always do on Sunday – Relaxed. Rested. Observed the
Sabbath. We spent the day leisurely
strolling through the area of Notting Hill (sorry ladies, there was no sign of
Hugh Grant), wandering through the many gorgeous parks of London, and stopping
for the obligatory pictures in and around the red telephone booths. For lunch, we stopped
at this amazing organic grocery store where we meandered through the aisles for
a good hour and a half before deciding on a lunch option. Everything looked SO good. Our organic chicken wraps, blue
corn chips, and vegetable mix weighed in at a whopping $42 meal. We even
scooped up some gluten-free cupcakes to take with us to the park, where we
spread out a blanket and parked our behinds for the remainder of the day.
Juston catnapped while I read and watched the locals. Before catching our train
back to the airport, we caught a glimpse of St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the
heart of the financial district – Bank of England, Royal Exchange and Lord Mayor’s
home – Mansion House. What an appropriate area to end the trip, don't you think? Pound-less and without pence in the England financial district. Haha, okay there really is nothing to draw from that. I just had way too much fun speaking of and carrying pounds and pence that weekend. Cheerio, friends!
