London September 21, 2026

We left Yuma on September 19th at noon. After three flights with stops in Phoenix and Charlotte, we arrived in London at noon on the 20th with an eight hour time difference. I managed to get a few hours sleep on the overnight flight. Travel went well, so that's always a very good thing!!

After sleeping eleven hours, we were refreshed and ready for our tour of Westminster Abbey. We took the tube to Westminster. As we came out, we saw Big Ben right in front of us. How cool is that!!

Notice the London Eye ferris wheel on the left. We rode on it on our visit in 2007

We booked our tour through Viator which we have used in the past. There was some confusion on where to enter and how to get our tickets, but we figured it out. This was an audio guide tour.  The audio wasn't all that interesting.  I would definitely recommend a guided tour instead. 

The Abbey has been on this site for over a thousand years.  It has been the coronation church for the royals since 1066 with 40 monarchs having been crowned there. Around 3,300 people are buried there!

There are numerous chapels and naves inside. The stonework and artistry is magnificent. This ceiling carved from stone is so intricate and beautiful as are the many stained glass windows!

One section called Poets Corner is dedicated to British poets and authors. Some of the more famous buried there include Charles Dickens, Robert Browning, and Rudyard Kipling. There is a memorial to William Shakespeare. 

The Coronation Chair was commissioned by King Edward I in 1296 to enclose the Stone of Scone, also known as the Stone of Destiny, a symbol of Scottish sovereignty that Edward brought to England. The chair is carved of oak, and has been used in every coronation since 1308. The stone was returned to Scotland in 1996, but is brought back for any coronation. It doesn't look like much, but certainly has a great deal of historical significance and tradition.

The mosaic floor in front of the high alter was built in the 13th century using marble, glass and tile. It is incredible!!

I've seen a number of these flower kiosks along the side of roads. How lovely!!

After Westminster, we walked to Buckingham Palace. The guards were just wearing dark blue uniforms, not the big hats. I wonder why??

Queen Victoria Memorial 

In the evening, we did a Historical Pub walking tour. We visited four historic pubs, heard the stories about them, and sampled some local beers and ciders. Our guide was a very personable young man who is a model, actor and film producer. 

Our first stop was the oldest on the tour called Ye Olde Mitre built in the 16th century by a bishop. Legend has it Queen Elizabeth I danced around a tree in it's gardens.

Next stop was The Old Bank of England built in an actual former bank. They had a bus in the courtyard that had to be brought in by a crane. There was also a room with barber chairs as Sweeney Todd was said to have done his killing on Fleet Street nearby. If you don't know the story, look it up. It's quite gruesome! Johnny Depp starred in a movie about Sweeney. 

Stop number three was Ye Olde Chesire Cheese, rebuilt in 1667 after it burned down in the great London fire the year before. These old buildings are like a maze inside with very narrow, steep stairs. 

We stopped at the statue of John Wilkes. He was a journalist who wrote a negative article about the king and was arrested. He took it to court and won. He is revered as a champion of English freedom, and was instrumental in free speech laws.

Our last pub was The Black Friars built on the site of a former monastery. The interior design was very well done. As we headed back, there was a beautiful moon in the London night sky. 

Day one was a success. Both tours were interesting. The pub tour was great fun!