So we spent Sunday in London.
We took a tube to Westminster (I think) and got out just beside Big Ben. Took some pictures of Ben and the Eye and then wondered on our way to Harrods, passing Bukimgham's Palace (is that the way you spell it?) and a big park (Hyde's Park?)
We got out of Harrods before lunch, proceeded to a mall (we were starving) and had a very nice pizza.
I'm not sure of whether we took another tube or just walked to the vicinity of the Tower of London (I think we took a tube). We crossed the Tower Bridge (I'm probably getting so many names wrong...), passed the Tower and walked to the underground station of "The Monument", because ambs wanted to see what the monument was all about.
This is The Monument, to the great fire of London.
And, as I was reading the inscriptions on the monument, I noticed something about "open to public until 17:00" and something about "311 steps"...
- Alberto, what time is it?
- 16:30.
- Hum... Let's find the way in.
And there it was, the way in (on the other side of the monument).
Climbing 311 spiraling steps without counting them can be quite weird... At some point, you completely lose the notion of how many are left or behind.
London was cold, but that was nothing compared to the coldness up there, from where I took some very nice pictures (not online yet).
After going down the 311 steps again a girl handed us two certificates stating that we had been up there.
We went back to the hotel, had dinner at a Turkish restaurant nearby and slept.
Woke up at 04:30, got out of the hotel at about 05:10 in a cab and headed to Paddington.
The driver (whom I believe to be Indian) asked us:
- Are you going to Heathrow?
- Yes. We're going to Paddington and then we'll take the Paddington Express to Heathrow.
- Do you already have the tickets for the express? [and I knew where this was going]
- No.
- Then why not take the taxi directly to Heathrow? I can do it because [something I really did not understand] and it's just 20 pound more. Just 33 pound to Heathrow.
- Hum... and how long will it take?
- Just about half an hour.
- OK...
- Thank you.
So now we had a very nice driver who took us all the way to our terminal, who drove nicely, who had a very confortable car with enjoyable music. With all this, we saved some time (I guess) in buying tickets and waiting for the express, and we also saved 4 pounds.
Er... Yay? :-)
But, unfortunately, London was cold, and that's what I have now :-(
