I was so excited to step off the train at Paddington Station and arrive in London. Our taxi driver was talkative and friendly, pointing out the sights we drove past on the way to our excellent hotel location directly across Westminster Bridge from Big Ben. After checking in, we set off across Westminster Bridge, snapping pictures of Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the Statue of Boudicca, and the London Eye as we walked. Strolling past the government buildings lining Whitehall, we reached the heart of touristy London at Trafalgar Square. Locals and tourists alike thronged the steps of Nelson’s Column and the National Gallery, enjoying the lovely evening. After dinner we toured the National Portrait Gallery before taking more pictures of the London sights at night as we made our way back to our hotel.

The next day was rainy and cold and we enjoyed taking in the sights of London from the covered top of a double-decker tour bus. We hopped off at the Tower of London to enjoy the fortress and the Tower Bridge before taking a Thames Cruise back down the river to Westminster. We returned to Trafalgar Square to tour the National Gallery before grabbing dinner and a show at St Martin’s Theatre, Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap.”

The next morning we scored cheap tickets to an early showing of “Les Miserables.” Then we strolled down Piccadilly shopping for souvenirs and enjoying the distinctive architecture. Turning back south, we walked past St James’s Palace, where sentries guard the Tudor Tower, and on to Buckingham Palace. Meandering down Birdcage Walk, we stopped to see Westminster Abbey and view the Houses of Parliament more up close. After walking back up Whitehall to see the Horse Guards change, we ate dinner and traversed over the Thames on the Golden Jubilee Walking Bridge. A ride on the London Eye, a huge Ferris wheel, provided us with excellent views over the city of London at dusk as the lights of the city were coming on.  

Our last day in London and the UK began with breakfast on a bench beside the Thames. Then we set off down the Jubilee Walkway along the river to Tate Modern. After viewing the modern artwork, we continued east to take pictures of the Millennium Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, and St Paul’s Cathedral across the river. After a delicious dinner at Wagamama Noodle, we returned to our hotel to pack for our early morning flight.