After dropping off the rental car and eating at a local Indian restaurant we got on the tube and went to the Thames where we had a look at Big Ben and the London Eye.
The British Museum was first on the agenda on Tuesday, We spent at least three hours there, and could have spent more. The Rosetta Stone is on display there, as well as the Elgin Marbles and some of the Staffordshire Hoard. Janet's arthritis finally got the better of her, and she spent some of the visit in one of the wheelchairs that the museum has available. Peter handled a Roman coin, Natasha chilled in the Bhuddism display and Jamie saw some awesome clocks.
Next stop was London Bridge, where we stood in the middle and looked down the gap into the river.
Then a ride on the Docklands Light Rail (just for fun), back to the hotel, then off to the Dominion Theatre, to experience the phenomenon that is We Will Rock You. We couldn't not go to a London Musical, and since we all like Queen, what could be better? It was great!
On Tuesday morning Tash had a lie-in while the others went to the newly-opened Van Gogh exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts. It was very busy, but a fantastic thing to do. Letters that he wrote, where he described his work and included a sketch, were displayed alongside the work itself. When we came out, we just had to have a look through Fortnum & Mason across the road!
Tuesday afternoon was spent at London's marvellous Science Musuem, and although this was the fourth visit to this sort of thing on our travels, in many ways it was also the best (and completely free too!)
That night we went to Islington, where we had dinner with Isabelle (French) and Andrew (NZer). We got to know them when they lived in Wellington in 2008, where Isabelle was a French Language Assistant at Wellington Girls' College. The meal was at a very nice, but surprisingly affordable French restaurant. Afterwards we rode our first London Red Double-Decker back home.
Wednesday was spent at the Tate Modern, where we had our very own personal tour of the Surrealism section (again, all free), crossing the Millennium Bridge, doing the laundry (you really wanted to know that, didn't you?), riding the London Eye and paying homage to the lions and Sir Keith Park in Trafalgar Square.
Then off to another dinner with friends, this time in Ealing, with Maream (Iraqui) and Jim (British) at a Nepalese restaurant.
Stay tuned for the last thrilling installment...