Reunited...

Eugene and I are now in London together! The past few days for me were very busy and hectic - spending time with friends and family, preparing the apartment for subletters, and attempting to pack light for the trip. We need to stay under 20kg (~45lbs) total each person (this includes checked, carry-on, purses, backpacks...everything!). Why under 20kg, given how impossible it is, especially since we are embarking on essentially a 2 month vacation? Because we are taking a European flight from Venice to Hannover on a discount German airline that has extremely restrictive weight limits. But how can you say no to 40 euro tickets? 

So anyway, my flight over was uneventful besides the screaming baby 2 rows ahead. Got very little shut-eye, but watched 2 episodes of The Office. Landed in Heathrow and took the express train to Paddington station. Then had a horrendous transfer to wait on the Circle line before arriving an hour later at Westminster where I met Eugene. Good thing I packed light!

We left our luggage at Eugene's hotel (City Inn Westminster --really, really nice!) and went exploring! Unfortunately, half of London's sights are closed on Sundays, but we walked around the Westminster area. Saw Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Parliament. Walked through St. James Park to Buckingham Palace where we saw the changing of the guards. Super crowded, didn't see much, but will post a video later. Then we walked to Trafalgar Square, then to Leicester and then had dim sum in Chinatown for a late lunch. Then walked around Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circle, did some window shopping. Rode on a double decker bus back to the hotel. Packed and checked out, but left luggage at the front desk so we could walk along the Thames to the Eye of London, a huge ferris-wheel type thing. At this point, I got really tired (only a couple hours of sleep on the plane and jet lagged), so we nixed going on the Eye and ate at Ping Pong, another dim sum place. Very good, but I am so sick of Chinese food! Found our way back to the hotel, got our luggage, and then took the tube to our new hotel for the next 2 days - the Hoxton!

I consider the Hoxton area to be similar to the East Village/LES of NYC. Trendy, edgy, trying to shed its grittier reputation from a bygone era by opening up hip bars, clubs, culture centers, etc. The Hoxton hotel itself is pretty nice, too. Very boutique-y. 

We are exhausted. Heading to bed. Pictures tomorrow.