For trains to reportedly be on time in Europe, the train from York was 20 minutes late and was late according to the engineer because of heavy rains that were interfering with track signals. We grabbed an Uber from our hotel rather than walk to the train station, even though it was only a 10 minute walk. It had been raining the day before and we didn’t want to chance having to walk in the rain with luggage.

We grabbed breakfast at the train station—a cinnamon bun and coffee—before boarding. The train ride was pleasant and we continued to see much evidence of farming.

We arrived at Kings Cross train station about 10:30 but couldn’t immediately figure out how to get out of the station because everything was electronically gated. Karen asked an attendant, who told us to put our train ticket on the scanner and we could get out. Our next situation was figuring how to use the subway system to get to our hotel. Londoners call their subway the tube. All tube payments are contactless, that means no cash. We decided to use our debit card to pay for our rides and then tried to understand which of the many trains available to get to our hotel. Karen is a wizard at figuring it out, so I just followed her.

We got on the tube that carried us to Kensington High Street station, where our hotel, the Sonder was located. Kensington is an upscale neighborhood and our hotel looked more like a mansion that it did a hotel. It was only about a five minute walk from the tube to our hotel. We checked in and were a little shocked at our room, which was located in the basement. It probably served as a walk in closet for the person who originally owned the house. The room had no chairs, no desk, basically we had to put all of our luggage on the floor. The bathroom was smaller with no racks or hooks to hold towels. We thought about asking for an upgrade but decided we weren’t going to be in the room much anyway.

Our first venture in London was heading for Westminster area near, Big Ben, Westminster housing the parliament and House of Lords. All pretty impressive. If you’ve ever been to the N.C. State Fair in Raleigh being at Westminster was a lot like that—thousands of people shoulder to shoulder. The only difference was a great many of those folks were not speaking English.

We had tickets to see Westminster Abbey, for which construction was started in 1040 and continues until this day. It is the burial site for more than 3,300 folks with many of them having statues of them on top of their burial boxes. Free tours were offered but alas our guide was an elderly woman who spoke to our group of about 50 in a conversation voice. During our movement from one area to another I asked her if she could speak louder and she responded with a quick “no.”

The Abbey has been the official coronation church for all the kings and queens since 1066. And for the burials of the Royals, as well. It’s impressive to say the least. There are nine different chapels inside the Abbey. It also has a poets corner where many of England’s famous poets are buried. Among them Chaucer, Alfred Tennyson, Robert Browning, and Ben Jonson to name just a few.

What was amazing is that there was a short prayer service held in the Abbey’s grand sanctuary as everyone was touring the Abbey. Some paused for the prayer and others did not have a clue a prayer was being said. Much of the Abbey’s coronation deals with the importance of Jesus in ruling the country

From the Abbey, we walked to Trafalgar Square, which is located next to London’s National Art Gallery. Human and vehicular traffic was very heavy. We walked over to the gallery with thoughts of going in but lines stretched way out of the building, so we decided against it.

We’d not eaten and started looking food. Karen recalled reading in Rick Steve’s guide that an unusual eating place was located nearby. It’s called “Cafe in the Crypt,” and yes, it’s in the basement of an old church. We’d been hoping to get some fish and chips and that was on the menu. It was cafeteria style and by the time we got up to the line the chips were about gone. But as we waited some fresh arrived. The cod and chips were good and we were ready for them.

By the time we got back to our tube station we were ready for something sweet and bought some cookies to take back to our room.

It did’t take us long to go to sleep after the cookies disappeared.

Karen enjoying fish and chips in “The Crypt Cafe,” in the basement of an old church. We found the English like to add green peas to many of their meals.