A view from The Bus

Before I go on with our new day I wanted to let you in on a joke. We are walking along on the 1st night and we kept seeing these neon signs that say
“TO LET”? Both Jim and I thought the same thing that it was a sign letting us know where the toilet was—that the “I” had burned out on the signs. How can so many signs be without an “I”. Then we realized that it was a sign letting us know of places to rent, or “to let” as the British say. No toilets for us!

We have had some good food. In the morning we went to the Tower of London we were looking for something fast and quick. They have croissants with cooked scrambled eggs and a piece of bacon on top. The rolls are sort of flattened with the cooked eggs on top and bacon and ketchup on top. Cooked and ready to take away. Tonight we had Peri-Peri Portuguese chicken. It was really good. Peri peri must be some sort of Portuguese way of preparing chicken, spicy, tender and succulent. It was very tasty. I have to know what peri peri means. They are very big on sandwiches that are pre made and pre boxed and very good. We had chicken club and they come stacked in a cooler in these cute triangle boxes, ready to eat there or on the go. We just had dinner of a house salad and pizza (tomato, cheese, basil). The pizza was 12.00 (not bad) but the salad was 15. See they suck you in because the prices look so American £5.95 for pizza and £7.95 for salad and £1.80 for diet coke. Then you realize that you have just paid double for what you would have gotten in the good USA. Oh well one has to eat.

Today we overslept and didn’t get started until 10:30. We headed out to Victoria Station to pick up the double decker City Bus tour. How can we possibly tell you all the sights we saw? Anything having to do with London we saw. We saw where every famous person has lived or lives now, from Joan Collins to Prince Charles. We saw famous Hyde park where today (Sunday) is the day that people can stand in Speaker’s Corner and speak their peace. The rule is you must be on a box, or step stool at least 6” off the ground and you can say anything you want as long as you don’t talk badly about the monarchy, swear or blaspheme. The phrase, “Get off your soapbox” comes from this British tradition. Years ago they used to assemble and riot and when the anti rioting law was passed and the right to free speech, this started. So today there were quite a few people on their soapboxes speaking their peace to crowds around them. As we were on a bus we didn’t get off to hear what they were saying but one could only imagine. We went by the old Bedlam Insane Asylum where patients would break out. Another saying courtesy of the British, “All bedlam broke out”!

We saw where numerous people have been beheaded, hanged, drawn and quartered. (The phrase “one for the road” and “on the wagon” ties in to these public beheadings and hangings. When a prisoner was being taken on the wagon to the site for his demise, the townsfolk would offer the prisoner one last drink. If they were denied it it was they were “on the wagon”). What a lovely kind history these Brits share with us. We passed by the spot where Braveheart was convicted, drawn and quartered. They even have a pub near the spot with that name. We jumped off the bus and got on a river cruise down the Thames. Well we actually only went about 1 mile down but we were on the Thames no less. We found our way to Trafalgar Square where people gather and spend a non-rainy Sunday afternoon. Right on the square is the National Gallery Museum. Of course there were Rembrandts, Rubens, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Monet, Manet and Van Gogh. We just hit the highlights of the museum thanks to Rick Steves tour.

After the Gallery we hopped on the bus again and finished the tour of London. We ended up in Piccadilly Square where there were THOUSANDS of people, mostly young, hanging out. If we weren’t so tired I think we could have done some shopping but we looked at the time and decided to find the nearest tube and head home. Of course we soon realized that a nice sunny day brought out every Londoner around. The tube was packed and there must have been lots of soccer games because everyone seemed to be wearing soccer clothes of some sort. They are a very sport loving people.

We saw all the places you need to see—we saw: Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Parliament, Big Ben, 10 Downing Street (Tony’s house), The London Eye, the London Bridge (the new one that replaced the old one that Lake Havasu bought), the Tower Bridge, and on and on. It was quite overwhelming!

The history of London and what those who lived here experienced is impossible to put into words. We can’t imagine what London would be like if the fire of 1666 hadn’t flattened so much of the city (Londoners are grateful as it put an end to the plague by burning up all the rats). Yet even still, around every corner, in every nook and cranny (I’m sure that originated in English history) some part of history occurred right in that spot, or someone who changed history walked that very route.

Another day tomorrow, more tales to tell. We are enjoying ourselves immensely and wish we could have each one of you right by us as we experience these great moments in history. Thanks for sharing this with us. Print this post