5/27 Westminster Abbey & Oxford Street

Slightly slower day today.  While my budget hotel is very close to a subway entrance, it is not close to many carryout or fast food restaurants, so I have not been happy that the hotel bar has been out of Coke.  I do not drink hot drinks, so mostly enjoy soft drinks like Coke or iced tea with a lot of ice, and I have not been able to get either recently.  I did order a Coke with extra ice at a McDonald's yesterday, but it ended up not having any ice at all!!  

Bottled water and soft drinks are sold out of open cabinets that make them cool, but certainly not cold, the way I like them.  I am not sure why the Brits do not like their drinks as cold as I do, but I was told that possibly that is due to thinking that ice waters down the drink. 

And, if you have ever traveled in the UK, or even most parts of Europe, you know getting a really cold drink and a lot of ice is very difficult.  

Anyway, today I walked the two blocks from my hotel to Westminster Abbey.  I have been there before, but it has been quite a while, so I decided to wander around there again. 

 

 

Below is St. Margaret's Church, which is right next to the Abbey.  I had to wait in a long line to get tickets, and just as I got in line, the bell ringers started playing a peel, which is a long series of bell rings.  At first I thought it might be a wedding, but then thought it was likely a funeral with all of the dark suits. 

Don't know who this person is, but he certainly looks important!

Got a quick look at the newly updated look of the tower where the Big Ben bell resides. 

And some random photos of the inside of Westminster Abbey.

 

 

It is always interesting to see memorials to famous people here.  Mandela was not buried here, but this commemorates his life. 

 

 

And this is where Charles will be crowned in a very few years. 

 

 

This photo was taken from the special exhibition on the upper floor.  I could see the original roof and construction of that ancient roof, but was not allowed to take photos, unfortunately. 

 

 

Many British poets are buried in Poet's Corner of the Abbey. 

Took a break in my hotel room and then headed out to see what was happening in Oxford Street.  Unfortunately, I got off at the wrong subway exit, and went back to hotel because I was extremely tired and hungry.  Busy place, at least.

I figured I'd get a meal at the hotel cafe, but unfortunately, they had stopped serving anything but very dry and very dull pizza--one flavor only!!  Ate a couple of slices with only water to drink and tossed the rest in the trash.

I don't have my exact Fitbit numbers for this day, but I estimate them at about 4 miles walked and 10,000 steps taken.