Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

I had hoped to blog a lot about London during our stay, but when it boiled down to visiting more sights or writing about ones we’d seen, I chose the former.  Besides, such guides as Fodor’s can tell you more about any attraction than I possibly can.

However, since we head to Southampton tomorrow to board the Crown Princess and sail away, here are my unedited impressions of some of the sights we saw.

Favorite tourist attraction: Earl liked the Churchill War Rooms while I liked that concrete cemetery known as Westminster Abbey. (http://www.westminster-abbey.org/)  Since neither is a public museum, entrance to each was pricey but worth it.

Least favorite attraction: The oversized giant Blue Cockerel in Trafalgar Square (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23448832) left Earl pretty cold.  The fact that public restrooms are not free caught me off guard.  I actually didn’t mind, once I got used to the prospect except the fee for them is not uniform across the city.  I was always looking for coins.

Other sights we visited: Prince Albert Hall, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, the crown jewels, the London Eye, and the Changing of the Guard.

Favorite meal: Dark stout (Yes, it’s a meal.), which explains why English pubs are so popular.  Second favorite meal: a hearty English breakfast. See for yourself at (http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pork-recipes/the-full-english) Least favorite:  Everything else. We even opted for pizza this evening rather than more bangers and mash or fish and chips.

Most unexpected surprise: Sunny skies and mild temperatures the entire time.  We walked fifteen miles in three days without a drop of rain.

What we wanted to do but missed: The British Museum, The Globe Theatre, a play, high tea . . . and this is for starters. There is so much to see and do in London and the surrounding area that I can’t imagine how long one must stay to see everything.  After all, the British have been developing monarchies and monasteries and monuments for over a thousand years, and they’re all on display.