The Felicitous Life: London - Day 3: Back to Basics

We're on our second day in Paris and it really is heaven, plain and simple. That doesn't mean good ol' Londontown doesn't deserve its proper love, though. We arrived in Paris on early Tuesday afternoon, but I wanted to wrap up our adventures in London.

On our third day in London, we were feeling a little more "mellow" following our epic sixteen-hour second day. Although we got a late start, we wanted to check a few classics off our lists, beginning with some must-see sights, and ultimately ending with a scrumptious English supper in the suburbs of London.

We started our morning (ok, afternoon) at Piccadilly Circus, which is the equivalent of NYC's Times Square for London.

We quickly ventured on and inadvertently walked past the American sports bar where Wilbur had been able to catch Chargers games when he lived here. The incredibly creative "The Sports Cafe."

We made our way to Trafalgar Square, home to the National Gallery, and apparently the popular spot for student protests of the moment. Sadly, photography is not permitted within the Gallery, so I'll have to settle for mental snapshots of Van Gogh's sunflowers and Monet's bridge at Giverny. Will appreciated the opportunity to visit his favorite painting by J. M. W. Turner.

Afterward, we committed ourselves to the virtues of aimless wandering. This little alleyway looked exactly like Knockturn Alley (the counterpart to HP's Diagon Alley), but the picture didn't really capture that. You just had to be there.

Royal Opera House

Rest in the park

Made our way to the British Museum, home to the Rosetta Stone.

Will really wanted to take me to the famous Reading Room, but it was closed. Next best thing? Paper doll set of Kate and Wills in the gift shop! Still kicking myself for not buying this...

Zee Stone. Had to elbow a number of small children to get this shot.

April 4 was Mothering Sunday in England, and we received the kind invitation to join Tim at his family's home near Twickenham for traditional English supper. I had no idea what a treat we were in for ... Not only are Tim's family members as equally nice, gregarious, and witty as he, the food was amazing! I can't say much for English cuisine based on our stay, but this dinner made up for all the bad burgers and endless plates of chips.

Tim's dad, Dave, carving the roast.

YUM. I had no idea Yorkshire Pudding wasn't actually pudding. It's really flaky pastry with gravy on top. Twenty-eight years of missing out.

I was equally charmed by the canine member of the Johnson family, Gandolph, England's cutest Tolkein-inspired Schnauzer. Sitting nicely in the front window, behaving himself.

But simply shout out enthusiastically, "where's the fox, Gandolph?!" and he's at the window pane, huffing up steam, and whining. Amazing. Foxes are like our raccoons; always at the rubbish bin making mess, and G-dog is not a fan.