A Rainless London

Back in 1996 I took a two week vacation to London. The Strand Palace Hotel was my home for those two weeks and I have to say, if I could go back I would stay even longer. The hotel’s accommodations were superb. It was right in the center of all the action. For my dining pleasure they had two separate restaurants in the hotel. The Strand Carvery and Johnston’s Brasserie is where I ate the majority of my dinners. I tended to enjoy the small sandwich shops throughout the city for lunch as I was on the run to the various tourist attractions. At least two weeks was long enough to get a good feel of the local culture and cuisine. 



The first day out I went directly to Big Ben.  It was a dream I’ve been looking forward to a long time.  It’s located on at the north eastern corner of the Palace of Westminster.  There was nothing that could replace the feeling of looking at that old piece of work. The architecture of the building is incredible. It was built 150 years ago and is the world's largest four-faced clock. My next stop was Westminster Abbey just down the street. Standing in the aisle, it’s humbling to think of the countless royal coronations and weddings that were done on that very ground.
 
Trafalgar Square was another of my favorite stops in London. There are a ton of statues and sculptures on display in the square.  In the center is a gorgeous waterfall which I hear is lighted at night.  I wish I could have hung around, but there was more to see before the day was through.  Some of the other places I visited were Windsor Castle, Hampton Court Palace, and Kew Gardens. The weather was beautiful all week. After the first 5 days I realized it hadn’t rained once. There was a light drizzle one afternoon as I traveled on the top level of a classic London double decker bus. It was “The Original Tour” for London Sightseeing.  The rain passed quickly and the remainder of my stay was completely rainless.  What a pleasant surprise.  Who would have thought it was possible; rain in London is as common as sun in Florida.

The trip was a complete success and it was another stamp in my passport.  I would definitely return if afforded the opportunity.