So, today was 7 miles. I started on Park lane, just outside the hotel and headed north. Crossed over into Hyde Park and began my journey. I changed it up a bit today, trying to find things, like the Peter Pan Statue, etc. I was also taking pictures this time around since I had gotten the lay of the land from Thursday's run and I was going further, so more to see.
So, I did a route that took me around and through Hyde Park, Kensington Park, St. James Park and Green Park. It was a beautiful morning, but colder than Thursday. The doorman even told me on my way out that it was brisk morning for a run. I constantly saw my breath, the grass was frosted over and there was a low fog over most of the grounds and waterways.
After the run, I got back to the hotel and again, all it wanted was a hot shower. Too bad my room was being serviced (aka cleaned) when I got back at 9. Luckily, I only had to wait about 5 minutes and they were done.
I then called my parents to give them their 'wake up' call and I proceeded to get in the shower. That's when the trouble began. I finished my shower and shut off the water. I made a step in the tub and WHAM! I slipped and fell. Luckily the only thing I banged up was my elbow, but damn, that hurt.
Anyway, I got ready and headed down for breakfast, meeting my parents in the lobby. I tried something different today: Red Flannel Hash, which is made with beets instead of corned beef. It was delicious! Pan fried beets, potatoes, goat cheese and two fried eggs. Amazing. I will be making this at home.
So once breakfast was finished, I went up to my room to called the National Theater to see when their backstage tours were and if they would have an availability. Sadly, no. So I ended up going to the Churchill War Rooms with mom instead. This was an interesting maze underground. It was very tight quarters, reminding me of a submarine, but not quite as compact. We had a self guided audio tour that we used as we weaved in and out of the tiny rooms and corridors.
We did make it over to the National Theatre, just to see it. It's a cool grouping of buildings and they house three different performance spaces. The national Theatre is where War Horse and One Man, Two Guvnors got their starts, and where the awesome Frankenstein with Benedict Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee Miller in the reversing lead rolls was performed. It's been home to so many talented artists. It was a very cool thing to be able to walk in the doors. Had I known the tours would have booked up so fast, I would have taken care of that earlier. Alas, another trip is needed...oh darn.
So, from there, we went to King's across Station. Why? But for Platform 9 3/4 of course. Yup, I waited in line to get my picture taken with the trolley and I'm not ashamed. After walking through the gift shop, yup there was a Harry Potter gift shop there too...mom turned to me and said "from one fictional character, to another...time for Sherlock Holmes."
From King's Cross, we headed to Baker Street and the Sherlock Holmes Museum at 221B Baker Street. While we were waiting in line, I over heard a rather crabby gentleman who was walking past say something to the extent of "I don't know why they are waiting in line for a fictional character" and I guess he had a point. Sherlock Holmes was not a real person and he never lived at 221B Baker Street. It's not like going to Buckingham Palace and seeing what royalty may have used had they been real. But having just come from Platform 9 and 3/4 and being a person who goes to Disney World, what person hasn't hung out with a fictional character?! You don't go to Cinderella's castle because it's a real castle! Puh-lease.
Anyway, we went through the house/museum very quickly which was nice. Both mom and I were pretty tired and our feet were hurting, but we could at least say we had been there.
I had a little over an hour between when we returned to the hotel and when we were meeting for dinner prior to going to the theater. We decided on The Park Room at the hotel again, because it was easy to get to (duh) and it was tasty. Both mom and dad had the club sandwiches again (and honestly, I almost did too because it was so good) but I changed it up a bit. I had a trio of mini 'burgers' which consisted of an angus burger with a mustard sauce, a lamb burger with a mint-yogurt sauce and a lobster burger with a mango chutney. All were very tasty, but even with a side of fries, it wasn't enough. The mixture of the running this morning along with all of the walking throughout the day with no lunch, I was starving.
Mom gave me her last quarter of her sandwich. I must have looked a sight for her to take pity on me. ;-)
After we finished, I ran upstairs to get changed for the show and was quickly back down for us to snag a taxi to The Playhouse Theatre to see SPAMALOT. Both dad and I were exhausted, but we made it through. I was excited to see the production because I knew the music well and I wasn't disappointed.
We did see the cover for King Arthur, who was good, but a bit too young for the role. The cast was cracking each other up throughout the night, which can be both a good and a bad thing. In this case, it was both a good and a bad thing. ;-) But overall, the show was good and I'm happy to say that I have now seen it.
Then it was back in a taxi and back to the hotel. Another day in London...done.
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