By: Liz Bernardo

Ahhhh London…one of our most favorite cities to date! There is something about this city that we could not get enough of. I remember when my husband and I were planning our very first trip to Europe years ago, a close friend of us, Luanne, had recommended that we check out London because of how good her experience was visiting the city. And then by coincidence, we also remembered that me and my husband both had childhood friends residing there at that time, Ed and Arnil. So we thought it was a good opportunity to reconnect with them, check out the city, and use it as our travel gateway because of its proximity to Europe.

We flew on a ten and a half hour straight flight to London from San Francisco and landed at the very huge and impressive Heathrow Airport. First thing we had to buy was an Oyster Card. It’s an electronic transport ticket giving you unlimited access to the underground and overground train network, as well as the bus and the DLR. Basically, it’s the cheapest way to get around London, and I have to say it really is a must for visitors if you want to save big bucks.

When we got off the Tube (underground train), we walked to our hotel, the Kensington Marriott Hotel, against the bitter winter chilly winds. The following days that we spent in the city we were blown away. We checked out so many must see sights like the Thames River, London Eye, Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guards, and the Westminster Abbey as well as several museums like the British Museum, Natural History Museum, and the Queen Victoria and Albert Museum. On our second visit, we saw the quirky side of London by visiting Camden Lock. We also went to the City of Bath and visited the Roman Baths as well as one of the wonders of the world, Stonehenge. Of course we also didn’t miss sampling beers in a few English pubs and eating their famous fish and chips!

We’ve seen great places in this city and enjoyed the convenience of their Tube system. But for us, the city will always be a front runner because of its people who are so darn polite, willing to engage when prompted, friendly and very helpful. They’re not afraid to say their sorry’s and thank you’s. They can be quiet at times, but gracious and respectful at the same time.

Want to read more about London? Click here.