Day 2 in London

We started the day in lovely Notting Hill where our hotel is located.  We checked out the massive, lush, green, peaceful and gorgeous Kensington Gardens and then hopped on a double decker bus.  Our first stop was Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, the heart of London town.  Big Ben rang right on time. Afterward wandering along Thames past WWII war memorials and groups of visiting students, through St. James Gardens and various embassies and ministries, we stopped into a Thai Restaurant for a bowl of Tom Yum soup and beef salad.  Next, we boarded another double decker bus and swerved towards St. Paul's Cathedral, passing sights galore.  The visiting hours had closed 15 minutes prior, so we'll return tomorrow, but we enjoyed circling the grand cathedral graced by peaceful gardens. We walked across the Millennium Bridge to the Tate Museum, then along the Thames to the Tower Bridge, Tower of London, and through the banking district filled with suits getting off work. Here we are in East London at the Crown and Shuttle where pub food consists of duck and pork burgers w/gueyere cheese and other foodie delights... We love it here.