London Layover
I am going to Doha Qatar for Christmas to visit my parents. I fly back on Saturday December 29, with a fairly long layover in London. I land in Heathrow at 6:30am and take off at 5:00 that night. I have been to London before on a layover, and saw Big Ben and Buckingham Palace.
So my question to everyone who has been to London: what should I do with the little bit of time I have? I would like to make it back to the airport with two hours to spare.
6 comments:
The Cabinet War rooms is one of my favorite places in London. It allows access to the underground bunkers where the British governemnt conducted the war during the blitz. It is conveniently located in the heart of london a few blocks from Trafalgar square (where you can also visit the National Portrait Gallery). From there you can also walk up to Big Ben and Parliment past Number 11. Opposite Parliment--right before you cross the Thames and by an entrance to the tube is my favorite pancake (crepe) stand in the world. I also really enjoyed Westminster Abbey which is right there as well.
I also really enjoyed the British Musuem. If I remember right that isnt as centrally located. The British War musuem is also very interesting. I spent 3 hours in their Holocaust wing. They also have a short video on ethnic cleansing. The War musuem is definitly not a light and fun activity.
If nothing else--another favorite pastime in london is strolling through all of the parks (or wondering the city). They connect up fairly easily. If you do that I recommend stopping by the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Park.
Hope this helps. Have a blast!
P.S. Food tips: Wagamama's is good and reasonably priced--glorified Raman noodles. Also Carmel McVitties are digestive cookies that are delicious (they taste better if you eat them chocolate side down). And I think you would enjoy the Yorkie chocolate bars--marketed as a boys only chocolate.
Have a great trip and say hello to London for me
The British Museum is good. Also, the Tate Modern is cool. Westminster is also good.
For food, I'd add that there's a lot of really good, sketchy places to get Persian food around the Bayswater station (schwarmas, mmmmm). But you might get plenty of that kind of food in Qatar.
Cabeza, what was that really good Greek place where we got the amazing baclava?
There's also a lot of good Indian food in London, but you can get that in DC, too. Whatever you do, don't eat any British food other than fish and chips.
I think that helping yourself to a large portion of mad cow disease should definitely be on the top of your list of priorities.
I say take a double-decker bus tour and get off at the stops that interest you. It's perhaps a little cliche, but saves you time in getting from place to place. I don't know if it takes you by all of the cool places that have already been mentioned, but you'll at least get to see some of the most famous. I second the British Museum and I really like the National Gallery.
As far as food, I agree, stear clear of the English fare. Unless you like your food boiled beyond recognition or flavor. I say go find any Indian restaurant (there should be at least 15 in any given 2-mile-radius from where you're standing) and have yourself a great Indian meal. Mmm. Oh, and England has the best chocolate....Cadbury brand, McVitties, Munchies, etc.,etc. I would suggest that you fill a bag and bring it home with you...to share with me. I just love that their chocolate isn't based in wax first. BLEH.
Have such a great time! Can't wait to hear about it!
The Tate Modern. Hands-down. And find yourself some Indian food and/or some delicious sandwiches. The English do sandwiches brilliantly, why is that?
Because they invented them, right? The Earl of Sandwich? The legend is that he took his meat between slices of bread so he could keep playing cards while he dined.
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