Walking 'round London Town

classic.

      

breakfast at the hotel

Princess Di Memorial Walk

To start my day in London, I grabbed some fruit and tea at the continental breakfast in the main building, checked out and left my luggage in the lobby, and made my way to the Wellington Arch to meet up with another Sandeman’s Free Walking Tour.  I wound my way through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens to get there, passing the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain and many royal statues.  It was a wet, gray day, and I contemplated skipping out on the tour and just going shopping, but I toughed it out, and I’m glad I did.  Because of the glum weather, there were only about 8 people in the English group on the walking tour, which made for a fun and more intimate version than I assume most people get.  My tour guide was super cute, and I made friends with some Australians who had just arrived the night before.

Tour starting point: Wellington Arch

The tour covered all the sights you would expect it too...Buckingham Palace, St.James Palace, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben and Parliament, Westminster Abbey...the works:

I don't remember what this is.  Victoria statue? Anyways.  Its cool.

Buckingham Palace

St. James Palace

Canada House!!! Sang here on July 1st with the SCC in 2009

Big Ben

Parliament Buildings (Remember, remember the 5th of November!)

Westminster Abbey

And that was London! After the tour ended I just headed back to hotel.  It was gross and rainy out, and I always prefer to just get where I'm going-which in this case was back to Amsterdam.

By then, Amsterdam just felt like home.  Lisa came and met me and Central Station, we grabbed Starbucks (Ams had a cranberry mocha as one of their holiday drinks- yum!) and had a big ol' catch-up session.  Back at Weesperflat, Jenny came and hung out while I repacked all my crap, including a whack of souvenirs for the folks back home.  I can't remember now what song it was, but at some point the 3 of us were belting out a tune that earned us some knocks through the wall.  I think it was Disney.  

Lis and I got up early in the morning and had breakfast together at the airport.  Yeah, she took me to the airport.  What a gal, that bestie of mine.  We said our goodbyes, which were made a tad less sad since we knew Lis would be homeward bound in less than a month's time.  Then began the long trek home, and as much as I loved loved loved my Europe trip, boy was I ever glad to hit Canadian soil, to see my parents and brother, and, since I arrived home on a Wednesday, my choir fam too.