Dusty, Big J, and I went to England and France for the Christmas holidays. It was very cold. We narrowly missed the even bigger chill that set in the day we flew home. The Saturday after Christmas, the three of us took the train from East Sussex to Charring Cross Station in London, walked across the bridge over the Thames and headed for the London Eye. We had high hopes that the lines wouldn’t be too long so early in the day, around 10:00 in the morning. But, no, the line was already deep enough to have made us stand shivering in the cold for hours. So we paid the extra money for the Fast Track tickets instead. It worked out to about $45. per person, and well worth it. We were onboard in less than 20 minutes.
The London Eye, built by British Airways, is a huge glassed in ferris wheel; each compartment holds about twenty people. The highest point of the ride takes you 400’ above London, and offers breathtaking views of the city. The Thames snakes out of sight amid the rooftops. Having Dusty there to give us the guided tour and identify all those old buildings was a huge plus; but the handy guide books they give away on Fast Track might work almost as well.
The views seen from the London Eye are impressive, and so is the way they handle security. Before boarding, handbags are checked and everyone is scanned with a metal detector. After the ride, security personnel enter each compartment and make a thorough check for anything left behind.
Our next destination was the National Gallery of Art. Dusty and I had visited there before, and Big J couldn’t have cared less. The first time I went I cried in the Impressionist Room. I had seen so many of the paintings in books all my life, I was overwhelmed to see them in real life. The impressionist collection includes many paintings by well known artists like Degas, Cezanne, Van Gogh, and Manet. The show rotates so the paintings I saw there on my first trip had been replaced by others. I didn’t cry this time. I was happy to see more of my familiar favorites for the first time. Dusty and Big J seemed to enjoy some of the art, and patiently seated themselves on a bench once they grew bored.
Next on our list was a pilgrimage to Harrod’s so Big J could see the world’s most expensive store. Before doing that though, we headed to Leicester Square and into a pub. Dusty and I had meant to have one and go. But, once inside the warmth, Big J planted himself comfortably at the bar, and we stayed a while. It was Big J’s first trip to London, and now his first pint in an English pub. Our turn to indulge him.
We took the subway to the other side of London to get to Harrod’s. Dusty had warned me that London subways, the tube I think they’re called, gets very crowded. I reminded him that I once lived in Japan, nothing can be much more crowded than a Japanese subway at rush hour. I was right about the London subway, crowded, but not so bad. But, Harrod’s, the crowds there were intense. It was absolutely heaving. Dusty and Big J each bought something for friends back home. I just wanted to get out of there.
Our day trip to London went well. Like most big cities, it is impossible to see all the sights in one day. The three of us were perfectly matched for this trip. Wherever I go, I’m happy as long as I see the art gallery. Dusty knows his way around London and never gets lost. And Big J was happy to see any of it, since it was all new to him.
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