After breakfast at the hotel, we walked through Victoria Station to get in line for 10-pound day-of tickets to Wicked. We missed the cheap seats by one spot in line, but decided to get tickets for the matinee anyway.
From there, we walked to Buckingham Palace, where we absolutely could not believe the already-assembled crowds were there for the changing of the guard. You know, seeing as the changing of the guard wasn’t for another hour and a half, and after all, it happens every single day. I refuse to line up for an hour and a half for an obstructed view of a daily event. That’s just silly. However, by walking down the mall, we stumbled upon the change of the horse guard, which was already in progress and not nearly as crowded.
We walked through St. James’s Park, past Whitehall, Downing Street, and Parliament (and their associated clots of press and protesters), and across the river to the London Eye, where we got tickets for an evening “flight.” We stopped for lunch at an Indian restaurant behind Charing Cross station, then picked up some diabetic supplies at the Boots.
Returning through St. James’s and past Buckingham, the crowds had not changed in size, but the amount of security had increased notably. In addition to the ceremonial guards, there were police, soldiers, and a hovering helicopter. We later learned that brand-new Prime Minister Gordon Brown was in conference with the Queen. I made us late for the Wicked matinee by taking too many pictures.
We emerged from the show (which was fabulous) to find that it had rained while we were there. Greg found a phone box to call Melanie for tourism and dining recommendations, and then we wandered indirectly back toward the Eye. We stood in line at a hip-looking restaurant for a while before realizing even if we did ever get seated (or, frankly, acknowledged), we probably would be late for our Eye tickets, so we went to one of London’s many interesting takeaway sandwich places. Pret a manger and Eat are two chains I would gladly welcome to the states. They’re like Corner Bakery or Panera, but far more hip and vastly more efficient. We went to Eat in this instance, where I had a chorizo and roasted pepper sandwich, and Greg had prawn tom yum.
Just as we got in line for the Eye, the skies opened. It rained so hard so fast, no one could do anything but laugh. It calmed down once we got in our little pod, though, so the views weren’t completely obscured, and by the time we were done, it had stopped.
We walked back to the hotel, stopping at Sainsbury’s for wine (our one criterion: screw top), Battenberg cake, and chocolate. An installment of Big Brother, and then to bed.
Pedometer count: 24,084
From there, we walked to Buckingham Palace, where we absolutely could not believe the already-assembled crowds were there for the changing of the guard. You know, seeing as the changing of the guard wasn’t for another hour and a half, and after all, it happens every single day. I refuse to line up for an hour and a half for an obstructed view of a daily event. That’s just silly. However, by walking down the mall, we stumbled upon the change of the horse guard, which was already in progress and not nearly as crowded.
We walked through St. James’s Park, past Whitehall, Downing Street, and Parliament (and their associated clots of press and protesters), and across the river to the London Eye, where we got tickets for an evening “flight.” We stopped for lunch at an Indian restaurant behind Charing Cross station, then picked up some diabetic supplies at the Boots.
Returning through St. James’s and past Buckingham, the crowds had not changed in size, but the amount of security had increased notably. In addition to the ceremonial guards, there were police, soldiers, and a hovering helicopter. We later learned that brand-new Prime Minister Gordon Brown was in conference with the Queen. I made us late for the Wicked matinee by taking too many pictures.
We emerged from the show (which was fabulous) to find that it had rained while we were there. Greg found a phone box to call Melanie for tourism and dining recommendations, and then we wandered indirectly back toward the Eye. We stood in line at a hip-looking restaurant for a while before realizing even if we did ever get seated (or, frankly, acknowledged), we probably would be late for our Eye tickets, so we went to one of London’s many interesting takeaway sandwich places. Pret a manger and Eat are two chains I would gladly welcome to the states. They’re like Corner Bakery or Panera, but far more hip and vastly more efficient. We went to Eat in this instance, where I had a chorizo and roasted pepper sandwich, and Greg had prawn tom yum.
Just as we got in line for the Eye, the skies opened. It rained so hard so fast, no one could do anything but laugh. It calmed down once we got in our little pod, though, so the views weren’t completely obscured, and by the time we were done, it had stopped.
We walked back to the hotel, stopping at Sainsbury’s for wine (our one criterion: screw top), Battenberg cake, and chocolate. An installment of Big Brother, and then to bed.
Pedometer count: 24,084
Labels: honeymoon
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