July 12 : Getting Ready to Head Home

Our ArriveCan information has been entered into the government system, our boarding passes have been issued, our phone is attached to our Canadian cell phone provider, and we’ve moved to the Crown Plaza at the Heathrow Airport. I guess the vacation is just about over!

This morning we went for a walk along the Thames River. It was a very quiet area of the river, away from the noise and crowds in the Westminster area. It was a wonderful way to spend our last day in England.

For lunch we went to the St. George’s Tavern. We have passed this tavern multiple times, this past 10 day, as it is on the route from Victoria Station to our hotel. The food was good and the beer even better.

Some of the newer towers, erected in central London, have bizarre names based on their shapes. One is called the Gherkin, because it is shaped like a pickle.  Another is call the Phone, because it shaped like a smart phone. The tallest is the Shard, which resembles a piece of broken glass.

As we mentioned we stayed at the Windermere Hotel. We can’t say enough good things about this hotel.  It is centrally located in downtown London and is an easy 15-minute walk to Victoria station, which is a transportation hub for both rail and the underground.

The staff is amazing. Efficient, friendly, and helpful are just some of the positive adjectives that could be used to describe the staff.  The rooms were always spotless, with fresh towels and sheets. The breakfast was tasty and filling with super quick service.  They made us feel like one of the family.  Last night we went down to their pub and had an enjoyable drink with a friendly couple from south-east England.

I have to comment on the TV stations available on their cable package. I had hoped that we could watch some British comedies, while staying here. Unfortunately, when we scanned the stations, we could not find many British comedy programs. Most of time we watched a station that was devoted “The Chase” and “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” The next most popular genres were medical and police reality programming. I guess, I’ll have to subscribe to Britbox to get my fix.