I love London and was thrilled to be back yet again! There are a million things to see and do in London ~ Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, London Eye and Harrods to name a few! I have done all of these many, many times and deliberately tried to do different things this trip.
I was born in the province of Newfoundland in Canada as were my parents. My grandparents were all born in the “Dominion of Newfoundland” and I feel a strong connection with the British. Newfoundland was the oldest English colony in North America claimed by John Cabot for King Henry VII and joined Canada on March 31, 1949.
A Dominion was any of several largely self-governing countries of the British Empire, once known collectively as the British Commonwealth of Nations. Progressing from colonies, their degrees of colonial self-governance increased unevenly over the late 19th century through the 1930s. Vestiges of empire lasted in some dominions well into the late 20th century. With the evolution of the British Empire following the 1945 conclusion of the Second World War into the modern Commonwealth of Nations (after which the former Dominions were often referred to as the Old Commonwealth), finalised in 1949, the dominions became independent states, either as Commonwealth republics or Commonwealth realms.
~ Wikipedia
After debarking the Queen Mary 2, I took an Uber to The Royal Horseguards Hotel, dropped off my luggage and started running around London.
Peter Pan Afternoon Tea at Aquashard…
I loved this experience!
Alan Rickman Bench …
A memorial bench to Alan Rickman in Kensington Gardens with the quote “It would be wonderful to think that the future is unknown and sort of surprising”.
Cora Pearl …
Another visit to the Cora Pearl restaurant with my friend and ex-colleague Jon … the company and the food are always a great choice!
Sherlock Holmes …
The best part of travelling is the people you meet … I met up with Jonathan for dinner whom I met on the Five Stans tour!
King’s College …
Founded in 1829, King’s College is England’s third-oldest university.
The Tyburn Tree …
The Tyburn Tree was the infamous gallows that served as the primary site of public executions in London for over 600 years. It was located at what is now Marble Arch.
Horseguards Parade …
Horseguards Parade is a historic parade ground in central London known for hosting major aevents like the annual Trooping the Colour and the daily Changing the King’s Life Guard. It serves as the official entrance to St. James’s and Buckingham Palace and is guarded by the King’s Life Guard.
St. Paul’s Cathedral …
An Anglican cathedral completed in 1710 and the site of Princess Diana’s wedding.
Leicester Square …
Leicester Square is a public square and entertainment hub in London’s West End. Throughout the square are 10 statues depicting famous entertainment figures. They were preparing for an opening night so a few were blocked off and I couldn’t see. Next time!
A moment with Mr. Bean!
Out & About
With that, it was time to go home to Canada and back to work to save for the next adventure.
Happy Travels!
More London Adventures
A Journey Off The Beaten Path
Jackie is “Mom” to one amazing son, an IT professional and an obsessed traveller. She spends her time reading, golfing at Ladies League and implementing software projects. Jackie has travelled to 7 continents, 5 oceans and 103 countries and she is always planning the next destination and adventure!