London

A little over 6.30am, the plane touched down London Heathrow Airport. I felt ok though I couldn't sleep well in the sky.

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As soon as I claimed my baggage, I went to the underground tube station. My trip manager told me the tube on Piccadilly Line will take me straight to my hotel.

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However, things were not that smooth, as the straight way was blocked at certain section due to a weekend maintenance (damn..) So, I had to get off from a station somewhere, hopped on the shuttle bus somewhere, then diverted to another underground's line somewhere, before I could finally go back to Piccadilly Line and continued the rest of my journey to Russell Square station, where my hotel is located at.

It's no problem to find my hotel at all. This is because I saw the outlook of the hotel from the internet before. Also, because it's such a huge building that I could spot it easily soon after I bent a corner from the Russell Square station.

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Hotel Russell was built in 1898 and is one of the finest original Victorian hotels in London. The price we got from internet booking was very affordable though.

I heard the hotel contains of 373 en-suit bedrooms. The building is so big that my camera couldn't take a full picture of it from the street opposite it.

The reception area, very classic...

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Although the check-in time is 1500, the receptionist was kind enough to let me checked in sometime around 9.30am in that early morning, with no additional charge.

The standard single room. Although the room is not big, the interior is very comfortable and fully equipped. I like it. Anyway, I didn't take a rest first or what, but went out to the city center for a walk. This is free time was too precious in this trip !!

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Taking the tube, I first went to Covent Garden, which in fact, just 2 stations away from my base station.

Husband and I went to this place before, when we first visited London in the year of 2000 to usher the millennium new year. I never expect I would visit this place again, alone. How I wish he could be there with me too.

The artworks sold from Covent Garden is nothing too special to me though. So, I just walked around the market quick.

Covent Garden is one of places where the street performers strive to earn their living.

To me, this live band is very good. I made some money contribution after standing there to listen for a few songs they played.

After 20 minutes, I left the Covent Garden and moved forward. There was a little problem here, I knew where I wanted to go, but I didn't know the exact direction to go there. So, I just follow my guts instinct most of the time, or asked somebody when I think I had gone to the wrong way.

Another street performance somewhere. There was nothing too fascinated to the adults...

but the children love it...and I love to look at their innocent faces more than the performances itself. They reminded me of my boys, guess they would look the same if they were here too.

I think this place is somewhere near Leicester Square.

I would love to pick a musical and hop to enjoy a live show, but I don't think I have the time for it.

Ok, I had reached London's China Town, means I was in Piccadilly Circus now.

Along the main street in China Town...

Basically, I can find any Chinese foods along this street...

Guess what, I even found Kaya-puff from one of the shop there. Amazing. I bought 1 packet that consists of 2pcs, cost me HKD 19 It doesn't taste as good as the one from Kampar or from Ipoh.

I continued to walk and saw this Believe-it-or-not Musuem

Didn't buy ticket to go inside either...

I then continued to walk some more...

All of the cabs in London city look like this, old fashion but not quite, in fact.

Looking at the high tower in front of me, I wonder if that's Westminster? So, I decided to walk to that direction...

Like many other European cities, London is a place where the old-meets-new at the same time.

The tube station is the signage that I would pay attention to wherever I went. I felt safe when I got to see it, cause it would bring me back to my hotel at anytime.

That direction didn't lead me straight to Westminster, but to this I-don't-know-where-it-is- place.

I then made a turn and went to the other street, I think I had choosen the left road.

Not long later, I came to this point. At first, I thought the main attraction here is The National Gallery...

A little while later, then I remember it should be one of the famous landscape, Trifalgar Square...

Emm...those lions look familiar. Yes, just like the symbolic icons of HSBC

Just at this time, the sky had turned to sunny bright. Feeling a bit tired, I sat there to rest my legs and quiched my thrist with Tropicana orange juice that I bought somewhere from a Tesco shop.

A hawk that carried a bell around its neck had captured certain people's attention, including me.

The shot taken from where I was sitting at that time.

After 15 min resting, I decided to go inside the National Gallery for a walk. After all, the admission is free.

The painting collection in this musuem is very good. I enjoyed those masterpices, like Leonardo da Vinci's, Michelangelo, Van Gough, etc. Too bad photography is strictly prohibited.

Standing in fron of the National Gallery, I could capture the full view of Trifalgar square.

A 'lady-statue' outside the gallery.

A hawk that stood on Mr Cunningham's head.

The statue at the center of the fountain.

Ok, time to leave now.

Stilling wanting to find the Westminster, I asked for direction from the man who had this small business of his own on the strett.

I followed the man's direction and came across the Sherlock Holmes Cafe in a quite corner.

I stood there for a few seconds, then agin, I decided to move on.

Something must be going on in front...

yes, for sure something was going on in front...

The event for the day was called "Sport Relief Mile".

Too bad the party was just over...

Ok, can see Big Ben at the end of this road. Great...

London's Eyes at the side of Thames River.

A big building on the other side of the river. I don't know what it is.

An open air bar on the deck.

Walking along the river side, and took anothe shot of London's Eyes at this point.

The monument of THE BATTLE of BRITAIN.

Well, the party was not quite over. Some one was singing and dancing on the street.

And their admirers...

Yes, finally found the Westminster and Big Ben.

The church behind Westminster. I don't know what it's called.

St. James Park.

Yes, I think sleeping on the lawn, under the warm sun is comfortable.

I felt dead tired when I finally reached Hyde Park. The park is nothing too special so I decided to go back to my hotel by taking the tube. The time by then was 5.30 pm. It's indeed a long walk.

On the next morning, I woke up at around 6.30 am. After taking a simple breakfast, I began my visitation to a customer in Bath City. The place is quite far away from London City. I had to take tube then National Rail in order to get there. The whole journey had taken me more than 2 hours.

Martin, our distrbutor in UK came to pick me up from Bath Spa station. From there, he drove me to the customer site. Luckily it isn't too far away...

The meeting was over at around 12.30 noon. Martin is kind enough to drive me around Bath city for sightseeing.

Bath City is a world herritage city, also a well known romantic city. It has been described as one of England's most beautiful places to visit.

The building in the city are very unique, Martin told me it's Georgian architecture.

Too bad it was raining and very windy to walk a long time outside. Not too long later, we decided to leave the place.

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It was a long way driving back to London city. Along the way, we stopped by a motorway somewhere near Chippenham to take a simple lunch. For this 3 hours time, Martin and I sometimes talk on business, and sometimes talk on non-sense. It was around 5 pm when Martin dropped me in a station where I could take tube to go back to my hotel.

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Everyting went on fine that day, except when I found out I had lost my handphone somewhere. There was nothing I could do but to dial my numbers again and again. As expected, no body answered the phone though the ring tone was kept on and on. Just when I thought I would have lost it forever, someone answered the phone at around 11pm that night. Finally, I got to know where I had dropped it. With the help from Martin, I manage to collect it before I departed to Frankfurt on the next day. Whew, what a miracle !

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After this incident, I looked after my handphone, like I looked after my passport, ID, credit card, cash, etc.

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