Summer in London (Day 2)
Day 2 Recap: I finally have a decent mobile connection for an update! We started our day out at Greggs (not pictured) with a bacon and omelette roll. Greggs is a cheap fast food staple here, and for the money, a great tasting value. Red sauce is ketchup and brown is HP (yum).
We then headed over to the Houses of Parliament, right next to Westminster Abbey and across the bridge from the London Eye. The Houses of Parliament are now open for tours which you can book in advance (https://www.parliament.uk/visiting/visiting-and-tours/). Photography is only permitted at the very beginning of the tour in the first two rooms (unlike Buckingham Palace that has no photography permitted anywhere). Like Buckingham, the Houses of Parliament are a working part of the government and security is paramount. The tour was well worth it.
The Elizabethan Clock Tower (which houses the bell Big Ben) and The Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London
It then started to pour, so we went across the street to St Stephen’s Tavern, a Victorian pub. The fish and chips were brilliant and they have their own Badger Ales. The Badger Bitter was better than the Golden Ale in my opinion. I would definitely come back @st_stephens_tavern.
The front bar at St Stephen’s Tavern in Westminster, London
We then headed back to the hotel to get ready for Fawlty Towers at the Apollo Theatre in the West End. Along the way we passed the Royal Horse Guards and Trafalgar Square, which I think looks best in the rain. My wife is a fan of Fawlty Towers, which I knew of but had never seen. We got tickets for £15 each on Today Tix. It was a climb, and different than at home. There were separate entrances for each tier in the theatre (so the classes wouldn’t mix in Victorian times, I’m guessing). Each floor had their own bar and toilets, which meant the whole theatre wasn’t fighting to use the same ones like in NYC. The first two balcony rows are partially obstructed, so you have to try and lean over to see. It was a hilarious play, even if you never watched the series. The lead actor nailed his John Cleese-ness, delivering a great performance. The whole cast was excellent.
View from the balcony at the Apollo Theatre in London for Fawlty Towers
Afterwards, it was a quick takeaway dinner at Sainsbury’s for scones and sushi (a delightful combo 😜) and resting up for our trip to Bruges the next day (the photo of St Paul’s is from right outside the hotel). More updates to follow!
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