Day 4: #Tourism

Flip Flops? Check. Two Cameras? Check. Shorts & Shirt on a 65 degree day? Check. Looks like I’m ready to stand out like a sore thumb. Today was one of our big tourism days here in London, tomorrow will be as well. We want to get that stuff out of the way so we can spend some in our neighborhood of Shoreditch in East London for the remaining days. It’s good to live like tourists briefly but it’s a must to live like locals as well.

After sleeping in I got up at 11:30 and quickly got dressed. No, I did not have time to shower, but it’s okay I put on deodorant and cologne. Basically I’m 13 again, I’m sure Bethany is thrilled to hear that… She’s not, I guarantee it.

We started our day at a small breakfast cafe called Cafe 338 a convenient name which I believe doubles as the address. It was a small hole in the wall breakfast joint with legit English breakfasts, local clientel except me and my giant camera filming, looking like a tool. You know… classic Bryce. After splitting a delicious meal to save money we hopped on the tube and headed to Westminster Abbey and Palace.

The Palace of Westminster is part of the building attached to Big Ben if you were curious. It is massive and from an architectural design standpoint beautiful. Seriously, the craftsmanship of ever inch of that place is intricate and beautiful.

Across the street is the Abbey. The Abbey is a church in London that still holds services and on occassion acts as a place for coronations and funerals of important figures such as the late princess Diana. It has such a strange vibe, throughout the entire building the walls and floors are lined with tombs of England’s past. The treated very though beautiful and held in reference I couldn’t shake the “tomb-esque” feeling it gave off. It’s unusual and sad that a church, something of life and rebirth, would be so surrounded with death. To me Westminster will forever be remembered as the church of death. Aside from that however, it was lovely… Though I couldn’t really get any good pictures as photography is not allowed, I did still sneak some here and here. Sorry England!

On our way to see the London Eye Bethany and I took the highly cliche photo standing in a red phone booth with Big Ben as a back drop #nbd #bigben #hanginginlondon. On our way to See the London Eye we stopped to eat on a docked ship called the Tattershall Castle. Think of it like the Sacramento King, BUT IN LONDON, so… better. We split a delicious sandwich and some drinks and stared at the Eye of London. You get it… we’re in London. We decided against going on The Eye seeing as the line would take roughly 45 minutes and so would the actual experience. We’re not made of time so we opted for the Tower & London Bridges.

Whether you know it or not, you know The Tower Bridge. If you’ve EVER seen a movie that takes place in London you can’t unsee the tower bridge. It goes across the Thames river right by the London Tower and a Starbucks if you’re thirsty… filthy yank. Really, the Tower Bridge is just an elaborate drawbridge. However, IT’S IN LONDON, so it’s better than any drawbridge you’ve ever seen. We got some nice little photo ops while children ran through water fountains in a business park nearby and then we walked across on our way to the London Bridge.

To be honest, the London bridge isn’t all that exciting. I mean it’s a bridge in and IT’S IN LONDON, so that’s cool, but really… not much. I guess it’s mainly famous for falling down, get it… Like the song? Historically it is the first bridge to be built across the river Thames. But, as far as bridges go, not the best. At least my Lady looks good standing next to, in other news she also looks good every other time!

After that we headed back home a good 8 1/2 hours of walking has our feet seeing crosseyed, that’s how that works yeah? I think I need an anatomy lesson. Maybe tomorrow… time for dinner and a sleep movie with our eyelids as the screens. Goodnight FROM THE FUTURE!

Cheers,
B&B