London - England's Prodigal Daughter Returns Home For Her Birthday

Our tour guide - in front of St Pancras Hotel -
where Dick and Jan Davis always stay

She was not quite born on July 4th - but close on July 12th. Lulu is spending her birthday over here. Her great grandfather emigrated to America from the tin mines of Cornwall. Her Cox maiden name is quite prominent over here. She looks like a British tour guide but her USA star pin betrays her non-British smile.

We spent the 4th of July touring around town - Hyde Park - St Pancras Station - the British Library - and then we met Joan after her work for supper - the 4th is not a work holiday over here. They do celebrate it with baseball and a party in Hyde Park. At Hyde Park we met a young man in a New York Yankees jersey. During our chat he told us what an America-phile he is. He has been to New York to see the Yankees and a country music show. He owned a Chevrolet and would like to import a Ford F150 pickup truck. He was so happy to be talking to a couple from Florida. We reminded him that visiting NYC is not like visiting the real America. He agreed - as London is not the real England. He lives about 40 miles south of town in the country.

We try not to dress too "American" but when people find out we are from Florida - they love to talk about our country. They genuinely appreciate what we did during WWII. They love our music that they fed back to us in the British Invasion of the 60s. But the biggest American product are Hollywood movies.

Our host over here is Joan. She normally lives in Tallahassee. But right now she is working over here. This morning she left for a 3 week visit to Tallahassee - first class. We are home alone "watching" her beautiful  London flat.

Lulu is busy working on 2 side trips. This weekend we are taking the train to Durham and Donington Park. Durham has the gala Miners Union Parade Saturday. Then Sunday we will be at Donington Park - the famous racing track. There is a car show and race in honor of one of my favorite cars - Caterham. I have visited the factory and showroom of the iconic car in Dartford and Caterham respectively. We will spend one night in a Hilton in Donington.

Next week - we are flying to Switzerland and taking the Glacier Express through the Alps. We will fly into Geneva and back home from Zurich. We will spend 3 nights in hotels on this trip.

You re-call Delta gave us a $1800 bump for delaying our trip over one day. Just for fun - I have been writing down things that the bump has paid for. We still have $200 left of the $1800. Thank you Delta. You will never see a video of them dragging me off an airplane.



We love London - but you really appreciate America by traveling to other places. There are lots of wonderful places to visit all over the world. But as Dorothy said "There's no place like home!"

Kids show at Hyde Park

Note the Land Rover in the pizza shop

Major League Baseball "softball" 

in Hyde Park

The Phillies Team

Wimbledon Screens in Hyde Park

We love summer in London

Bedford ice cream truck - owned by GM

The top of a double decker bus and a London pub
named London Pub

Lamborghini at St Pancras
Dick and Jan Davis stay here -
it must be their car

V12 rear engine under glass

This Airstream was in front of
Dick Davis's San Pancras Hotel -
we would stay there

Kings Cross Station - we bought train
tickets to Durham there. We leave there Saturday

Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross -
people lined up for what?

I love this Caryatid Porch on Euston St

Cabs line up at St Pancras Station