First published by The Journal Gazette
Many cities are still on life support after the devastating COVID-19 pandemic. I am happy to report that London is alive and well.
There are long lines to ride the London Eye, Europe’s tallest observation wheel. There are crowds at historic sites. The hop-on, hop-off sightseeing buses are crowded. Local tour guides who speak in cockney accents while leading groups to London’s hot spots are in popular demand. My time in London was short, but the trip is memorable.
On a Friday afternoon, after a seven-hour flight from Chicago, I arrived tired. I made the mistake of not taking the train from Heathrow Airport to the city center. Instead, I rode in a cab from the airport to my hotel and it cost me an arm and a leg. My jet lag placed me in a mental haze where I felt like a zombie wandering the streets, so I cut my day short.
Saturday morning, I awoke refreshed and I went on the amazing London Gay Tour of Soho’s LGBTQ Nightlife by Tom Whelehan. Tom was born and raised in Chicago and now resides in London. Tom walks fast and delivers his information with confidence, like he was raised in London. We went to Gordon’s Wine Bar, a 19th-century bar that converted an old cellar into a dining room that is lit only by candles. London’s historic preservation laws prevent Gordon’s from installing electricity in the former cellar. Gordon’s is a hidden gem, so if you blink when you pass its entrance, you may miss it. We went to the Admiral Duncan pub, the site of the worst homophobic attack to ever occur in Britain. On April 30, 1999, a nail bomb blast killed three people and wounded others. To hear the history was a sobering experience.
That night I went to the famous Royal Albert Hall to see Sam Smith’s sold-out show. I didn’t plan my trip to see Smith’s concert; the timing was a lucky coincidence. I purchased my ticket at Stubhub.com, a resale ticket website. I paid top dollar or should I say pound for the ticket. Smith closed with the hit song “Unholy” and German singer Kim Petras made a special appearance.
On Sunday, I walked the south bank of the river Thames, opposite to Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Black Sheep Coffee’s espressos gave me the energy needed to walk all day. I ate a cheeseburger and chips (called french fries in the U.S.) at the Prince William Henry. Then I went to the London Bridge. It is only famous because of where it sits and not for its age. In fact, there have been several London bridges and each one replaced with a better bridge. Today, a London Bridge sits in Lake Havasu, Arizona.
On Monday, I went on the well-organized and awesome Stonehenge, Windsor Castle and Bath from London tour by Evan Evans Tours. It was exciting to be on a motorcoach with strangers as Robert, the tour guide, gave his awesome presentation and Rave, the driver, responsibly drove us from site to site for the 12-hour tour.
The first stop was Windsor Castle, a royal residence in Berkshire. Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September, is buried at St. George’s Chapel within Windsor Castle’s grounds. I wanted to discreetly take a picture, but with guards located everywhere and signs posted warning that pictures are prohibited, I didn’t want to take the risk.
The next stop was Stonehenge. It is a mysterious rock formation that consists of an outer ring of vertical standing stones and topped by connecting horizontal stones. It is located in the middle of a large open area of grassland. The stones are big, heavy, and foreign to the area, and no one knows how or why they are there. But it doesn’t take much for us to interpret rock formations created by people as meaning more than just rock formations created by people. These stones have no alien or religious painted markings, yet its formation alone has caused people’s imaginations to run wild. Is Stonehenge what remains of an old stargate that enabled nearly instantaneous travel across the universe? Is it a religious structure dedicated to the gods? Is it some silly structure that bored and mischievous people assembled to trick future generations? If so, the pranksters are probably looking down and laughing. If it is ever discovered to be a prank, everyone else probably hopes the pranksters are looking up.
The final stop was the Roman Baths in the city of Bath, England. It is a well-preserved bath built by the ancient Romans that uses the natural hot springs. The city looks like it is straight out of a fairy tale. It has ancient cobbled lanes, narrow passages, and a clean river that runs through the middle. If I could redo my trip, I would spend less time at the Roman baths and more time exploring the city.
The next day I sat on the upper level of the double-deck Red Sightseeing bus. Its roof was pulled back, so I enjoyed the cool fall air and sunshine as I looked at London.
I stayed at the Hoxton Southwark, and I got a deal. American Express offered a promotion that if you book two consecutive nights, you get a $100 credit to spend on food and drinks at the hotel. I booked two nights, went to another hotel for one night, and returned for another two nights. I received a total of a $200 credit.
If you’re a nervous traveler who hasn’t been overseas, London may be your most comfortable first trip: same language and same kind of food as in the U.S. But no matter if London is your first trip overseas or not, London is a great place to visit.