London: a lovely stopover.



Kevin in front of Tower Bridge during our 1-day stop.

When we travel, we strive to have few connections and for the trip to take the fewest hours (because who likes the actual act of getting from Point A to Point B?).  This means we are willing to pay a bit more for nonstop flights and it also means loyalty to a specific airline is not that easy. 

Getting to Symi, Greece this summer was not possible in one simple flight as it was when we headed to Vienna on Austrian Airlines later in the year.  Because of turmoil on Athens, we also made the decision we wanted to fly directly to Rhodes (the island with the closest airport to Symi). 

We made the decision to book a flight on our favorite airline Virgin Atlantic to get from DC to London.  Spend a day and night in London and then book a flight on our least favorite airline Ryanair to finish the trip and arrive in Rhodes in the middle of the afternoon in time for lunch and the afternoon hydrofoil. 

A pretty pub in South London near the Globe.

We strategically booked a hotel in the financial district because (1) we had not really explored this part of London and (2) the train to Stansted Airport (more on that in a later post) left from Liverpool Street Station, which was right around the corner.  We stayed at the Apex London Wall, which was sophisticated and tucked on a quiet street. We dumped our stuff and headed towards the Thames, walking by the Tower of London and crossing the Tower Bridge into South London.  Walking the footpath along the Thames, we passed the Globe and stopped into the Tate Modern, which I had not visited since 2002 so it was time for a return visit.

We stopped for a requisite fish-and-chip lunch and a warm ale (it was surprisingly brisk for late June!) before heading back to shower and relax.  It was fun to be in London's Financial District on a Friday afternoon in June.  Office workers packed all the pubs, literally people were pouring out of the establishments and empty pint glasses littered the sidewalks.  We decided to visit Brick Lane in the East End for Indian food as one must have Indian food when visiting the UK from the US. Before we reached Brick Lane, we stopped at a pub to have a pre-dinner drink and take in the Murray/Nadal semi-final match being played nearby in Wimbledon.  Murray lost.  We finished our pints and headed to dinner.

Brick Lane is quite the experience.  As you walk down the street, restaurant staff badger you, imploring you to come into their establishments, promising the best deal on the street!  It's not a typical scene for London, but it was fun for an evening and after wandering the street for a bit, we decided on a place and had a lovely meal before wandering back to the hotel.

Holland Park, London.

On the flip side of our journey from Greece, we also spent a day and evening in London.  This time, we chose to be on the Piccadilly Line near Earl's Court.  We stayed at a small, boutique hotel called Twenty Nevern Square.  It was situated on a leafy square and an easy walk from Holland Park.  We enjoyed wandering through the green streets and park space, reveling in the lush plants after the arid climate of Symi.  We found a Thai restaurant right outside Holland Park and enjoyed a break from the Greek taverna fare that had dominated our dinners.

The blur of monument and nature: Brompton Cemetery

The next morning we had a chance for one final walk through the streets of London and we stumbled upon Brompton Cemetery.  We were charmed by the wild, yet managed space.  Because it was early morning, we had the cemetery to ourselves and quietly strolled along the path.  Overhead, international flights rumbled in for landings at Heathrow.  As we made our way to the gate to collect our luggage and head to the airport, I took a deep, appreciative breath that we were able to bookend the trip with breaks in London.