The Departure Lounge

We are already at the airport, getting ready to leave Europe. How very, very sad! I have really loved being back here. Mainly because I do really miss having family around and being swept back into the bosom of the Family Markham. And also because the people here understand my accent! Just kidding...

We had an amazing few days in London. I truly expected that the weather in London would be rainy and horrible and the weather in Paris to be fabulous. Ironically it was the other way around and we had an almost totally dry 4 days in London! In Paris we had hail. Crazy.

We fast-tracked our visit to the London Eye which was the best investment of the century! From arrival time at the ticket office to actually stepping into the capsule, it could only have been about 3 minutes. Queues are for suckers!!!!!!

Our trip on the Eye was only marred by some other very loud tourists with children who were equally as loud. Then one of the parents dropped the baby which was probably as embarassing for everyone else as it was for them. It's times like that one realizes whether they are ready for children. I am clearly not.

So after a quick trip to Buckingham Palace where we cleverly made it in time for the Changing of the Guard, we cabbed it to Simpsons in the Strand where we indulged in an English Sunday Lunch. Jet had the Scottish Beef, while I had my first ever Beef Wellington. English food always seemed to scare me - not when I was eating with family, but when I was eating out. I think that even the idea the the Brits eating fare as appalling as blood sausage just put me off! However, as I was dining with a food officianado, I could get a full interpretation and knew what I was getting. Or did I? My Beef Wellington was surprisingly outstanding! So much so, that I have requested this very dish to be made for me back in LA. And of course, being the avid carnivore that he is, Jet has obliged.

Again, the meal we had on Saturday night at St John's deserves a post of its own. As does the amazing Gujrati meal we had with the Mehtas on Sunday night. They are coming soon. I promise!