London and Dublin Trip Pt 1

I just came back from the best vacation I have had in a very very very long time. Marito hasn't really traveled and done the tourist thing, except for a trip to New York City and his port calls from deployments. So going to London and Dublin where there is plenty to do and no language barrier was a bonus for planning our first big trip.  We've been here for 9 full months now, and it's time we started to make some big trips that we plan on our own (no MWR or USO Tours).

We decided to go with another couple, so we could split hotel costs and share the experience. London is a very expensive city! So make sure to save save save before you go!

Westminister

Our first day there, we checked into our hotel (The Holiday Inn Express Swiss Cottage- free breakfast!) then quickly made our way to The Tube (metro system) and found ourselves at the front door to Parliament. The sun was starting to set and reflected so perfectly off the gold accents of the Elizabeth Tower. You don't know what the Elizabeth's Tower is? It's better known as Big Ben, but in actuality Big Ben is the bell, housed inside the tower. You could probably win a few bets at a bar with that little fact.

Snapping a few pictures as we walked across the bridge, we made our way to the London Eye. Bought tickets to ride this massive ferris wheel as well as attend the London Dungeon walk through show. You can also buy tickets for the Aquarium and Wax Museum at discounted prices. The London Eye gives you the most impressive views of the city beneath you, and it's a short 30 minute ride. It's a must do for first timers.

Soho

The sun set and I knew of the perfect place to go for a little excitement. Back story first! When I was 13, my mom and I came out to London. As we explored the city and walked around Piccadilly Circus (a mini version of Times Square) we ended up in a not so age appropriate area called Soho. Needless to say mom booked it out of there. Now that I am 25 and find this sort of thing amusing more than scary, I was on a mission to "get lost in Soho" again. It wasn't that hard to find. I definitely got a chuckle out of the woman talking to a man beside the strip club wearing a red velvet cape that covered everything except her stilettos. I also giggled when I saw signs for massage parlors and of course the bright neon XXX signs. We didn't go into any shops or clubs, I just wanted to "explore" the neighborhood again because at 13... I didn't understand what my mom was trying to protect me from. So Thanks Mom for protecting my innocence!

Oxford Street and Covent Gardens

The next day Marito and his friend went to play golf at a virtual golfing range called Urban Golf. They played at St. Andrews which is where the pros play (except this was a video game). While the boys played, us girls went to Oxford Street and shopped! We walked in and out of many stores, trying on clothes and observing the new fashion trends. We also went to Covent Gardens which is a market district. They weren't open yet when we went down there, but it's my favorite place and don't you worry, I made it back down there before we left.

Covent Gardens is full of vendors selling t-shirts, bracelets, scarfs, hand made trinkets, street performers, and some regular shopping. Again, mom took me here 12 years ago and it is still my favorite spot in London. I met a vendor who wanted to sell me a yellow scarf and I wasn't having it! He said it matches my shirt, and after he realized I wasn't buying we just got to talking. Really nice guy. I ended up going back a couple days later to buy the yellow scarf from him because he left a good memory for me. Maybe he conned me- it doesn't matter, I wanted to support his business. I'm happy with my yellow scarf and the memory I have with it. I also wore yellow to match the picture mom took 12 years ago.


Marito and I had time to kill, so we walked to the Tower Bridge (not the London Bridge).  Tower Bridge seriously looks like something from a fairy tale. It's majestic and beautiful. We snapped some pictures and headed back to the hotel. For tomorrow was a long day ahead of us.

Windsor Castle, Bath and Stone Henge

Through Viator.com our friends and ourselves had booked a 12 hour tour to go see Windsor Castle, Bath, and Stonehenge. 

Windsor Castle looks to be what you expect a castle to look like. It is the home of the Queen when she is not in London. Her flag was flying over head which meant that she was in the house! This castle has a 17 foot tall doll house! It is also has a church that is the resting place of King Henry the 8th, Jane Seymore and his daughter from Queen Anne. I found this very exciting since I just started watching The Tudors HBO series- King Henry the 8th was definitely a player back in the day- I was told in college that he died from syphilis!! We were able to see the changing of the guards while we were there, and we walked around the small town and checked out the shops. I love window shopping if you can't tell.

Next was Bath, gorgeous Bath. The Roman Bath house was built at the source of a natural hot spring. You get to walk throughout this ancient house, see what used to be saunas, and massage rooms, and even sit beside the largest bath pool. The water is now green and full of algae. That's because the roof is no longer in place and the sun hitting the water encourages the growth of algae. So they recommend you don't touch the water. You can see tunnels of water flow still to this day, and there is a spot where you can taste the clean algae free water. To me, it is what I would expect water to taste like after boiling eggs. Lot's of minerals in the water, including sulfur. But no one is asking you to drink a gallon of it! Just sample it and be on your way if you please.


In the history books, you see pictures of huge massive rocks to form Stonehenge. Well these rocks ARE huge and they ARE massive, but seeing them in person I was expecting them to be more huge and massive. When you arrive at Stonehenge you get a free audio guide (they are free at the other two places on the tour too) and you get to walk around this mysterious creation. The only time you can actually walk into the center of Stonehenge is during the Winter and Summer Solstice. Stonehenge works as a Sundial, yet it is still uncertain if it was used solely for solar purpose. I personally like to think Aliens did it, only because I enjoy a little bit of controversy. Totally worth the trip to see Stonehenge! I mean how often are you going to be in England?

London Dungeon

As I mentioned before, my friends and I bought tickets to the London Dungeon, which just moved from being over by the London Bridge to being over by the London Eye (more centrally located). The walk through is enjoyable. You get involved with stories such as Jack the Ripper, and Sweeney Todd. The actors pick people out of the crowd and throw you into a jail cell, or make you go on trial for being a traitor. Funny, and probably not appropriate or enjoyable for kids (they wouldn't get the humor). Just keep in mind that the first few minutes involves a small water ride- where they shoot a cannon and water spits out at you. We DID NOT know water was involved and were not happy because we got soaked. Water flooded the boat and my shoes were soaked as were my jeans for the rest of the tour (and night). Other than being thankful that our phones didn't get wet and upset about being cold and wet, the tour is really fun. If I had known it involved water I would have worn different clothes and taken better precautions. But now YOU KNOW! No scary drops, or anything like that to the water ride, just some story telling and water cannon shooting!

London Tower

Down the road from the Tower Bridge is London Tower. Where many people were beheaded and also home of the Royal Jewels, or as one of the Beefeaters called them... The Queens' Bling! We were told stories of the various monarchs, including my favorite.. Henry IIX. They have told these stories so many times, that they deliver thier punch lines just perfectly, and the tour is really enjoyable! I went on this tour 12 years ago and I just didn't care. I didn't understand the humor, nor did I have the interest or attention span. I was 13! So I am very grateful to have gone back and enjoy the history behind it all

The quick Yomen tour ends at the Church within the Castle Walls, where Anne Boelynn is laid to rest. She was the first scandal that Henry IIX encountered- going against the Pope to divorce his wife to marry Anne. Very fascinating story about Henry and Anne. Anywho, after seeing the elaborate Royal Jewels we went to the White Tower and saw even more interesting things. Armor, cannons, gifts (including my next gun! It's bedazzeled) and even a dragon made out of various scraps. Super interesting and totally worth visiting.

The day we left to go to Dublin it was May 4th. May the Fourth be with you! As we walk across the beautiful Tower Bridge to kill time before our flight, we saw party bikes. What is a party bike you ask? it is a platform that a sober person (tour guide) steers, and then you have about 10 people on bikes, pedaling and drinking alcohol. The best part? The people dressed in Star Wars costumes! It was a very fun sight!

It was now time for us to catch our flight to Dublin, and how appropriate was it that we were flying on May the Fourth and I was sent a picture of Guinness, and "going to the dark side." See picture attached.

See next post for part 2 of our trip!