Enjoying London.

Yesterday evening we took a chance and queued for return tickets for “The Audience” with Helen Mirren at The Gielgud Theatre.

It was a cold one hour wait (5th and 6th in the queue) but we finally got offered a couple of tickets.  We were very lucky and got two of the best seats in the house (unfortunately they were the most expensive as well!).  The wait was very well worth it as the performance was everything, and more, that it promised to be.

After the performance a small group of us we were lucky enough to get our programs signed and have a brief chat with Helen Mirren at the stage door.  All in all it was a spectacular and rather surreal evening.   Its a must to see if you can get tickets!

Today we’ve had a great wander around the city using buses and the tube.  We bought weekly travel passes when we arrived in London (£30 each) and they’ve paid for themselves already.

We took a look inside the fabulous St Pancras Renaissance Hotel.  What a stunning building both inside and out.

Part of the amazing staircase in the hotel.

We then travelled on to Docklands – took a look inside the O2 Arena (guess it’s better if you’re attending a performance!) and then took a ride on the Emirates Air Line cable car across the Thames to The Excel Centre.  The views are very good across the city and we were able to get a good look at the Thames Barrier.

All smiles at nearly three hundred feet in the air!

Great views of the city.

Giant barges look like dinky toys.

After getting the Docklands Light Railway to Limehouse Basin we walked back along the Embankment.

We stopped off at The Prospect of Whitby – the oldest waterside pub in London.  Very atmospheric with lovely terraces on the riverfront.

It was in this pub that the first Fuchsia plant, brought in from The New World in 1696, was traded for a noggin of rum.

Walking further along the Embankment we got to St Catherine’s Dock where we found “The Gloriana” moored up.  This was one of the craft built for the Queens’ Jubilee Pageant.

We were soon into the ‘major tourism’ area.  There were large crowds of tourist enjoying the sunshine today.

There are some very iconic scenes to be had in this lovely city – HMS Belfast with Tower Bridge in the background, what could be better!

Another short walk along the south bank of the river and we were at The Shard.  We intended to go up today but time was running out so we’ll do it another day.  It’s a terrific building on an incredibly small site.  We look forward to the views from the top on another day.

Tonight we are off out into town again to enjoy the nightlife!