Friday in London

 25 August 2023, Friday

We had another busy day!  We certainly got our steps in - I had over 20,000 for Friday.  The kids and I started our day by checking out the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace.  We heard the band and saw various troops march here and there.  Then we went to Regent Street for some shopping - Fortnum & Mason and Whittard's offered many fine teas to sample and purchase!  We had a late lunch at Ave Mario, a fantastic Italian restaurant in Covent Garden.  Then we met up with Dad back at Trafalgar Square, and spent some time in the National Gallery.  Then it was time to head back to Paddington for our train to Oxford.  It was a fun and busy way to finish our stay in the UK!

Fortnam and Mason

Coronation china set

Outside Fortnum and Mason's

Regent Street by day

Posting a card to the U.S.

Lunch at Ave Mario

St. Martin-in-the-Fields

Prospecting over Trafalgar Square

The National Gallery

English monarchs, told in playing cards

Thursday in London

 24 August 2023, Thursday

The kids and I had a fun day out, with lots of stops.  We started at the Italian Garden in Kensington Park, where we retrieved a water bottle lost last Friday.  Then we took the tube to Waterloo Draught's Game Cafe, where we tried out lots of fun board games.  It was located in an alcove off of Leake Street, under the Waterloo train station, where graffiti and street art are encouraged.  We spent about an hour in the British Museum, looking for Viking and Egyptian artifacts.  We freshened up at the hotel, then met up with Dad in Camden Town after work.  One of his colleagues lives in the area, and we met with his family for dinner at Camden Market Hawley Wharf.  This gentrified area has a Victorian canal with locks, and plenty of food vendors to choose from.

Leake Street, at Draught's Game Cafe

British Museum

On the bus to Camden Town

Street art in Camden Market

Near Camden Lock

Dinner and Evening Walk in London

 23 August 2023, Wednesday

After Evensong, we walked to Farzi restaurant for delicious Indian food.  Then we walked partway back to the hotel (in Paddington Basin) through Piccadilly Circus and Regent Street.  It was fun to see the city lit up at night!

Stop in Trafalgar Square

Regent Street