London 2025 - Day One

And we're off!  Airports being what they are these days, and especially any day around the holidays, we allowed plenty of time to catch the ferry and drive to the airport parking company's lot to drop the car and take the shuttle to the airport.  We checked in on the Delta app, dropped our bags, and went right through security with TSA Pre-Check.

We headed to The Club at SEA which just happened to be right across from our gate where we could get something to eat and drink and relax until it was time to head down to the gate.

I really wanted to splurge on First Class, but the prices were just prohibitive, so we opted for Premium Economy.  It was a good choice as we were in the front row and although there was no seat in front of us under which to place our bag, there was extra legroom.  The flight was packed and at the time I booked our tickets, these two seats, across the aisle from each other, were the closest we could get.  Shortly after reaching our cruising altitude, dinner was served and then the lights were dimmed for the overnight flight.

England!  If it wasn't for my bad knees, I would have knelt down and kissed the ground!

Our driver, Gavin, was waiting for us in the rain and he loaded the luggage, and we were off to the city!

We dropped our bags at the hotel and headed to the nearest Tube station.  Our destination was Covent Garden Market.  In hindsight, I wouldn't book a hotel south of the Thamas, it just made getting anywhere that much harder.  I didn't find the Tube as easy to navigate as I thought it would be as step-free access was often hard to find and it was still a long walk to get to the platforms.  I should have done more research on what stations we would be using.

We made it to Covent Garden Market, and the decorations were just beautiful.

Established in 1845, our bustling Market is located right in Downtown London and is open 6 days a week. With over 40 merchants, we offer an abundance of food, services, a weekly local farmers’ market and an array of cultural festivals and events! - From coventmarket.com

This old barrow was gorgeous.

The tree in the square made a great backdrop.

The decorations overhead were stunning.

And inside, the LEGO displays were amazing.

That's a lot of LEGO!

This was my quest - VyTA, the home of the Maritozzo.

I have to admit I was underwhelmed.  After all the hype on You Tube videos like "The Top Ten Things You Must Eat in London", it was disappointing.  The cream was lovely, but the pastry tasted stale.  Been there, done that.

Next stop was Choosing Keeping, an incredible stationery store with stationery of historical and cultural significance, as well as design and functionality.  The hyper-curated boutique began life in 2012 just as the digital age was opening up a nostalgic yearning for physical tangibility.

Beautiful journals, diaries, cards, writing instruments, decorative paper, art supplies, and more.

The last stop of the day was Rock & Sole Plaice, one of the top three fish and chip establishments in London.  It did not disappoint.