London – Valentine Tradition

It is important to keep traditions alive. Cards, flowers, or candy can express feelings for a loved one. I discovered that a busy travel year resulted in airline points and Marriott Rewards points for a hotel. Rick Steves‘ materials provided invaluable insights. (Here is his most recent book ) Let a new tradition begin. London starts a Valentine Tradition.

Arriving in London

After an overnight plane trip we arrived in London, UK. It was recommended that we engage drivers instead of renting a car. As we left the airport making our way to the Marriott Marble Arch the cab ride had the stories start. Each ride brought an enjoyable story which my friends had told me would happen. We spent the afternoon acquainting ourselves with our corner of this beautiful city. A good night sleep and the journey continues.

It started with a short but informative ride to Westminster Bridge which we proceeded to walk across and return to see the classic view of Parliament and the Clock Tower. We then strolled through St.James’ Park on our way to Buckingham Palace. Next up,  we then made our way to Westminster Abbey where we spent the remainder of the morning touring. We then strolled to Trafalgar Square and ate lunch under the statue.  Finally, we caught a cab back to the hotel for an end to a day of touring.

With the morning, we rode over to the London Library to view The Bible collection on display.  It was a joy to see the many manuscripts on display.

Museums Everywhere

Next we walked to the British Museum and walked thru history until it closed. This was a deep dive into history of the country and the world including the Rosetta Stone. This was an artifact that my wife had dreamed of seeing. What a wonderful day. As we ride back to the hotel we discuss the many things we had seen. We found a pub and had dinner. A great end to a wonderful day.

Next up was a ride across the city to the Tower of London. This was an immersion into a stable of horseless and humanless armor and a collection of crown jewels. This was a view of incalculable value protected by ghost armies and AK-47s. Next we walked across London Bridge and made our way along the Thames. For lunch we made our way to Borough Market to eat as the locals. Well worth the trip with good food and atmosphere and capping the day was a ride and a story.

For our last day in the city was a ride to Piccadilly Circus. The next morning we enjoyed a final story with the cab driver as we prepared to catch our flight. Thanks to guide recommendations we were able see more than the run of the mill experience. What memories from so few places.