September is perfect for a long weekend in London.

After a very eventful morning of getting up and out of the house about 4 AM to find out my flight was delayed about 6 hours, I finally arrived in London, took the coach to Victoria Station, got turned around upon leaving the station, and walked about 5K to my hotel.

I figured as long as the River Thames was to my right, I would eventually find Trafalgar Square!

I walked past Big Ben and was in awe.

I finally checked in to the Thistle hotel.

I found a lovely welcome gift!

Evening 1

I loved seeing Trafalgar Square and all the people and fun performers!

Then I set out to explore that evening as much as I could.

I went east from Trafalgar Square and walked down the Strand.

I rushed to get me some Twinings Tea before they closed.

I couldn’t take ten steps without snapping pictures of churches, signs, history.

St. Paul’s Cathedral is just lovely.

I love the dichotomy of the modern Salvation Army building and the Saint Mary Somerset Tower.

I crossed the Milennium Bridge and walked back up by the river.

I was too tired to walk down to Tower Bridge, but I got this lovely picture.

I loved seeing Shakespeare’s Globe!

I got exhausted walking and took a river bus.

I loved seeing the Parliament building and Big Ben clocktower all lit up at night.

I ate fish and chips for dinner at Garfunkel’s.

I tried my first British Ale: Fuller’s London Pride. Gorgeous.

Day 2

I ordered a traditional English breakfast with room service. It was just lovely. I heard the best breakfast is at Regency Cafe.

I took a taxi to King’s Cross Station.

And I had to do this before getting on my train!

There’s a fun Harry Potter shop where I got loads of gifts for my kids!

I grabbed a delicious steak and onion pasty for the train ride.

I spent the day exploring the UK Young Living offices.

I went to Chinatown when I got back to London.

I ate dinner at the Feng Shui Inn, because Sherlock.

I wandered around West End before collapsing in bed to watch Doctor Who.

Day 3

I grabbed a great coffee from Pret a Manger.

I walked past Buckingham Palace.

Then I saw Westminster all aglow in the morning sunshine.

I spent all morning and afternoon in conference sessions.

I ate at a pub on the way home. Upstairs had a carvery, but there were no more seats. I ordered off the pub menu downstairs.

Look at all those gorgeous ales!

The waitress brought me a gorgeous ale sampler when I asked for suggestions.

I had a lovely steak dinner at The Albert. I decided on a Sharp’s Doom Bar.

This lovely Canadian couple sat next to me and took this picture of me.

Day 4

I went to morning worship at St. Martin-in-the-Fields. They film it for BBC.

I went to the National Gallery where they had a special exhibit of van Gogh and Impressionists.

I explored Piccadilly Circus just as the market was closing.

I ate dinner at The Globe Pub.

I finally got my carvery! Just look at that Yorkshire pudding! With a pint of Truman’s Swift. This is a great beer!

Then since it was my last night, a pint of Camden American Pale Ale. I’m not usually a fan of pales, but this was good.

A final hurrah of cappuccino cake and mochaccino from Caffe Nero!

London is a great city to explore and I don’t think I would ever have enough time to do it right. I can’t wait to go back with the family and explore even more!

Tips:

Get an Oyster card for the Tube.

To save on meals: Grab ready-to-eat sandwiches and salads from local markets (especially when they mark everything down at the end of the day!)

• Pret a Manger is great for coffee and sandwiches.
• Tesco is open late and has a great line of budget foods.
• Sainsbury’s is higher end than Tesco and has great cheese selections!
• Get gourmet takeout at Marks & Spencer.
• Whole Foods is just like home.