London: Borough Market and the Shard

Where do I begin? This getaway was a long time coming! Michael and I have not had many vacations together for just the two of us...a trip to find our house in the UK in 2011 and a trip to California in 2009 I think. So we were really looking forward to this! All the cards aligned, and I was able to tack on some time in London to Michael's work trip.

Michael arrived back in London from his trip to France and Spain and met me at the airport. I was so happy to see him (although not as happy as when I burst into tears upon arrival in 2011 with 2 kids and 9 suitcases in tow!) We hopped in an Uber to go to our hotel - The Hilton Bankside. After stowing our suitcases and having a drink in the lounge there, we headed out to see some of the city.

When London shows brilliant blue skies, there's really nothing else like it. It instantly puts you in a good mood! Our hotel was right by the Tate Modern on the south side of the Thames. There's the Millennium Bridge and St. Paul's Cathedral!

Since we had visited many of the tourist sites in London during our time there, we focused on seeing things that one of us had missed. I was so blessed to see lots of the city and countryside while living there through a ladies club, with friends, or just with the kids. Michael was more limited to just weekends and holidays, so he missed some of it.

We headed over to Borough Market to start. This is a fabulous food market - used to be open just a few days a week, now almost every day. Here's Michael with a cool mural of Shakespeare (this is also right by the Globe Theater.)

London is always a mix of old and new!

At Borough Market, you can find everything from meat to olives to baked goods to produce.

And the cheese is the best!

We arrived before noon, and the crowds weren't too bad as seen above.

By the time we left, it was wall to wall people.

We stumbled across a barber shop in the market. This place had character! Uncle Wes has a tradition of getting a haircut while on vacation, and Michael decided to follow suit.

He was looking a little shaggy.

And after! With what we both decided was his best haircut EVER, along with a beard trim, we headed out of the market.

I have never visited the HMS Belfast, but here's a great picture with Tower Bridge and the Tower of London in the background. See those clouds creeping in? We would get a shower or two later in the day in typical British fashion.

The building across the Thames is sometimes called the "walkie talkie" due to its shape.

It has a beautiful restaurant/lounge at the top called SkyGarden.

We came across a restaurant called The Ivy. I actually had a dinner reservation at a different location in the theater district for Tuesday night, but we decided to grab a "Linner" at this one since they had a table available. We sat outside and enjoyed some delicious food!

Michael had a haloumi sandwich. I had eggs benedict and a creamy cappucino!

What a pretty entrance!

Here's the London City Hall building.

From that delicious lunch, we headed over to the Shard. This opened right before we moved, so we hadn't been to the top yet. Usually, it is recommended to get tickets in advance, but we were able to walk up and get in. The views were incredible!

I ❤ London!

In this picture, you can see St. Paul's and a glimpse of the London Eye.

After the Shard, we went back to the hotel, checked in, and took a break. That evening, we walked across the river to St. Paul's for Evensong. I had been to the cathedral for Thanksgiving services, but Michael had never been.

Travel tip - If you just want to see the inside of a historical church, consider going to a church service instead of paying for a formal tour/admission. Both St. Paul's and Westminster Abbey offer daily services for the public.

It is truly awe inspiring to worship in a place that has offered Christian prayer and worship for 1400 years. I loved what it said in the program:

When you come to Evensong here, it is as if you were dropping in on a conversation already in progress - a conversation between God and his beople which began long before you were born and which will continue long after your death. ... For a brief moment, you step into the continual stream of worship which is being offered today and which will be offered to the end of time. You are one with those who worship here on earth and in heaven.

We were seated in the large area of the cathedral, when a vicar came over and said they could seat 50 people in the choir stalls. I don't think I've ever moved so fast in my life...ha, ha! We got to sit in these beautiful carved wooden benches right in the middle of things.