How fast can you site see in London....24 hours?

Waking up on Day 2 we had slept pretty well.  Our hostel included a European breakfast of toast or rolls, humus, veggies, meats, yogurt, fruit. and a coffee machine that pumped out anything your heart desired.  Then we walked back to the Tower of London where we jumped on our Big Bus Hop On, Hop Off.  Like these things or not they are a great way to get around a large tourist city and garner some info at the same time.

We would take ours to Kensington Palace to see the changing of the guard with several thousand other tourists.  Unless you are pressed against the front gate the best view is from the center around the statues.  The downside though is there only two exit points when it is all over.  Still you get to see quite a bit.  Upon exit we made our way back to a bus stop to my most wanted attraction, Harrods.

No, I do not go for the luxury clothes and upscale jewelry, cigars, etc.  I go for the food halls.  The most amazing floor of chocolate, pastries, meat, seafood, coffee, cheese...shall I go on?  We walked it all and then grabbed some pastries for the next morning and I hit the Harrod's brand store for something for me and something for our missing Jolly.

Now mind you I am not a fan of Hard Rock Cafes, but when your son is into music just as much as your husband you do make a reservation at the original Hard Rock Cafe that opened in London in 1971 and is filled with things from the literal icons of rock-n-roll, most notable the British.  The Beatles, The Who, Clapton, Queen, Elton John, The Sex Pistols...and then throw in the iconic Americans like Madonna,  Prince, BB King, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Our server caught on quick to our interest and even gave us a pass to the vault that is not open on Wenesdays, unless you have one of these passes.  And there were the crown jewels of rock-n-roll.

Next up we went to another shopping area, Regeants Street.  Here Alec had to find his way to Huntsman, a men's handsewn suit shop which has served as the inspiration for Matthew Vaughn’s blockbuster movies Kingsman: The Secret Service, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, and the prequel The King’s Man. From there Mom and Dad needed caffeine as we were now nearly 8 hours into our day and well over 7 miles of walking, so we went to a lovely little shop called Kiss the Hippo.  Little did we know it has won the UK Barista Championships twice.

Back on the bus we now had to make our way for the inconic Clark Griswald's "Look kids. There's Big Ben and there's Parliament."  He's supposedly stuck in a traffic circle, which if there was there is not anymore.  We walked all around both, as well as Westmentster Abbey, then being nearly 7PM the buses were starting to dwindle, so we hoped the Underground back to our hostel.

Alec had not yet had a traditional pub visit with folks just off work and playing darts, smoking (yes there is a lot of that still in England), and enjoying a pint with their mates.  So we crossed the street from our hostel and enjoyed a beverage, pizza from homemade dough, and of course European Women's football on the tele at Sir Syndney Smith, This public house has been serving the East End of London since at least 1809. Named after a British Admiral of the Napoleonic Wars, it has somehow survived for over 200 years to become one of the few remaining early 19th century pubs in an area of London which once had hundreds. Then off to bed for an early morning on the Eurostar to Brussels, Stop #2.