Month: February 2023

London – Day 1

I’ve visited London several times over the years. In fact I graduated from an American High School in London, London Central High School. But, before today I had never been to Greenwich.

This morning we had a chilly but enjoyable walk from our hotel near the British Museum to the boat docks on the Thames by Westminster.

Duke in Trafalgar Square
People at the end of Downing Street
Tower Bridge from our boat.

We took a Thames tourist boat down to Greenwich.

The Cutty Sark in Greenwich.

We briefly visited the Maritime Museum

Me in front of the maritime museum.
A display about the Spanish Armada

Then we toured St Alfege Church. We learned lots of interesting tidbits. Alfege was Archbishop of Canterbury. He was killed by marauding Danes who were camped in Greenwich in 1012. The church was built where he was killed. It is believed that Henry VIII was baptized there. During the Blitz in 1941 over 1000 bombs and incendiary devices were dropped on Greenwich. Two of them went through the roof and badly damaged the church.

St Alfege Church
The inside of the church.

We also get to visit the crypt. When the bombs hit the church there were more than 100 people sheltering in the crypt. It was so strong that no one was hurt.

Inside the crypt
Duke coming out of the crypt.

We took the bus back from Greenwich. The 188 bus route ended right around the corner from our hotel.

For dinner we went to a nearby pub, The Swan. We had fish and chips and steak and ale pie. It was so much fun to be in a London pub!! I especially liked the mushy peas and mint..

Duke ordering
Fish and chips and steak and ale pie.

San Francisco to London

After more than 24 long hours of travel we made it to our hotel in London. Tuesday morning we drove from Reno to Walnut Creek where we left our car. Allison gave us a ride to BART and we rode BART to San Francisco airport.

Duke on BART to the airport.

Our flight from San Francisco to Copenhagen was long and uneventful. The plane was only about a third full.

On the plane to Copenhagen.

We spent a couple of hours in the SAS lounge in Copenhagen.

SAS lounge in Copenhagen

And then flew to London. The immigration check in London was 100% automated. I put my passport into the slot, looked into the camera, and the gate opened. We got our bags and caught the Tube into central London. The weather was cold but pleasant as we walked to our hotel.

The line for immigration in London
On the Underground
Duke checking in to the hotel in London.

It was about 10pm when we got to our room. It felt absolutely heavenly to get into a real bed and sleep!!