As planned, we spent the first day of our trip in London. We arrived at about 6 local time on Wednesday, and our flight for Rome was not until 7:30 the next morning. So we bought round trip tickets on the Heathrow-Paddington express, dropped our bags at the hotel, and headed out to see some sights and try to stay awake. After a quick breakfast, we meandered through Hyde Park. I’ve never seen it in the spring; it is vibrant, emerald green.





Bike hires were everywhere, a new feature since our last visit:


Uh, where ARE we?



We stopped to rest our feet and sat down on a bench next to a very friendly American woman, wife of a diplomat, who has been here for 2 years after 2 years in Germany, after 2 years in D.C. In July they move back to the states . . . to St. Louis. On the other hand, it kind of serves her kids right. When she suggested that they take the Chunnel to Paris for her daughter’s 16^th birthday, her daughter rolled her eyes and asked: Do we have to go to Paris AGAIN?

After wishing our new friend well, we headed for the Victoria and Albert. I was there briefly with Tom and Tristan in 2008, but T was sick that day and didn’t join us. We saw the jewelry (okay, half the jewelry. There’s a lot of jewelry. Amazing enamels and woven metal fiber and granulation and and and . . .), sacramental silver objects (including this cross made of coke bottle caps.
Er . . .?),


lots of statues:




the Chihuly chandelier:



And these fish carved out of glass:



Oh, and T stared down a rhino.



We had a quick drink in the William Morris room in the café—best setting to rest your feet and have a cuppa maybe in all of London.

I got it in my head that I wanted to return to the Borough Market for lunch. It looked so simple on the map. Heh. The Strongbow was very welcome when we finally hauled our sorry asses into a pub.

Theresa and Ardbeg had some delicious bangers and mash with red onion marmalade.



Wall o' coasters



Then it was off to the Temple Church, which T wanted to see when we were here in 1999, but which we never found. More wrong turns and a lengthy meander through the Inns of Court later






"Turn left at the sign of the Sharpei"


finally brought us to Temple Church. Yay! We made it!


Inside the church:


Here is one of the effigies of the Knights Templar that T wanted to see:


Better still, here are some of the crazy gargoyle heads that are uncharacteristically on the inside of the building:







And finally, the John Cleese gargoyle.


Internet connectivity has been spotty. Post on Rome just as soon as we can manage it. Today is a travel day: Rome-->Florence-->Certaldo, where we meet up with Tom and Tristan!