London

To travel into London we hopped on the Piccadilly Line. I am amazed to observe our fellow passengers engrossed with their electronic devices; while I am devouring the views outside of the train; quaint row houses with multiple clay chimneys and small gardens pass by. Factories, parks, amusement parks all fly through my site line. Why does none of this interest the other passengers? E-readers, music, texting and games occupy them and I feel it is their lose. But I am reminded that visitors to our area are thrilled to visit Old Fort Henry and other attractions that we locals take for granted.

We get off at Piccadilly Circus and search for the nearest Blue Bus on our tour line. After some miss-direction by people on the street we find the correct bus and our adventure begins for the day. The weather is a challenge, sun lulling us into a sense of a beautiful day, followed by rain and the pattern repeated itself. I am a cold weather person but this windy, damp cold coupled with rain chilled me to the bone. Give me a good old fashioned Canadian cold winter day anytime. A quick stop at a Starbucks helped but only for a short time.

The Tower of London was one of our stops. I am proud to say that I climbed all the steps. Thankfully there are breaks to allow visitors to view displays. A slight wait was needed to see the Crown Jewels but it was well worth it. Out on the street we were tantalized by the smell of roasting beer nuts. Vendors were more than happy to sell tourists a cup hot off their open grill.

London is a city with lots of people, all with their own agenda. While trying to enter the M&M World store I found myself pushed so hard that I would have fallen over if I had not already been pinned against a barrier. The store, a popular tourist spot, boasts every kind of M&M candy and dispenser that anyone can imagine. It is not a store for the claustrophobic.

If the train was full then new passengers would simply push their way in and if no seats were available those standing would be crammed into the every corner. I have been jostled, sat on with backpacks and pushed by complete strangers. London is not a city for sissies but I wouldn’t have missed the experience for anything.