Safe and sound in London.

On arrival, it was striking just how green this country is. We rode the train from the airport to our hotel. There is no shortage of grafiti in London.

(Click on any picture to enlarge it, then hit your "back" button to get back to the blog.)

What an interesting city! It's like we stepped back in time. Old, no “very old buildings,” old red phone booths everywhere (that really have phones in them), cool looking taxis, and lots of skirts flaunting wrinkled ankles, and sensible shoes. Wrinkled ankles? In America, women don’t wear nylons anymore (haven't owned a pair since the 1980s). In London, they are everywhere. The dress code just seems a little more formal here. We have yet to see anyone anywhere dressed in a T‑shirt and tennis shoes.

One of Carol's favorite things is the taxis. Walking around this city, it feels somewhat like we could be in San Francisco, that is until we see the taxis. They are everywhere and they are unique looking. Looks like the movie set for Sherlock Holmes. To top it off, they are all driving on the wrong side of the road!

(Notice all the British flags in all the windows of the center, white building. And, notice at how many taxis there are.)

In London you won’t find restrooms, you’ll find “toilets.” What a funny word to see posted everywhere.

London is the capital of and the largest city in the United Kingdom. In fact, it’s the largest city in Europe. London has 7.5 million people, 14 million in the metropolitan area. It is considered one of the world’s great cities for culture, finance, culture and trade.

We’ve only been here a few hours, but it is clear that London is a metropolis of cultures, energy, and noise. This just might be the noisiest city we’ve ever experienced.

For Gabrielle and Izabelle, here is a link for kids to read about London: http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/regions/london.htm. 

We’ve heard over and over that the food in London is not very good. We’ve also heard they have some of the best East Indian food anywhere. Last night we ate at a local Indian restaurant. The lamb with mint sauce and the curries were great.

We saw Elton John's musical, Billy Elliott. It was absolutely great once we got used to the accents. Even though English was being spoken, we had to really pay attention the decipher the words due to the accents.

Today we eat fish and chips with smashed peas and try to visit Buckingham Palace and a few other local attractions.