DAY 13

Paying respect. There was a lot of reflection throughout today and plenty of opportunities for me to pay my respect to folks from history to the contemporary in some sacred and near sacred places.

• Westminster Abbey – “Benedictine monks founded Westminster Abbey in 960AD. To this day, we retain a tradition of Christian worship and welcome.” Even though I was able to get a quick picture here on my first day in London, today I had the chance to do the tour. Man, was it PACKED. I’ve learned as I’ve gotten older that being in crowded places is not my cup of tea. At all. But, of course this site was packed. It’s in the top 5 places to visit in London and for good reason. The history (and bodies) inside those walls. Let’s be real: I was there for the graves. Did you know that there are over 3,000 bodies buried within (and under) the Abbey walls? Here are some of the best known residents.
• Trafalgar Square – This is a public square in the City of Westminster, Central London, established in the early 19th century. It’s surrounded on all sides by monuments, museums, churches and government buildings.
• Richmond (Til We Die) – The sky looked a bit threatening and I was without an umbrella, but I took a chance that the near hour long tube ride out to Richmond would help me avoid a downpour. And it paid off big time! Yes, Richmond is real, but AFC Richmond is not. However, you wouldn’t know it because of all the merch in different stores lining the route between the tube station and Mae’s pub (aka Prince’s Head not the Crown & Anchor). Richmond is really beautiful and I can see why it would be a very liveable part of London (albeit part of Greater London). I enjoyed a good burger, the best chips I’ve had to date and a (half) pint of yet another local cider! The pub wasn’t busting but I swear, everyone in there was American which had me cracking up. God bless Jason Sudekis.
• Prime London Hotel – After this jaunt to the outskirts of town, I started to hit a wall. I’d been traveling for 13 straight days and, even though I’m not on a set schedule, I still have a list of sites and things I want to squeeze in. But my body was screaming at me to SIT THE @#$% DOWN. I went back to the hotel and did just that.
• West End (again) – I had a chance to rest and clean up a bit before heading out to see tonight’s show Arthur Miller’s The Crucible with an astounding National Theatre cast. I went to Leon for the first time (this chain is all over the place) and it’s probably not going to be my last time eating here. It’s a kiosk only restaurant where you control the giant screens and order precisely what you want. The only human interaction is when your number is called and you pick up your food. I had a Korean chicken wrap, slaw and a seltzer (like La Croix). Dang, was that tasty! And fresh! I’m feeling all the fried food and carbs by now and my gut is ready for a detox! The show was more than I anticipated. If you’re Gen X, The Crucible was part of our required reading in high school. Anything that references the Salem Witch Trials are must reads/sees for me. It’s amazing how much more I got the nuances of this brilliant show as an adult than when I read it at 16. This cast and direction were superb and the audience was fantastic. I love a good, responsive audience!