London Day 1
Travel
The flight to London was on-time and uneventful. We lucked out and ended up with an empty seat in our row. Laurie could not sleep at all, Matt was able to squeeze in a few hours of shuteye.
Laurie was as happy as Donald Trump at a $50,000 per person photo event about the empty seat in our row.
Tired exploring
We took a shuttle from the airport into London during the morning rush hour. Since our hotel room was not ready when we arrived, we stumbled around, zombie-like, to Borough Market and the Tate Modern museum. Once our hotel room was ready, we headed back for a shower and a quick nap for Laurie.
soho Food Tour
We ended the night with a food and drink tour in London’s Soho neighborhood. We got off the underground right at Piccadilly Circus so we took in the street performers show. Soho was once the art district known for being the stomping grounds for famous writers, where many very famous musicians got their start, and the place where punk began. In the 1980s it became known for being the center of sex, debauchery, and all things seedy in London. Now it is known for being a restaurant, pub, and theatre hub.
Our first food stop served us croquettes with vermouth. While eating, we noticed a large, energetic, and buzzing group of people moving down the alley next to the restaurant. It was a very famous F-1 driver, his entourage, and a ton of fans trying to get selfies. Our second stop was a restaurant in an old brothel and strip club. We tried pig cheek on toast with red peppers and red wine. This particular restaurant is known for allowing its animals to die naturally before butchering. As an in-between, we stopped by a liquor seller to try Genever, Old Tom gin, and London dry gin. We made our way to Chinatown and were served Indonesian Beef Rendang and roti with a Singapore sling. Continuing in Chinatown we tried beef bao buns followed by Chinese French toast. All of these stops had long lines and we were able to get right in as a group. I am sure those waiting in the queue were not happy. We finished the night with a beer at a pub with a couple from our food tour. Turns out they are co-owners of Wooden Robot and Elsewhere, a popular brewery and bar in Charlotte. It is a crazy small world.
