London Calling

We took advantage of Jay’s business trip to pop over to London for three days.  It may sound “oh so” jet setter-like, but London is actually closer to us than Boston is to our home in Atlanta.  Europe’s compactness still challenges our American sense of distance. Cities that were once shrouded in a romantic allure of long-distance travel now reside in our nearby orbit. After London, Jay flew to Oslo, a mere 55-minute flight from our home in Stockholm. 

Based on more favorable ticket prices, we flew early Sunday morning to London’s Gatwick Airport. We then navigated the express train to Victoria Station followed by a ride on the Underground to Paddington. Figuring out all these connections had its challenges, but there was a sense of wonderful comfort returning to a world filled with English language signage.

After checking into the hotel, we strolled through Kensington Gardens on the Princess Diana Memorial Walkway on our way to the Natural History Museum. The museum was on our tour list for two reasons: (1) its fabulous dinosaur display and (2) free admission!

We passed through the Great Hall and down corridors filled with mounted birds and fossilized sea creatures to queue for the escalators for the dinosaur display. That ride put us on a walkway suspended from the ceiling, which allowed us to see the open, two-tiered display from an unusual birds-eye view. 

To the delight of children and adults alike, several models of dinosaurs perched on top of display cases were animated and looked as though they were fighting. Other dinosaurs, seen now only in skeleton form, challenged one to internalize that these creatures were once masters of the earth. A final display of life-sized animated T-Rex throwing its head up and then down close to the crowd and roaring in a menacing way gave all a sense of the power and size of this beast that ruled the earth 65 million years ago.

On Monday morning Jay headed to the office and Helen to Oxford Street, one of the main shopping districts, where she found a number of after-Christmas sales and bargains. Even the regularly priced items at drug stores, such as toothpaste and lotion, were cheaper than in Stockholm, so she filled her backpack. A lead from a sales clerk at one store led her to Debenham’s, a lovely department store with a large selection of formal dresses. It was here that she found the gown she plans to wear at Eric and Joy’s wedding.

Monday evening was dinner at a traditional British pub of meat pies and a pint of ale followed by a theater performance of Ghost at the Piccadilly Theater. The actors' performances and the special effects were a real treat.

On Tuesday, Jay continued at the office and Helen capped her shopping trip to London with a visit to Harrod’s.  The famed Egyptian Staircase is a must-see. Despite a half day shopping effort, her only purchase was a lunchtime bowl of pea soup at the Tea Room. 

"Cheers!"