So London really was just about a day and 3/4 long. But obviously I’m making a pun on Harry Potter because it was also our 9th day of the trip.

When we were initially planning this trip, I didn’t care too much about London since it was an easy city to visit any other time. But, we had to fly out of there or Paris so London it was. We only stayed one night but surprisingly, that’s all it took for all of us to fall in love with the city. (I think it had a lot to do with the fact that we spoke the language.)

After checking in our shockingly nice hotel near the Notting Hill area, the London House, we ventured out to try and hit as many sights as we could before nighttime fell. For such a short amount of time, we actually saw a good amount.

Of course we had to take the touristy telephone shot, and of course, my dad had to act a dork. Hahah.

@ Buckingham Palace

Big Ben

London Eye

Don’t even get me started on this!! Not the Platform 9 3/4 from prior years. I’ve seen pictures of people with the original platform and this was such a bad copy, it’s like they didn’t even try to mimic the original! I don’t understand why they would put up the bad version on Harry’s last big year. How unfortunate.

On the tube. One of my favorites.

Tower Bridge, NOT to be mistaken for the London Bridge.

Shopping on Bond Street. Um, why did I not see this and the delicious shopping mecca that is Oxford Circle before?? I would go completely broke living here.

This time around, there was so much more to see. Yes, I did the whole Hop-On Hop-Off bus tours the first time so that I could see all the sites but since the family and I didn’t have time to be normal tourists, I was able to see a lot more of London outside of all the big landmarks. For example, shopping?! Totally did not get to do that the last time. Of course, I was probably more interested in the fact that I was IN London but that feeling wore off quickly. Thank goodness London has recaptured my heart. :) Except for the riots. That was crazy! While we were there, we did notice an unusually massive amount of cop cars running wildly amok as if there were disaster after disaster. No idea it would be something as big as an all out riot. Good thing we weren’t anywhere close, and left as it was just getting out of hand.

BUT, all is not lost. London did leave me with the impression that yes, it could definitely be a place I could see myself living in one day. But, knowing me, I wouldn’t have the guts to do something as drastic as uprooting everything I know and leaving everyone I know for the unrealistic dream of being able to live in a foreign country—if you can even call London foreign. It is nice to think about though. Maybe someday. But until then, I’ll be happy just to make quick jaunts there every so often. And speak in my oh so horrible British accent when I miss the place.