I guess we stayed out too late last night at the theatre, because we had a really slow start to our morning today. Finally we were ready to get out the door by 10:30, and I still haven't had my real coffee...the hotel only offers instant and it's decaf! But we make our way to the tube and down to Charing Cross to see Trafalgar Square, and what do you know, they've got the place blocked off while they prepare for a concert. Atleast there's a good place here for coffee, upstairs from the bookstore. It takes awhile to get our order together, and we go back downstairs and out the door and what's this?? the whole street is blocked off with tape, there are firetrucks and police cars everywhere, and we are standing on the sidewalk, alone, inside the cordoned off area. Ok, this is different. Well, here comes a police officer, asking us to please get back behind the tape, like we just hopped over. So I ask him what's going on, and he tells me there is a suspect package in the street, but they'll have it cleared off in a bit. Good to know. I tell him we just came out of the store and we'll just go back inside, and off we go, with him right behind us. Luckily he's not chasing us down, he just asks the store clerk to please lock the door so no one else wanders out into the street. Now we're just browsing in the bookstore, drinking coffee, thinking what to do next, since so far our morning is not on schedule. I ask the clerk how to get to St James Park from here, and he laughs and says right through there, pointing at the firetrucks. Of course it is. We have to walk up and around Trafalgar Square, which we can't see much of, and around the suspect package, which will be cleared off soon, but atlast we are on track. St James Park is within sight, and it is beautiful. We have a lovely walk around the duck pond to Buckingham Palace, and then around Green Park and back to the tube. I love riding the tube.
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| pelicans on the rocks |
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| Buckingham Palace |
And now we have to get our train to Brussels and get back to Antwerp.
Just a few more days...
Today we wake up in London! We did try to get an early start, but it just didn't happen---no matter, it's a vacation! We got back to King's Cross Station, and finally found Platform 9 3/4 so the girls could try to get onto the Hogwarts Express. No luck, so we'll try for the Tube instead. Finally get our oyster cards/travel cards under control, find the right line--the Piccadilly Line, and get to Leicester (say Lester) Square to get our theatre tickets. Wicked tomorrow night! Yay, the girls are so excited!! Now back on the Piccadilly Line, lucky us, our next stop is on the same line. The Victoria and Albert Museum, or the V & A, where we plan to meet up with a friend from our Hong Kong days. We had a great time with Hazel and her daughter Silvia--thanks for coming out to meet us!! We saw a good bit of the V & A, including the Chihuly chandelier, and a few other pieces by him as well. you might know that Chihuly is a glass artist from Seattle, and a favorite of mine since I first saw The Boat in the Columbus Museum. We also enjoyed lunch in the cafe and the girls got to wade out in the fountains in the courtyard---it was a beautiful sunny day in London. 
