Weekend in London

Brian and I have been to London several times, but there are still a lot of things we haven't done yet.  We decided to make a list and head into London for a weekend to check some of the things off of it.  Our first (and possibly most important) stop during the trip was to Chipotle, the first one in the UK that recently opened!  Chipotle is always our first stop when we fly home, so it was nice to have a taste of home in the interim.  Amazingly, it actually tasted the same as home!  It was such a special treat.

Enjoying Chipotle in London

After Chipotle, we headed over to Westminster Abbey to take a guided tour.  We had done an audio tour when we visited London in 2008, but to be led by an actual church official was more insightful and interesting.  We were able to go to places in the church that you normally don't see, and we learned a lot about royal weddings because of course this is where Prince William and Kate Middleton will wed on April 29, 2011.  We also saw the Coronation Chair. 

That night, we headed over to London's Winter Wonderland, which was a pseudo-Christmas Market.  We didn't think the Brits would be able to compete with the German Christmas Markets we love so much, but they actually did a really good job and even included a Bavarian Village to give it a little German flair.  =)  There were tons of amusement park rides and of course mulled wine and apple cider which we love.

Enjoying apple cider at London's Winter Wonderland

The next morning, we were able to tour the Houses of Parliament, which is actually considered a palace.  It was much more beautiful than we expected and definitely had the feel of a palace rather than a government building.  We went into the House of Lords and the House of Commons to see where the debating happens.  It was an amazing tour and one we would highly recommend to anyone visiting.

As we exited the Houses of Parliament, we were hit with an extremely heavy snowfall, bordering on blizzard conditions.  It didn't last long, but London was COVERED very quickly with several inches of snow.  In fact, this was the storm that caused Heathrow to shut down for about 5 days.  Brian and I have seen London in every season, but this was the first time we had ever seen snow there.  It was really special.  Check out our video.  =)

That afternoon, we caught up with friends who recently moved to the UK to experience our other favorite food that we can't get here in Bury: sushi!  We all then headed over to the Borough Market, which is basically a fresh food market where you can get fruits and veggies, meats, cheeses, drinks, etc.  Brian and I picked up butternut squash ravioli, fresh tomatoes and mozzarella for dinner that night...  Unfortunately we had to save it for the next night because it took us 5 1/2 hours to drive home (normally it takes under 2 hours).  The roads were HORRIBLE because of the snow.  Luckily we made it home safe and sound though. 

Teresa and I with a little snowman at Borough Market

The snow waiting for us on our car in London

London is definitely a city I didn't love at first, but each time I go, I fall in love with it a bit more.  We're looking forward to a few more day trips at least there before we move home.