mind the gap

Can you tell I'm still trying to catch up with normal life? It has taken me a week to get another post on here. But before I get started into my travelogue, I do need to add an addendum to my last post. Yes, there are those who really do want to read about my travels. It is so exciting to go on a trip and the first thing you want to do is tell everyone about it. So to encapsulate all of that excitement is rough.

Okay. Here we go. Days 1 & 2:

As I came through the clouds and took in my first view of England, the song that came on my iPod was "I Only Have Eyes For You" by The Flamingos. I couldn't have timed it better. I'm sure everyone thought I was a nutter from the way I acted on the plane and then while riding on the tube to London from the airport. Sorry to be cliche but I was like a kid in a candy store. I was trying to get a full view of everything by looking out the windows in front of me and behind me. I couldn't get enough of the green and the rooftops and the clustered houses built, as it seems, right on top of one another. Also the architecture and the accent. I doubt I will ever get sick of hearing a British accent.

My sister's flat happens to be next to Hugh Grant's office. There have been some Hugh sightings and I was really hoping I would be lucky enough to get one. Unfortunately, I saw a lot of his car but no floppy-haired, blue-eyed Brit. :(


I went to bed early that first night (7:30pm) and woke early the next morning to meet up with one of the most wonderful families ever. I was a nanny in NJ ten years ago and this family now lives in London. It was a sweet reunion and I'm so grateful to them for allowing me into their home and being a part of their lives. They are absolute gems. They took me to breakfast, walked me around their part of London and pointed out some homes that house famous people (i.e. Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, Jamie Oliver). I even got my first cab ride with them.






They live up by the famous Abbey Road and Abbey Road studios. They also showed me where Paul McCartney lives. I really could have climbed the fence and walked into his house. But my conscience got the better of me and I realized I wanted to actually enjoy the rest of my trip instead of spending it in a British jail. Plus I'm not that crazy. ;)





Kerri, the mom, showed me where St. James House, where Prince Charles lives and took me to the mall of Buckingham Palace. That is where we said our goodbyes and hoped it would not be ten more years before seeing each other again. I then ventured off on my own.




I got my first view of Big Ben, which literally took my breath away. How can one describe seeing a famous landmark for so long in books and movies, and then to come upon it while out and about? I then hopped on the tube and made my way to the Tower of London. I went on the Beefeater tour and could not believe I was standing on a site that had been there since 1077 A.D. The history there was remarkable and I also got to see the Crown Jewels.






The Queen also has a residence at the Tower of London thus a guard was standing watch. I also fell in love with the blue doors. The Queens residence had these bright, aqua blue doors. It was beautiful; the Tudor style home and these bright blue doors. But there were other residences, around town, that had blue doors. I absolutely loved it! Even Paul McCartney's home had blue: his fence out front is a dark navy blue. I came home with the intention to paint our front door blue but the husband was not on the same thought process as I was. ;)


After an absolute full and historical day, I headed back to my sister's flat. I want to point out that my sister and her husband do not own a car. My best companion was the Oyster card. I was very impressed with the public transportation there. For the most part, it was a seamless transition from one line to the other on the tube, or from bus to bus. Plus, riding the tube brought back many memories of riding the metro when we were in St. Petersburg. In fact, it all smells the same. The smell alone opened the flood-gates and the memories came rushing in. At times I had to remind myself I wasn't back in Russia. It was a trip! I have ridden the subways in NYC and also D.C. but it just isn't the same. Also, I will be sure to point out in my travelogue, of the time when I was in a car in London and the traffic that swelled around us.
Soon to come, days 3 & 4!!