Cheryl in London

Hi All,

Cheryl has made it to London for the start of our European Holiday. Well it took some doing, had to pay a few bribes, but I was able to really do it up for Cheryl's arrival. I had these guys escort Cheryl and I from the airport to the small cottage that we are staying in this week. Somehow our photographer left us out of the pictures, go figure.

Of course that was just the beginning. Next came the fireworks over the River Thames.

So all in all it was quite a nice start to Cheryl's visit. Sunday we went for a drive in Surrey and Sussex, that's where the castle pictured above (Arundel Castle, home of the Duke of Norfolk) is (it was sure nice of him to let us stay there for the week).

On Monday I got the city to stop time for a bit so that we could explore London a little more leisurely than most tourists.

Tower Bridge

London City Hall

The Swiss Re Tower (also known as the Gherkin, really I didn't make that up) and the Tower of London.

White pelicans in London.

Cheryl and I took the tour at the Tower of London. This is Yeoman Warder Mitch giving the tour. If you come to London, take this tour. He somehow made all the executions and imprisonment sound entertaining while giving a lot of information about the prisoners, murders, and the torture that took place. Check out the links above to get more history.

After the tower Cheryl and I decided to head for the Savage Gardens. Enough said!

Not the savage gardens but close. This is the back of St. Paul's Cathedral.
We had dinner at a Gorden Ramsey's pub called The Narrow. Very good food, I had the Hereford Beef in Beer Pie and Mash. That and a beer or two and you can't go wrong.

Tuesday I went back to work while Cheryl explored the Tate Modern. We met up for dinner at the Rock and Sole Plaice. If you ever want fish and chips in London, this is the place. I have had a lot of fish and chips while I've been here, nothing else even compares.

After dinner we went to see Avenue Q at the Noel Coward Theatre in the West End. It was a fantastic show and another don't miss whether you are in New York or London. Oh yeah, Thanks Mel for recommending this so long ago on our last visit to New York. Don't let the muppets fool you, this is not a show for the kids.

Anyway, that's all for now. Cheryl and I are off to Paris on Friday, Amsterdam on the next Thursday, and then Munich the Thursday after that. Should be fun.

(There really were fireworks that first night but they were for the Lord Mayor's celebration, Cheryl's arrival might have been a coincidence. The fireworks pictures from above were actually taken the week before at one of the many Guy Fawkes celebrations that took place all over the city. Guy Fawkes day is a little like Independence Day in the US just without the Independence bit getting in the way. Great fireworks all over London all weekend.)