Day trip to London

I happen to agree with the two British gentlemen (Dr. Samuel Johnson & Mr. Boswell) but with today’s travel made so easy, going to London for the day is a bagatelle.

Besides, it is nice to have the best of both worlds- such as living in the country, by the seaside and have London within arms reach.

Having to play host to a good friend visiting from abroad, I had of course to take him around London and what a better day than Sunday, the 8th of November, the Remembrance Sunday- or Poppy Day.
This is the date on which the people of Britain and the Commonwealth commemorate those who died in the first and second world wars- but traditionally the commemorative day falls the 11th of November each year.
It is a humbling homage paid to those who have laid their lives for our sakes and it's held across the country but it is particularly nice to be a part of it in London.

The first thing in the morning we stopped in front of The Buckingham Palace- where each day you could be watching the trooping of color or the changing of the guards (we missed it).

Also, in the summer, between July and September the Buckingham Palace is open for visitors- except the days when the Queen is at the palace (see if the flag is up, then she is at home).

Just don't do what my family did some years ago, on their first ever visit to the Buckingham Palace... I didn't join them as I have seen it a few times and it was only my mum, dad and my little sister Bianca (then a cute eight year old little girl) who went into the palace.
On the way out, as they were following the rest of the visitors through the cordoned alley of the palace grounds, what did my mother see in the garden but a mulberry tree!?
Promptly, she jumped over the rope/ cordon and my father and sister followed suit. Course, my father being about 6.1 tall, he could reach to the top and to the much riper and appetizing fruits, ignoring common sense and all the signs which were saying that all visitors should stay within the boundary (they did not speak one word of English)...
It was after a little while that my mother noticed a whole bunch of Police and the secret service guys running towards them three, obviously anxious as my silly family violated the protocol and a whole other security issues. Therefore she quickly made an escape taking little Bianca with her, calling at my dad but... he was too intensely savoring the juicy berries to take any notice. Only when faced with the policemen he realized the seriosity of the situation and then, with his lips, teeth, hands, stained purple with the juice of the mulberry fruits he offered the officials some fruit- saying (in the Romanian language of course), "here, here, take some, they're really good and sweet". ..

It was only as the guys must've had a good sense of humor, or perhaps they realized that my father had meant no harm to the British Sovereign but only to her fruit... Cert is, they brought him to me, trying not to crack a smile, when they’d asked me that in future could I mind him, as he is not likely to ever get away with such a deed!

At the time I nearly died of shame but my father's face was a picture of innocence and his whole face was stained - I couldn't get angry but I promptly burst into laughter instead...

However, back to today’s London, there are so many other things to do in the capital, you really need a few good days, but my friend and I have managed to squeeze in a visit to the National Gallery and OMG!
I could spend a few days just in there-I mean, to see originals by Canaletto, Rembrandt, Raphael, Michelangelo, Van Gogh, Cézanne, Constable, Turner, Monet, Ruben, Gainsborough. ..
I would happily forfeit my right to shopping for my next ten lives just to be able to hang a Canaletto (or any of the others, you know) in my drawing room!
A visit to see the National Gallery is a must for anyone seeking beauty and culture in London-

Such a shame we missed the rest of the museums and galleries but I will be returning to London many times and I will complete my tour, bit by bit, I'm sure.
The best way to visit and save the old legs is to book yourself onto one of the double decker buses- we took The Original Tour and it included a short cruise on the Thames and it's a hop on, hop off service, available for 48 hours.

Another tip I have for you- and it was my friend who told me this- when they ask you for a promotional code on any of the web sites, just type in i. e. "promotional codes the original tour" and the search will come with some websites which will reveal to you such codes- saving you a bob or two.
In this case I believe the tickets were £16.80 each instead of £22.00- and I am surprised that no one has ever told me of this before... I suppose it's another thing I have learnt in a day!

Well- I did say that my Visit Britain blogs will be most likely about something I am discovering rather than something I already know about- and I will continue to do so, visit, after visit, after visit.

But in the meanwhile- enjoy London!