london: days one & two

of course it was raining when we landed in london. it's been overcast and/or raining off and on ever since, but we've still been able to explore the city and see just about every site on our list.

tuesday was a mixed bag. we were fighting jet-lag from the time we got off the plane, but still planned to check in to our hotel in Westminster before visiting the Natural History and Victoria & Albert Museums and walking through Hyde Park. instead, we stopped into a pub off Bond St for lunch, then walked over to the Marble Arch and Speaker's Corner at Hyde Park to take pictures. we hopped back on the tube to Notting Hill, but our stroll down to Kensington ended when we were caught in a torrential downpour.

after waiting out the rain, we jumped back on the tube, succumbing to our fatigue by skipping the museums in South Kensington to walk through Chelsea on our way back to our hotel.

wednesday was a full day, starting with the Tower of London; a walk through the financial district; Blackfriar's for lunch (and a beer & Pimm's cup); Picasso, Warhol & Pollack at the Tate Modern; Big Ben, House of Parliament & Westminster Abbey across the river; Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Degas and others at the National Gallery (right off Trafalgar Square); a walk through the theatre district from Covent Garden to Leicester Square; and an authentic Indian dinner nearby.

now we're off to Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guard. we'll send more updates later (with pictures!) before anne hits the sales at Harrod's.

-chip & anne