London: Nightlife

 Nikki in the W Hotel lobby ready to make our way to the W Lounge.

 Entering the lounge requires walking through an unusual hallway.

 The lounge itself, early in the evening.

 This is what the entrance to our hotel looked like at night. It was always a pleasure to walk in the brisk night air, sometimes well past midnight, and see the welcoming W beckoning us.

 Now let me tell you, this is a town that knows how to have fun! We found it very lively and friendly every night of the week.

The vibe is very fun, very upscale, and very safe. Just our speed!

 We also spent a little time in Soho at night. I felt this was picture worthy. Still do.

 As with most European cities we've been to, bicycles are available for renting at any time of day or night.

A cleverly modified "Do Not Enter" sign.

London: Our Neighborhood

 Let's take a look at the neighborhood around our hotel!  The Portrait Gallery, directly south from the W Hotel.

 This is Chinatown...Gerrard Street. Notice the Will and Kate banner from their marriage two weeks prior.

 The white bus went up on a curb and almost clipped the stoplight, but it really doesn't come across that way in this photo.

 The Queen's Theater at the corner of Shaftesbury and Wardour.

 We walked a few blocks east on Shaftesbury and came across this place - St James Tavern. Lucky for us, it was dinnertime and this place looked good.

 So we went in for dinner! They had all the normal British Pub food, and we liked it so much we came back several nights. I particularly liked their Steak and Ale Pie. Here is my wife contemplating her choice.

 The windows, the nearby buildings, all very picturesque.

 The folks at the next table offered to take our photo. It looks like the wine had kicked in!

 Another night, we sat at a different spot and at about dusk, we saw the bouncer (in yellow jacket) talking to these interesting characters.

 He let them in.

They got the place a'Buzzin!

 As is always the case, it wasn't long before their cohorts followed them in.

Little Bo?

 Other customers had their photos taken with them.

 And then the rumours started.

 This truck had an interesting ad on the side: "WARNING: SmartWater Anti Robbery System In Use. 100% Conviction Rate." I have now had a chance to look this up on smartwater.com. Apparentely they install water systems that sprays intruders with a water-based solution that has a "forensic code" that can ID who set off the alarm. Interesting.

 Another tavern patron picked up our camera and took our photo for us....what a friendly place!

Lisle Street. The hotel is barely visible on the left side of the street. And there you have it! A look around the neighborhood. It felt very safe and lively. We recommend it highly.

London: Walking Around London

Let's take a walk around London!  Starting at the end of The Mall farthest from Buckingham Palace.

We arrived right about 6 PM which explains the traffic.  Buckingham Palace is juuuust out of sight at the back of the line of cars.

Trafalger Square, a couple of blocks from our hotel.

Jackrabbit sculptures I found intriguing.

Makes me want to sing the theme from "Married with Children".

Along Whitehall.

Putting my camera through the fence rails...

Just a bit farther down, we came across 10 Downing Street, the seat of the British Government.  There were all sorts of nervous bobbies hurrying people along, but I held my camera up and snapped this photo blindly, in the split second there was a clearing between people.  I think this is David Cameron, the British Prime Minister, and his wife.  They appear to be the two people the farthest to the right.

Here is an official photo taken at that same location in June.  That is David Cameron on the right, his wife in white, with the Queen and Duke on June 21 celebrating the Duke's birthday.  So am I right?  Is it the Camerons in the photo above?

Along Whitehall again.

Big Ben on a sunny London morning.

In front of Westminster Abbey.

In front of Big Ben.

Later in the same day, it had become quite overcast.

Heading from Big Ben to Buckingham Palace, we came across these barriers.  Not sure if they are always there, or if they were placed there because Obama was due to arrive in 3 days.  They actually moved his trip up to 2 days so he could beat the ash in Ireland from the volcano eruption.  He and his family toured Westminster Abbey two days after we did.

Buckingham Palace and the The Queen's digs.  And where the Obamas slept.

Thinking it was the arrival of the Queen who had been in Northern Ireland, my wife asked a bobby what the people were doing.  "Waiting for you!" he smiled.  After letting her puzzle over that for a few seconds, he whispered "changing of the guard".

An interesting hotel across the street from Buckingham Palace.

An old Bentley outside of Westminster Abbey.

What exactly is a statue of Abe Lincoln doing in downtown London?

One of the few pedicabs we saw.  Obviously the reason there were few - no business.

I needed a larger card for my camera so we ventured into a nearby Apple store.  Quite elegant.

My wife going down the stairs.

The sales floor.  I don't know why, but seeing hoards of Apple-ites freaked me out a little.  And the Apple store did not have a memory card for my camera.

A beautiful display on Haymarket Street.

Near Piccadilly Circus...

Piccadilly Circus.  The Sanyo sign is about to be switched out for a Hyundai sign.  Quite fitting, don't you think, seeing how the Koreans are wiggling in to traditional Japanese product areas.  At the present time, the Sanyo sign is the old sign up there - having been added in 1987.

A freak we saw at the edge of Piccadilly Circus.

And his brother apparently.

We had lunch at this pub.  When we were done, I looked up and noticed the top shelf was lined with Sierra Nevada beers, from Chico, California!  Sorry it is a blurry photo, I must've been excited.

The underground tube, with my wife waiting for the next train.

Their exit signs say "Way out".   Far out, man.

My wife pointed out this advertisement for California.  Something we never see in San Diego!

We didn't exit at this street, because neither of us is an old broad.

Kettners is a restaurant in the Soho district where we ate one Sunday evening.  The restaurant is very beautifully done in a French style, but the food was just so-so.