Great pics, Todd, really great------those should be published.
I'm at Hilton Head as I speak, but you've caused my heart to travel back to England.
It's one thing to see these things in books and magazines and on TV, but quite another to be within arm's length as they pass by.
It's an emotional high that cannot be duplicated and will never leave you. The experience for sure will never be diminished by time.
There's a word for such, and it's "priceless".
So glad to hear you enjoyed the trip. London will forever be our favorite city because it was our first European destination,
and that alone made it special. Not to mention the many, many AMAZING sights to see, whether in the London area proper or in the towns, villages, and serene countryside outside London, all easily accessible via half-day excursions (to & from via train) or by car rental (or "hire" as they say there). The train rides were just as great as the destinations we saw. I especially remember the funny, quirky names of the little English villages we passed through---always on a sign at their train stop-----just totally English, like something out of Harry Potter.
We thought everything we saw only existed in books, but our mouths remained agape all day long as we visited castle after castle,
famous towns such as Stratford-upon-Avon (Shakespeare's home), the gorgeous Cotswold villages, and much much more.
Even the experience of listening to English phrases and accents by random people all day, every day, made the trip more colorful.
Every once in a while, when our family is together for a holiday or whatever, at a strategic moment I'll break into my English accent,
and we all laugh. And naturally the kids say "Oh Dad, please...." as they roll their eyes....LOL. But deep down they love it, and I catch them doing the same themselves. A trip like that literally does change your life.
The whole vacation (and we were there in England for 17 nights, in various locations) was like reliving history-----something we never thought we'd see or do. But to stand next to King Henry VIII's personal armor, walking in the rooms where he walked at Leeds Castle, etc, etc., was beyond description---we would just look at each other and shake our heads or pinch ourselves to remind us that this was real and actually happening.
I promise anyone, as you now know well yourself, Todd, the lingering memories of the Thames River at Westminster Bridge, the sounds of Big Ben's chimes reverberating in your head, and the magnificence of the beautifully-lit Big Ben at night
out your own window will forever be fresh and immensely special. Doing it a different way was never in our plans, and we are so grateful now to have had the opportunity to experience London from that amazing location and perspective. We felt regal ourselves, and our kids will never forget. We still talk about it all the time. Your report makes me want to return, so we might. Maybe we'll inspire someone to "just do it".
Cheers!