In London at last!

In London! Our flight arrived yesterday morning, nearly 30 minutes early. We moved quickly through customs, and our bags were ready when we got to the luggage area. we took the Paddington Express (supposed to be the fastest way to central London from Heathrow) and in a quick 15 minutes, were were hailing a cab outside Paddington Station. We left our bags at the hotel, took off our sweaters as it was warmer than we expected, then found our way to the tube station and took the tube back to Paddington Station, so that we could catch a train to Oxford and catch up with Gloria and her group.

It was gray with off and on light rain until late afternoon when after a quick cloudburst the sky turned a bright blue with puffy white clouds and we thoroughly enjoyed the low 60's weather.

We spent the rest of the day in Oxford. One of the colleges was having a degree ceremony, so some buildings were closed off, but it was really interesting to see the students and professors walking around in gowns. We got to see a great deal of Oxford, and spent some time at Christ Church, the college founded by Henry VIII, and attended by John Wesley, many Prime Ministers, Lewis Carroll and others. Parts of the cathedral date back to the 12th century. I am awed to have walked on the same stones that all those historic figures walked. We toured the Great Hall where the students eat, it is an impressive room lined with paintings of the famous folks who attended and ate there. You could smell the scent of what had most likely been served for lunch, a pleasant apple/cinnamon smell. Overall, Oxford was far more impressive than I expected (and I expected a lot). I am so glad that we made the effort and didn't let jet lag keep us from enjoying it.

When we got back to London, Krista and I took a nap then a shower which helped us to feel a part of the human race again. We then went out for a dinner of the famous British fish and chips, at The North Sea Restaurant. The fish did not disappoint.

The UK and Europe changed from Daylight Savings time to 'Winter Time' overnight, giving us a welcome extra hour to catch up. I am in the common room at our hotel, looking out over Bedford place. The morning started out bright and sunny, but seems to have grayed a little. This block is lined with hotels, and there are people walking around. I can't decide what the weather is since people are wearing everything from short sleeved shirts to winter jackets.

After breakfast we will go and tour London!