Hello from Japan!

Day 7: Heathrow to O’Hare

The final day in London has arrived. Thanks to our 2:25PM afternoon flight, we had plenty of time to wake up, eat breakfast, finalize our packing, finish sorting all the perishables (aka. is this thing a plane snack or not?), and make sure Ellen’s flat was back in pristine and platinum Rolling Stones condition.

One more time departing the flat

We originally planned on taking the Tube back to Heathrow (same way we arrived), but due to track work, staff shortages, and the Easter weekend, we (accurately) deemed the Tube was probably not the best route.  Instead, we booked a trio of discount tickets on the Heathrow Express, from Paddington Station directly to the airport in 15 minutes. The Tube would have probably taken an hour or more.  Definitely lives up to the “Express” label!

To LHR Terminal 3 in no time!

Online check-in for our flight was unavailable, so we went directly to the American Airlines counter using the VeriFLY app to show all our Covid-related tests/tasks were complete.  We were randomly given two seats in the middle section and one on the aisle next to those. We thought about asking to adjust, but the flight was so empty (nobody was next to us), it ultimately didn’t matter. Heck, if they won’t let you sit in the completely empty exit row, then might as well have row 33 completely to yourself and drink a beer or two.

Empty row! And the air vents are back!

Adios, Heathrow

Now qualifies as “Later”

The flight was uneventful and quite enjoyable with all the extra space. Watched a couple of movies, including the latest James Bond, CODA, and maybe half of Ferris Bueller’s Day off. For the geographically-inclined, we caught a glimpse of Greenland’s southern shores at some point as well.

Passing Greenland

Greenland from 36,000 feet

Anybody concerned this plane is too large?

We landed about an hour early, and since there were so few passengers, we disembarked (from basically the back of the place) in about five minutes. Arriving at customs, we bid farewell to our travel partner Jenn. Once again, Global Entry is the best thing ever.  It took about 30 seconds to get our security check, and we were on the CTA Blue Line in about 10 minutes. (By comparison, we think Jenn eventually made it thru the Customs line in ~50 minutes.)

Well, turns out we may have been too fast to the CTA, because Matt took a bad (extra) step heading down to the L and tumbled down the rest of the stairs. A bit scraped up and bruised, but otherwise ok.

That’s what I get for taking the stairs

Those steps are tricky! One time in 2014 a Blue Line crashed on them too.

Knee wounds notwithstanding, we eventually made it home safe and sound. The early landing and Global Entry allowed us to pick up Poe from boarding, visit the grocery store to restock the fridge, and catch up on sleep. It was great to travel again and we can’t wait for the next adventure.

Here are a few remaining photos from London that we didn’t use in the blog…

We found three more of those Tube maze prints

If you are walking thru a park in London, the route probably has a name

More posters from Back to the Future Musical

Long live the King, the King is dead

Thanks for reading the blog! Diversion ENDS now

Day 6: Other London Things

Our day started with the excitement of virtual rapid Covid tests! After dramatically watching our 15-minute countdown clocks, we all tested negative (woo!) and are clear to fly back to the United States tomorrow.

Heading out”¦ off to see THE BEATLES!! 😀

Pfffffft! Three-step spacing is for suckers who haven’t passed their antigen tests

The first stop on today’s agenda was the iconic Abbey Road crosswalk made famous by the Beatles album of the same name. I’m sure you can imagine all the people taking pictures “€ it’s easy if you try. We even saw a barefoot man lie down in the street for his photo shoot. His mom (the photographer) was freaking out.

The world-famous attraction on Abbey Road “€ Abbey Road Baptist Church!

Ok fine, here’s the crosswalk

Once we crossed, we whispered words of wisdom “let it be,” and continued onward to King’s Cross. For some reason the Jubilee line stopped at Baker Street, but we were able to transfer to the Circle line and made it the rest of the way “€ in case you were concerned. Point is”¦ we’re pretty much Tube experts now.

In addition to serving as a major railway hub for Muggle cities, King’s Cross is also where Platform 9 3/4 is located to catch the train to Hogwarts. Predictably located between platforms 9 and 10, we donned our house scarfs and headed through the wall”¦ and ended up in the gift shop.

King’s Cross Station

No Covid tests to get to Hogwarts!

Next up was the Mail Rail at the Postal Museum. The Mail Rail is an underground train built in 1927 used to quickly transport mail to different sorting stations in London. Previously mail was transported by horse and buggy, so the Mail Rail significantly increased the efficiency of delivering mail throughout London. But most importantly, we saw this on the Amazing Race, and said, that looks fun!

MAIL RAIL!

Map of connected sorting stations across London

The Mail Rail was still in use for sorting and transporting mail all the way until 2003 when they determined the costs were too high, and the railway was no longer the most efficient method. It has been kept in working order since, just in case, and in the meantime, they turned it into a museum and ride.

These carts were designed for mailbags, not people.

This roller coaster was Jo’s speed (max 7.5 mph)

Where are the mail bins with our next clue?!?!

After Jo sent three letters to the wrong destination, Matt won the mail sorting contest

Dinner was approaching so we decided to return to our new favorite authentic British Pub, Horse and Guardsman. It was a bit busier today thanks to the upcoming Easter weekend, business happy hour, and online dating meetups, but we snagged a table. This time, we tried a chicken pie and the standard fish n’ chips, as well as two more local beers.

The aforementioned horses and guardsmen

British comfort food, mmmm

After dinner, we headed to the Wyndham Theater to see Life of Pi. We all really enjoyed the production. Additionally, we finally participated in the London tradition of intermission ice cream cups.

View from our seats

Obligatory theater ceiling shot

Intermission!

Piccadilly Circus was definitely a circus, but we made it back to Ellen’s flat (thanks again Ellen!!) to clean up, pack up, and eat all the snacks we have left. Tomorrow, we take the snazzy Heathrow Express and fly back to Chicago (assuming we don’t get Delta’ed).

Day 4: Cathedral & Castle

We’ve been in the city of London for four days, right? Well, sort of. It turns out we’ve been in “Greater London,” while the “City of London” is a particular two square-mile area in the financial district. Furthermore, it is referred to as the “square mile” thanks to the Romans, but let’s not worry about that discrepancy.

The CITY of London

With that in mind, today’s journey brought us to the City of London (for the first time this trip) and St. Paul’s Cathedral. Designed by architect Christopher Wren, construction started in 1675 and took only 30 years to build, which is darn impressive.

St. Paul’s Cathedral west entrance

Under the dome

The Cathedral dome has three layers – an outer dome, a hidden brick dome for structural support, and the inner dome. The fun part is visitors are allowed to walk up the 528 steps to the Dome Galleries, and take in a 360-degree view of London. Wren was also an astronomer, so the Golden Gallery (the highest) is 365 feet above the ground, representing 365 days in a year. Wren was also the first person to be buried in the crypt and is honored with an inscription on the floor of the Cathedral.

Let’s goooo!!!!

View from the Stone Gallery (376 steps up)

Onward to the Golden Gallery

Thames River from Golden Gallery (all 528 steps up!)

Tight fit in places, but made we made it down

Once we made the descent back down to the cathedral floor, we joined a tour that highlighted a few key features and historical notes about the Cathedral.

Some fun facts: 1) St. Paul’s is not a Catholic Church – it’s Anglican. 2) During the Blitz, residents volunteered to help protect the church from bombings. They would hide in the upper stairs, in the dark, and if an incendiary device landed on the wood roof, they run out, grab it, and dispose of it by any means necessary. 3) In the nave, there is a 40-foot high memorial of Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington. It was started by artist Alfred Stevens, who promptly ran out of money, then ran out of interest, then died. Others finally completed it over 60 years – twice as long as it took to build the Cathedral itself.

Anglican in the front, Victorian in the back.

Tour guide Mary has diagrams!

Looking up directly under the dome

After a quick walk through the crypts, we exited through the gift shop and re-emerged into the “City of London.” We grabbed a quick snack (because you’re not yourself when you’re hungry”¦ thanks, Snickers!) and proceeded through financial district to our next destination “€ The Tower of London (another World Heritage Site). The walk to the Tower of London came with a perfect vantage point of the Tower Bridge.

Financial building”¦ financial building”¦ financial building”¦ ancient church!

This is NOT the London Bridge

The Tower of London is fortress, palace, and prison all-in-one. We started with a guided tour by a Yeomen Warder named Spike. A Yeoman Warder’s full title is “Yeomen Warder of Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Members of the Sovereign’s Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinar.” Yeoman Warders are known as Beefeaters, a nickname likely gained because of their higher status (and meal options) within the castle.

Still today, Yeomen Warders are also former warrant officers in the British Armed Forces with at least 22 years of service and the Long Service and Good Conduct medal. Spike regaled us with tales of fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, and miracles.

Doesn’t sound so bad.

As with any powerful empire, the English have a peculiar way of downplaying the long history of violence in the Tower of London. For example, ONLY seven people were beheaded on the tower grounds itself. The other 124 people were beheaded on Tower Hill, just a block north of the grounds. Totally different! Furthermore, in the BLOODY Tower, at the start of an exhibit dedicated to the torture devices used, there is a sign that reminds visitors, “torture was very rare in England” (compared to what, rainy days???).

Next up, we went to see the Crown Jewels. The line was long, which provided an opportunity for a coffee and snack from the New Armouries Cafe. We soon made it inside to see the Crown Jewels “€ which they insist are the real deal 🤔. The best part was the moving walkway to keep the crowd moving at a constant speed.

Obligatory Beefeater photo

Not sure the rat on your foot is your biggest heath and safety concern at the moment

Thankfully, we escaped the Tower of London without a scratch and without purchasing any overpriced items in the gift shop. We took the tube back to Maida Vale and went to dinner at the Asian Fusion restaurant (The Banana Leaf) next door. Afterwards, we stopped by our favorite gas station/grocery store/pharmacy to stock up on supplies. This time we came armed with an official Tesco ClubCard we found on the sidewalk! Bonus!

Tube stop thai

Won’t find this in the US App Store

That’s all for today. Time to relax and sleep for an early wake-up tomorrow.

Day 3: Save the Clock Tower

Thanks to the time-space continuum, this current trip blog is about the FUTURE (because London is 6 hours ahead of Chicago, duh). But buckle up! Today’s blog entry is also about BACK TO THE FUTURE — the new award-winning musical we saw in West End tonight. These photo captions are about to get heavy!!!

If our planning is correct, when this blog hits 88 miles per hour, you’re going to see some serious shit.

With some key sights in mind, we charted the course for the day. Taking the tube to Waterloo, we strolled along the Queen’s Walk, where the London Eye is located, and enjoyed a nice view over the River Thames.

Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads

To deal with London Eye crowds, it’s best to make like a tree and get out of there

We continued walking along the Westminster Bridge and got a close up view of Big Ben. Big Ben is technically the nickname for the big bell of the clock, but has become the common name of the clock tower itself. It was technically renamed to Elizabeth Tower in 2012 in honor of The Queen’s diamond jubilee (60 years on the throne), but continues to be referred to as its nickname. Big Ben is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, continuing our tradition of seeing at least one each trip. Although Big Ben has been under restoration since 2017, we were able to see it without scaffolding. I highly recommend the Big Ben twitter.

Don’t forget to take a flyer … Save the clock tower!

Damn! … Where is that kid? … Damn! … Damn Damn!

A short walk from Big Ben was Westminster Abbey (and no, none of us were Westminster crabby), which is another World Heritage Site, and another nickname. The full name is Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, but that doesn’t quite flow off the tongue. It has been the coronation church since 1066. However, the construction of church we see today was started by Henry III in 1245. This church is unique in that it is inclusive and belongs to the monarchy of the country rather than a bishop or diocese. Also, pretty much everything about it in The Da Vinci Code is wrong.

If you’re going to build an Abbey, why not do it with some style!

Your name is Calvin Klein, right???

From Westminster, we made our way to Buckingham Palace. Queen Elizabeth was not there, as indicated by the Union flag on top of the palace instead of the Royal Standard. The statue in front of the Palace is the main monument of The Queen Victoria Memorial, which also includes the Dominion Gates and the Memorial Gardens, all protected landmarks. We didn’t see the changing of the guard, but we did see the changing of a gate lock.

Buckingham Palace! Ya know that new sound, security system you’ve been looking for?!?

Careful with that screwdriver! Unless you know somebody else who can play guitar

We walked along The Mall and through St. James Park, which was originally swamp land that was drained to make the park in 1603. It is home to many birds, and houses Duck Island Cottage, which has become the headquarters for the London Parks and Garden Trust. Continuing our journey north, we walked past 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister’s house. Unfortunately, it was blocked off and inaccessible, but who really cares? More importantly, we found a great pub a few doors up the street.

The Horse and Guardsman advertised craft beers and labeled itself a traditional British pub. It did not disappoint and was the perfect place for dinner. We ordered Rivertown Beers (a brewery 45 minutes outside of London) and fish n’ chips.

Tab? I can’t give you a tab unless you order something!

Meeting at the Fish n’ Chips Under the Sea Dance

After refueling, we walked just up the street to Trafalgar Square. While the majority of the square features fountains, memorials, and statues from the 1800’s, one corner rotates contemporary art. Just west of a granite and bronze statue of King George IV installed in 1843 lies a giant ice cream scoop with a cherry on top, a drone on one side, and a fly on the other.

Guess Napoleon wasn’t ready for it, but those British kids are gonna love Trafalgar Square

Just as I thought! This proves my theory. We’re being erased — from existence!

We weren’t slackers and eventually made it to the main event of the day – the Back to the Future musical! It was a lot of fun, and we all enjoyed the adaptation from the film. The show also had a great lobby with shops and props in theme with the production. Fun Fact: London theaters sell frozen malt cups in the aisles during intermission. We may have to try one next time.

You can find the Adelphi Theater if you put your mind to it

No, no, no… this bar is electric, but the drinks need something with a little more kick

Great Scott! It’s showtime!

Day 2: High Tea & Murder

After a full night of sleep in London, and with no hurry to rush out the door today, we enjoyed a relaxing Sunday morning before heading downtown to Piccadilly Circus.

Instant Coffee Barista

Our first stop was high tea at The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon at Fortnum & Mason. Because this February marked the 70th year Queen Elizabeth has been on the throne, the restaurant celebrated by adjusting their high tea menu with clever details to honor the queen such as purple cakes (her favorite color), corgis (pictures only, not for eating), and whiskey-infused pastries (yum).

Piano Man

No, you can’t take the Queen’s menus with you

Just a spot of tea

When you’ve had enough at high tea

After lunch, Jenn realized her shoes were sabotaging her, so she ventured back to the flat to fix her footwear. Meanwhile, we headed north on Regent Street. Built in 1819, Regent Street was designed to be the main shopping street in London. It’s basically London’s version of 5th Ave.

200 years of shopping!

All Soul’s Church. Very pointy.

London’s architecture styles: Classic, Modern, and Pigeon

How old are these traffic cameras?

After Regents street, we entered The Regent’s Park (what is this, THE Ohio State?) and strolled through the grounds “€ including the “very exclusive” inner circle (no dogs allowed, rude). We also found a gazebo and a struggling park deckchairs business in case you were looking to pay to sit when there are free benches all around. It was a bit early in the season, so few flowers were in bloom, but we still enjoyed the greenery and the peaceful park in the busy city.

We found our way out of the park and met back up with Jenn at 221B Baker Street, the fabled home of detective Sherlock Holmes. He was fictional, but the museum and gift shop are real “€ as is the blue plaque (they give fictional characters blue plaques too??). The line to get into the Sherlock Holmes museum was too long for us to wait, so the logical deduction was to snap some pictures and walk back to the West End.

The curious incident of not gonna wait in that line

Cryptic street art campaign that caught our attention

Keeping with the detective theme, our evening plan was a production of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap at St. Martin’s theater. According to their website, the Mousetrap is the world’s longest running play, which seems about right given the fact that we saw the 28,621st showing. Despite our best efforts to correctly crack the case, we were all surprised by the ending (even Jo!). Alas, we’ve been sworn to secrecy, so no spoilers. Fun fact: The Mousetrap has been running for the same amount of time Queen Elizabeth has been on the throne – 70 years.

Who dunnit?

No clues from above

After the play, we walked back towards the tube through the bustling Piccadilly Circus area, which had a similar feel as Times Square. We returned to Ellen’s flat for the final mystery of the evening – how to boil water for pasta on the HOB. Good news, we successfully cracked the case.

The end.

What a circus!

Plot twist! Killer still on the loose

Day 1: Airports & Globe Theater

When it’s snowing in Chicago on April 8th, you know its time for one thing” — freezing cold Cubs baseball! Just kidding. It means its time to go to London for spring break. We took the Blue Line to O’Hare where we met up with Jo’s friend, Jenn, who is joining us for this trip!

Snowing in Chicago”¦let’s get outta here

Terminal 5 Art

Learning from our Norway trip, we have experience dealing with “partner” airlines. This time, our flight to London is an American Airlines flight operated by British Airways. We checked in early and managed to get three seats next to each other, even with our lowly peasant no-backsies, no-assigned seats, no-nothing tickets. Security was pretty quick and since we left for the airport right after work for a 9:15 pm flight, we had plenty of time to sit down for a kick-off dinner (Hub 51).

Next stop, London

After boarding a very hot plane (perhaps due to de-icing at O’Hare, but also due to the fact that this aircraftt didn’t have air vents above each seat???) and enduring an overnight flight, we landed late Saturday morning at Heathrow right on time. We quickly figured out the tube system and made our way to Ellen’s flat (thanks, Ellen!). Fun fact: We’re staying just down the street from where Sir Alec Guinness was born.

On the way to Ellen’s flat

Hey, Adam! We found the best blue plaque

After settling in, we all determined that naps were the best next step. Eventually Jenn and Jo ventured out and walked around the neighborhood to the closest market. We picked up a few breakfast, snacks, and drink essentials then successfully navigated back to the flat (yay shortcuts!).

Our evening plan was tickets to The Merchant of Venice at the Sam Wanamaker theater “€ an indoor, candlelit-only addition to the Shakespeare Globe Theater. We were lucky to get tickets to a show in this theater, because today was the finale of their winter season.

To the Globe!

Lovely sunset crossing the Thames

At the show, Jenn and Jo sat in the first row on the back corner of the stage, right up in the action, and Matt sat in the 3rd row on the opposite side. The production put a modern twist on the classic Shakespeare story. To wit, this show opened with an a cappella version of “I’ve Got a Feeling” by the Black Eyes Peas, and turned the gold-silver-lead test for Portia’s suitors into a glamorous version of Deal or No Deal.

But can you say the name of this play in the lobby?

Courtside seats for Jenn and Jo

Matt’s view from stage right

Intermission!

This shot inspired by Emily

Butchers and bakers need not apply at this Playhouse

After the show, we headed back to Ellen’s flat and picked up some frozen pizzas along the way for an easy, late dinner. Just because we’re in a big city with some of the world’s best restaurants, doesn’t mean Matt and Jo’s utilitarian travel food strategy is going to change. Sorry, Jenn! We enjoyed our pizza and ciders to end the night.

Southwark Bridge

Are the 269 other versions of this maze harder?

Tomorrow’s plans include fancy high tea and a production of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap. After of course, sleeping in a bit and having coffee on the balcony.