It's 10:15 p.m., and I should be in bed. But I'm still on London time, and I've been looking through the 158 photos we took on our trip with a big grin on my face.
The two you see above are my favorites of the lot.
No, you can't tell at all that these were taken in London. But maybe that's a true sign of a great vacation. Captured moments of just loving life. Oh sure, I enjoyed seeing St. Paul's Cathedral, the London Eye, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and the Tate Modern; but I really cherished hanging out in our quiet neighborhood near Russell Square, walking through Hyde Park and pushing Sophie on a swing for the first time in Coram's Fields.
It was this side of London that we fell madly in love with. On our last day, Lewis said he felt like we lived there. I did, too. Our awesome 1-bedroom apartment had a lot to do with that. Having a separate bedroom meant we could put Sophie to sleep and not have to whisper and tiptoe around for the rest of the night. And the location of the apartment was ideal. When the crowds of Oxford Street and Covent Garden drove us to near insanity, we were so happy to come home to "our perfect London" as we called it. We'd take Sophie across the street to the playground at Coram's Fields (adults allowed only if accompanied by a child!) after a day of sightseeing before planning dinner – usually in nearby Bloomsbury. And in the morning, it was just a few steps to the Starbucks on the corner.
Ah, to live like a Londoner for 5 days. We'll certainly miss it.
Ugh, London is so phenomenal. I could easily live there and it seems like you could, too. Now, if only it weren't so damn expensive... Glad you guys had so much fun!
Posted by: Vanessa | April 15, 2009 at 09:33 PM
I agree. London might be my favorite place in the world. Glad you guys had such a great time.
Posted by: Amy | April 16, 2009 at 10:44 PM
Such sweet photos. I love her grin on the swing.
Posted by: Andrea | April 17, 2009 at 01:29 PM
I spent a month living in an apartment not far from Russell Square (pn Mecklenburgh Square, actually, near Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital) when I was doing research in graduate school. Loved that 'neighborhood feeling'! My enduring memories are of people walking dogs, leafy chestnut trees, porch stoops, and daily life.
Posted by: Wendy Redal | January 04, 2012 at 08:29 AM