Two years ago today Steve and I were in London for a six day adventure spanning New Year's Eve. We packed a ton of stuff into those six days without the kids, but as I look back at our trip there are a few things that stand out in my memory.
- A New Year's Eve snowfall. We spent the evening on the bank of the Thames watching and waiting for the fireworks at midnight. The place was packed with people shoulder to shoulder and our view was extremely limited. I can remember being very grateful when it was all over. As we were walking back towards the hotel we were rejoicing over being able to breath again and beginning the New Year with this incredible adventure. Then we stopped to call home and wish the kids a happy New Year. As we were talking a light snowfall began to come down. It was a very magical and romantic moment.
- Meeting up with friends. Rick and Heather our cruising friends live near the vicinity of London and met us there for an evening. They took us to the Winter Wonderland Festival in Hyde Park. They splurged for a ride on the big wheel. We then walked thru the German Christmas market where we sampled roasted chestnuts. They also took us to see the lights on Oxford street and we ended spending the rest of our evening visiting in a local pub near our hotel. I am so thankful for the time they took to share with us. It is truly one of the highlights of our trip and a wonderful evening to look back on.
- Kensington Palace. Our hotel was very close to the palace and we almost missed out on seeing this beautiful place due to lack of time. On our last full day we changed up our plans and decided to walk over and take a tour. This was Princess Diana's personal residence and they had many of her dresses on display. Aside from the tower of London it is the only royal palace we toured. This is a view from inside the palace overlooking Hyde Park. She had a lovely view.
- The Beefeater at the Tower of London. Just learning that the official title of this armed service position is actually "Beefeater" was amusing enough for a whole day’s worth of chuckles. The beefeaters are your tour guides that share with you the historical significance of the place. We also saw the Crown Jewels here and saw many of King Henry VIII’s personal articles.
- Finally our day spent scouting for Abby Road made famous by the Beatles album cover picture. We stopped to take a picture with Steve walking in the famous footprints. We then found the Sherlock Holmes museum and the Charles Dickens museum. These were more quiet spots than what we had been touring and it was fun to be out of the major tourist areas and someplace a little less frequented. There was a little sense of freedom and independence that came with seeking these places out.
Happy New Year's!
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