My wife Nancy once lived in London and attended St. Martin School of Art and Design. Traveling abroad gave her a love of tea, art, museums, and history. She has always wanted to return and revisit her past, and when the opportunity arose, we decided to take a quick trip to see as much as we could in four days. Not a lot of time for sure but with proper planning and good walking shoes, we were keen on making a go of it. We flew via American Airlines in one of their premium cabins (see sidebar), and instead of being jet-lagged when we landed, we found that we were remarkably refreshed and ready for adventure. Rather than fly into London-Heathrow, we arrived at the less crowded Gatwick Airport and took the Southern train to Victoria Station. The subway system in London, known as the Tube, is remarkably efficient and the trains can get you to most parts of the city. You can buy a daily ticket or one of the Oyster cards, good for multiple days on both the Tube and bus system. We chose to stay at the upscale Berkeley Hotel, centrally located in the Knightsbridge area. In addition to beautiful rooms, the Berkeley is also known for their famous Prêt-à-Portea (the reference being to the fashion industry’s prêt-à-porter or ready-to-wear lines), something that Nancy had looked forward to trying for years. Savory sandwiches, delectable desserts and, of course, fresh pots of tea are all served with an eye to design based on the style of some of the world’s most famous fashion designers such as Marc Jacobs and Valentino. The service is elegantly presented on Paul Smith fine bone china and was the perfect and most delicious way to leisurely spend a few afternoon hours. We happened to hit London during a spell of early summer and wandered through beautiful Hyde Park amongst sunbathers taking advantage of the unusual weather. Parks are a big attraction here and people strolled along the walks interacting with ducks, swans and squirrels and rented small paddleboats on the large lake there. Walking is one reason you don’t see very many overweight people here since you walk from train depots, Tube stations and in and around city streets. We quickly became acclimated to this and found that it did beat mall walking in the winter back home. That evening, we visited Covent Garden, and, rather than spend a small fortune for a sit-down dinner, opted instead to buy a Cornish pasty from one of their take away shops there. These are delicious little pockets of joy that originated in the coal mining days when workers would take these with them for their meal. Creamy onion and cheese was my newfound favorite and Nancy loved the standard steak pasty. They do sell these at other locations and my advice is to eat one every chance you get. Even so, you will still be thinking about where and when you can get another one. Hopping on a bus using our Tube ticket, we ended up at the always crowded Piccadilly Circus. Here, you can shop, people watch or take in one of many live shows such as The Lion King, Blue Man Group and The Phantom of the Opera. There are half-priced places from which to purchase your tickets around every corner, most of which said they were the official half-priced booth. Kew Gardens is another favorite place that Nancy remembered from her early days, including a quaint little tea shop located right across from Kew Gardens called Newens. This shop is home to the Original Maids of Honour cake believed to have been named by Henry VIII. Made with puff pastry, eggs, almonds, and sugar, these sweets are unforgettable and a must try when visiting. But, the shop does get booked quickly so call first to make a reservation. Later in the day, Nancy visited the Florence Nightingale Museum (near Westminster and Waterloo Tubes) while I took the opportunity to stroll around taking pictures. I was fortunate to be passing by Buckingham Palace just in time to see the Changing of the Guard, which takes place daily from May 1 to July 31. The crowds gather early in anticipation of this colorful event and it was a great photo opportunity. We regrouped near the British Airways London Eye—the world’s tallest observation wheel (135 meters high). Located adjacent to the River Thames, this site offers some of the best aerial views of the city. Afterward, we wandered around the boardwalk watching street performers, eating ice cream and enjoying an unusually warm afternoon. Evenings in London can be spent any number of ways from taking in a show to shopping to enjoying some local brews in any number of eateries. We found a quiet little pub and enjoyed some nice roast beef, potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. The following morning, we headed out for breakfast—one of the easiest and most affordable meals in London. A full English breakfast typically includes eggs, sausage, beans, bacon, toast, potatoes, and tea and we found a place that served this for about $6 US. We thought this was a great deal and ate there every morning. One of the nice things about London is that there are many day trips within reach by train. We decided to go to Windsor Castle, the official home of the Queen. Just a short hour trip away from London, the town of Windsor is built on a hill with lots of retails shops, pubs and outdoor shopping malls. The castle tours offer a glimpse into royal life and are quite amazing considering the history of those that lived there in the past as well as the current residents. Another popular destination is the town of Greenwich, location of the Royal Greenwich Observatory, through which the Prime Meridian passes. The National Maritime Museum and the Old Royal Naval College, both of which were created by the renowned architect Christopher Wren, are here as well. Greenwich is also the home to the Cutty Sark clipper ship that brought tea to England from China in the 1800s. Unfortunately, the ship is currently undergoing restoration and the exhibition isn’t open to the public. London is a true cosmopolitan city brimming with history and culture. You would need more than a few days to explore her rich treasures, but for Nancy and me, the short trip gave us a better understanding and appreciation of Great Britain’s people, history and culture.