London Day 2
Breakfast and tour
We started the morning with the included hotel breakfast. It was a traditional British buffet of eggs, baked beans, and bread. All were served barely warm.
We then jumped on a coach bus to explore London with the included city tour. We made our way past many of the notable city sites and stopped at Buckingham Palace and St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Afternoon Tea
After the tour, we headed back to the hotel for a quick nap before heading to Sketch for afternoon tea. We were served four courses, starting with sparking wine, our selection of tea with egg custard, and crab salad. Second, we were presented with a large selection of finger sandwiches, cakes, and pastries. Finally, we had scones followed by sponge cake.
Sketch is known for having multiple rooms, each with an ever-changing theme, and the pod bathrooms. Oddly our check was presented to us in an envelope made from 70 grit sandpaper.
More exploring
After enjoying tea we did not want to head back to the hotel so we decided to explore more of London. We visited the National Portrait Gallery and The Photographers Gallery, a dedicated photography event space and gallery. They run an amazing bookstore with some of the best film selections we have ever seen.
drinks at the shard
We completed the night at GŎNG (the highest hotel bar in Eastern Europe) in The Shard a 72-storey skyscraper, designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano. The drinks were adorned with odd garnishes but were flavorful and well-executed.
It seems the men’s restroom was given quite the view while the women’s room was back by the spa and very normal.
London is packed right now. Even the tour guides were surprised at how many people are in town. With Wimbledon happening, an F-1 race in town, and post-Covid travel it makes sense. Even at 11 pm on a Thursday every train wit took in the underground was packed full.
