London in July

Flirting with the cute "Bobbies" guarding the gates at Buckingham Palace...

Touring the Jewel House at the Tower of London, which isn't a tower...

Posing with "Sean Connery" at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum...

The Canadian War Memorial, on the grounds surrounding Buckingham Palace.

Quick Tips:

If you want to stay in a hostel, in JULY, book ahead. We tried getting a place the night before we arrived in London, and all the hostels were full. We ended up staying in a bed-and-breakfast that a woman was running out of a flat (apartment, for you North Americans). Cheaper than a hotel, but still took a big bite out of our wallets.

Best Way To Get Around:

For basic transportation, the Underground (not the Subway...that's an underground walkway) is the way to go. Another option, the double-decker tour buses, with a "hop on hop off" policy take you to most of the popular sights.

Picture a room full of long, cafeteria-style tables...

Wagamama's menu consists mainly of noodle dishes, with some dishes accompanied by rice. The food is good, but the experience is why you go to Wagamama's.

You place your order by number. If you're lucky, the waiter writes the number on the paper table covering, otherwise, you must remember your number. Food is delivered in the order in which it is prepared...so some members of your party may eat before others.

In all, an excellent meal, and a great time was had by all.

At Madame Tussaud's, you can meet the past...and celebrities of the present. We were there just after the Royal Wedding, and the present Royal Family was displayed in their wedding regalia. In addition, kings and queens dating back to Richard the Lionheart were modeled, in life-like wax mannequins.

In the entertainment wing, we met Pierce Brosnan as 007, Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones, and the Beatles, and in the main hall, where you first enter, Odette and I posed with Sean Connery. A special treat for me, as a long-time member of Scouts and Guides, was posing with Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of the worldwide Scouting movement.

The tour ends with the Hall of Horrors, or torture chamber, but if you're queasy there's an option to bypass it. In all, very "touristy", but an enjoyable afternoon.

Shoppers Beware!

If you love shopping, you'll love Harrods. We loved Harrods, and brought back souvenirs with the Harrods logo for our shopping-loving friend back home.

Because we were in Harrods early on in our tour of England, we were still converting prices to Canadian dollars, and even with the sale on (and Harrods only has a sale one or two times a year), things were still expensive.

What did I buy? A nightshirt with the Harrods logo printed on it, a light-turquoise cardigan (Harrods label, in case anyone asks...!), a Harrods PVC tote bag, printed with cats, and a really cool scarf that's metallic purple on one side and golden on the other.

I always thought the Tower of London was a tower. With a name like "Tower of London", it seemed logical. Well, it's not.

At the Tower of London, you'll see the Yeoman Warders, or "Beefeaters", in their traditional uniforms with Elizabeth II's insignia on the chest, and those funky hats.

This is also where you can view the Crown Jewels, in the Jewel House. At every turn, there are more diamonds, and more security guards reminding you not to take pictures. If you want a picture, you'll have to pay for it...postcards are sold of the most popular (and opulent) pieces.

As you leave, you go past an old wall dating to Roman times, where you'll learn the legend of the ravens, and see some of those legendary birds. (Apparently, as long as there are ravens at the Tower of London, the monarchy will stay intact.)