By Sigi Scigliano

For my 66th birthday, Emma bought us tickets to London Baby! (Think of Joey in Friends! LOL!) On Sunday, January 14, two days before my birthday, we left Los Angeles heading to London! Though I love to travel, sitting on an overseas flight was challenging. So to my delight Emma and I got a whole row to ourselves. I even slept for a couple of hours!

This cosmopolitan city has The London Eye which you can see on a clear day as far as 25 miles away. This 443-foot high-spinning wonder gives you magnificent views of Big Ben, The Globe Theater, The Tate, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abby, and St Paul’s Cathedral. 

After you can take a walk along the Thames 185 mile walking path!

Then there is Hyde Park where you can see concerts, (the Rolling Stones played there), or head to the Speaker’s Corner where the Suffergets fought for women, or Nelson Mandela spoke against Apartheid. You can walk a 3-mile loop around Serpentine Lake where you can see cormorants, mallards, herons, crested grebes, and Egyptian Geese, to name a few. 

Kensington Gardens is just a hop, skip, or leap away. 

Another Royal Park that is filled with wonder is Kensington Gardens. Head to Elfin Oak where you will feel like you stepped back into J.M. Barrie’s world of Peter Pan. You’ll find yourself in a miniature world of woodland creatures, a pirate ship by a beach, and Diane Princess of Wales Memorial Walk. This 7-mile trail has 90 plaques along the route and covers 4 Royal Parks.

You will find two contemporary art museums, the North and South Serpentine, which delight contemporary art enthusiasts. During the summer, the pavilion hosts architectural designers from around the world.

The magnificent Kensington Palace is home to the Prince and Princess of Wales, (along with other royals). You can explore this majestic palace and visit the Queen and King’s state apartments and the royal gardens by booking through the Historic Royal Palaces website. There are exhibitions, shops and a cafe where you can enjoy a lovely afternoon of tea and other British delicacies. 

Camden

Camden Town is in the north part of London along the Regent’s Canal. It is a bustling, artsy, fartsy conglomeration of music, fashion markets, and fabulous international cuisine by the Camden Locks. 

You can explore The Cob Gallery, the Jewish Museum of London, or modern at the Camden Art Center. Numerous music venues titillate your senses with jazz, folk, Irish, punk, funk, and local British bands. Head to the Jazz Cafe, Blues Kitchen, Koko, the Underworld, or the Electric Ballroom to hear the latest British Bbands. The Roundhouse and the Etcetera Theatre have the latest renowned shows, plays, performances, and international films.

Try one of the 230 pubs for a nice cold brew, Pimms (a local favorite with women), or Irish Coffee while listening to music (one of my favorites). Whatever you decide to do, you will have an amazing day exploring this eclectic nook of London, Baby!