Before going to the bus stop, we walked a couple of blocks by the Tower to check out the area. A few restaurants serving international foods were within eyesight. I had heard many people comment on the taste (or lack thereof) of typical English fare. These same people also raved about the international cuisine in and around London. This is something I would love to try for myself.
We found the bus stop to hop back on for the trip back to our starting point. A different bus arrived. This time I got a seat where the jack worked. Now I could hear the recorded narration as we traveled back to the neighborhood where we first boarded. (Funny thing is I do not remember the name of the building or area where we got on. I just remember the concierge telling us how to get there.)
For some reason, the rest of the tour seemed more subdued. Maybe because it was getting late and the sun was starting to close in on the horizon.
Westminster Cathedral appeared on our right. This church is the largest Roman Catholic church in England and Wales. Described as a striped brick building, it stands out in the neighborhood where it sits. Above the arch one of the portals is the Latin inscription DOMINE JESUS REX ET REDEMPTOR PER SANGUINEM TUUM SALVA NOS (Lord Jesus, King and Redeemer, heal us through your blood). If you like great views of London, the tower of the church has a viewing gallery at the top.
One of the last things we saw as we returned to our original departure point was a sign for the London Underground, more commonly known as the Tube. I will definitely explore the Tube on my next visit. I hear it is a very efficient transit system. It is the oldest underground metro system in the world.
From the drop off point we walked back to the hotel. Along the way we stopped at a store to buy a couple of snacks. We returned to our hotel room just long enough to drop off our purchases and head right back downstairs. We talked to concierge again and asked about pubs. He directed us toward one a couple of blocks straight down from the hotel.
We found the pub with no problem. I absolutely had to try some proper British fish and chips here in England, its birthplace. Getting to try it in a pub in London was all the better. I forgot what type of fish was served in this establishment. Authentic pub-style chips are what we would call steakhouse fries in the States. The meal came with peas. As I said earlier, I had heard stories of bland British food. Those stories were right about that part. The peas were very bland, devoid of any seasoning. On the other hand, tartar sauce and malt vinegar helped compliment the fish. I ordered a beer, too, because you kind of have to.
The entire time we were inside the pub, I had a somewhat uncomfortable feeling. It was almost as if the staff, especially the waitress, was wondering why we were here. The service was good, but the looks we got didn’t exactly convey a ‘welcome-we’re-glad-you’re-here’ atmosphere. Was it because this pub catered mainly to locals as opposed to tourists?
On the way back to the hotel I again noticed the zigzag lane markers in the street. As an American driver, they look confusing upon first sight, but I’m sure there’s a reason for them. Do you know what those lane markers signify? Another thing we noticed were more of the “look right” signs painted on the street at crosswalks. As you know, people drive on the left side of the street in England. But I guess this is mainly for foreigners from countries where they drive on the right side to be mindful that it’s different here. Traffic will be approaching from your right instead of your left like you’re used to.
Nine hours. That’s about all of the time we had to explore the city. But we did pack a lot of sightseeing into those nine hours. An early flight awaited us next morning. Which meant a 4:00 a.m. call time for our transfer to the airport. Which meant an early evening for us, two very tired but very satisfied travelers.
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