Sherlock Holmes is a Philly Fan

Welcome Dinner - Table decorations

Our Guide Andy & Len

Tube station

London’s calling – Cheers

Day One

Today we arranged for a “Blue Badge” guide Glen Portch to take us to the sites in London we would not see with ABD.  Eight and half hours later, we can say we saw and toured:

Kensington Palace, The Temple Church (Da Vinci Code), Nottinghill, Chelsea, Abbey Road, The White Bell Foundry (Home of the Liberty Bell), Paddington Station- to purchase an official Paddington Bear. Paul McCartney’s home, Diana Spencer's former residence, The Tower Bridge, Royal Albert Hall, the old docks, and few Harry Potter film locations and the site of Jack the Ripper’s 4^th victim.

This was an excellent day and well worth the cost.  We had numerous photo ops and the tour was tailored to exactly what we wanted to see. This was our first experience with London traffic and I fully understand why the tour books strongly suggest that you NOT DRIVE IN LONDON.

Back to the hotel at 4:30 for the beginning of our adventure of a lifetime.

We met Eddie and Andy our guides in the lobby before returning to or room for a brief rest before dinner. A cocktail reception and a get to know you fellow adventures game began our evening. The guides distributed our lanyards (what’s a Disney adventure without special Disney pins) and our storybooks. Then off to dinner which was a sampling of traditional British foods, fish & chips, shepherd’s pie, pork chops to name a few. . The entire room including the tables were decorated in a British theme.  It was a lovely evening, which concluded with our first pins of the adventure.

A Royal Journey awaits us tomorrow. 

 

Cities of Knights and Lights May 2009

The famous Abbey Road

London Telephone Booth

Temple Church - DaVinci Code

Kensington Palace- Princess Diana Apt.

Abbey Road

Tower of London Bridge

Big Ben is the Bell, not the clock

Cities of Knights and Lights

May 2009   (Adults Only)

Wednesday 5-13 into Thursday 5-14.

Our journey began on Wed at 11pm when we boarded our overnight flight to London.

We arrived without any issues (rare for US Air), cleared customs, added another stamp to our passport and we greeted by representative holding an ABD sign with our names.

She quickly whisked us off to our car and off the Renaissance Chancery Court Hotel.

We had decided to come in a day early to adjust to the time change and tour London before the official Cities of Knights and Lights tour began.

Check in was a breeze and then off to our very well appointed room. This is a beautiful Hotel, with all the amenities that you would expect from Disney.

We had been warned to fight the need for sleep and we did.  We headed off to the British Museum, which is within walking distance of the hotel.  The museum is massive and you could spend a day there, we spent a few hours. We particularly liked the Rosetta stone and the Mummies.

We strolled back to the hotel after a Starbuck’s stop. Met our ABD friends from So.Cal Tom & Christy grabbed a bite for dinner and off to sleep for soon another day awaits us in London.