Friday, June 23, 2017

First stop London

Our adventure began in London, arriving there at 5 am a little bleary-eyed and still feeling tired, we caught the Heathrow Express into the City. You don't know how good it was to be back on terra firma again!
The Shard was where we booked in to spend the first night and as the room was not ready we left our luggage with the Concierge and went to the Restaurant for some breakfast. This was the view we looked out on.


 From the staff recommendation they suggested we take a visit to the Borough Market which is down the road - you can see the top of the Shard in the background
 What a wonderful place to go and have a look around, the fruit, vegetables, sweets and produce looked so fresh and how lucky to be able to do your weekly shop here. 
Freshly baked bread, yum!
For those with a sweet tooth

Buying some fresh fruit there, we walked across the London Bridge and stopped in at a little pub for lunch at the Barrowboy and Banker.
 Now it is with sadness when we think what happened three weeks later at this place, when we heard on the news of the disaster, terror and tragedy that occurred there.
It brings tears to your eyes, all that is going on around the world.
Life and travel has changed so much

Our room was on the 43rd floor and having a room with this view was very special.





thank you for the welcome home notes, I really appreciate your kindness and friendship.
I am getting over jet lag and lack and lack of sleep. With the different time zone for the first week we were waking up at 3 or 4 am which can leave you tired for the next day.
Looking forward to coming over to say hello.

Have a happy weekend
hugs
Carolyn



28 comments:

  1. Hello Carolyn, I’m so pleased you enjoyed your trip and glad you are home safe and sound. Staying in the shard must have been an amazing experience. The attacks in London and around the world are truly heartbreaking as is the recent Grenfell Tower fire, it breaks your heart to think about. Hugs Barbara

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  2. As soon as you mentioned Borough Market, my heart missed a beat, but then of course I knew already that you were safely home.
    Staying in the Shard must have been an incredible experience.

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  3. That must be a Great trip....i never been in London....but it is on my to do list....happy weekend love ria x ❤️

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  4. Dearest Carolyn,
    thank you for sharing all the joy of this trip of yours, London is London !

    So very glad that you're safe at home,
    I'm sending blessings on your weekend,
    may it be filled with joy and wonder

    XOXO Dany

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  5. Beautiful pictures from my favourite city...lovely lovely London!
    Have a great summer weekend :)
    Titti

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  6. I'm so glad that you had a good trip and you're now safely home. I'm looking forward to seeing more in due course. It takes time to get over the jet lag. The recent tragedies are heartbreaking, very difficult to take in and I continue to pray for all concerned. Wishing you and yours a very peaceful weekend and all the best for the days ahead. Linda x

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  7. Wow, the views from your hotel room were really spectecular, dear Carolyn. The first reward for that long and tiring trip. I love such kind of markets and this one looks wonderful. I'm glad you had left the city already when the terror happened. It's just awful what's going on in the world.
    Have a lovely weekend and get some more sleep! :)
    xo Julia

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  8. What a nice trip you had in London, Carolyn. wow, look at that view from your hotel window! The little pub you stopped at for lunch sounds wonderful. I'm glad you had a safe and fun trip, and it's always so good to be back home. : )

    love, ~Sheri

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  9. Lovely post dear! Have a great weekend! xx

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  10. Oh Carolyn, I’m so pleased you enjoyed your trip.
    Staying in the Shard must have been brilliant, what glorious views across London.
    The pictures of Borough Market are so vibrant and it was so terrible the recent attack there.
    Our world is changing but we each must go on and make our corner of it the very best we can for each other...

    Wishing you a peaceful, relaxing and refreshing weekend.

    All the best Jan

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  11. Welcome home!!! Looking forward to reading about your adventure!! xoxo Marsha

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  12. Love your photos from London.
    Hugs from here

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  13. Those are amazing views from your room. That area is familiar to me too and it makes the horror of events even greater. Sarah. X

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  14. Welcome back, Carolyn. It's good you were able to visit before tragedy struck there. It's heart wrenching to think there are people who have no joy and just can't let others be happy and live in peace. I will never understand. Best wishes to you and yours, Tammy

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  15. I love the work you do on your blog, I hope to see you on my blog very soon!!
    💚💚💚

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  16. Wow ,what a fantastic view you had from your room in London, dear Carolyn , -and happy you spend such a wonderful time there. The violence all over, makes traveling unsafe and worrying, -they are already tying us ,with the fear we feel, but hopefully we will go on visiting beautiful places all over the world. Dorthe, xoxo

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  17. Dearest Carolyn,
    Welcome back home; safe and sound!
    Being tired is only a minor thing which settles within days.
    What a great view you had from your 43rd floor!
    Thanks for sharing this beauty, regardless of the sad news afterward that affected so many innocent people.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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  18. Amazing views from your room, dear Carolyn, and such lovely shops, too. It's so frightening to think that you were so near to the time and location of this terrible tragedy. My heart just grieves for all the families affected. Sending you hugs xx Karen

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  19. Lovely and yummy pics, darling!

    xoxox,
    CC

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  20. I stayed at the Shard too when I went to London 2 years ago, such view, isn't it? I enjoied it especially in the night time! :)
    Great pics dear Carolyn, seems you had great time in London, despite all the bad things happened there recently!
    XO
    S
    https://s-fashion-avenue.blogspot.it/

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  21. The freshly baked bread looks so good!

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  22. Hello,Carolyn,
    I see you had such a wonderful trip in London. What a beautiful view from your room. Especially I like the image of the baked bread. Yes, looks delicious!Have a good new week!

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  23. Dearest Carolyn,
    London is a beautiful destination - I like to think of my time back there and hope to return to London one day. But to me it's like you (and many others): It's so sad that some places are now overshadowed by attacks. Luckily you had a great holiday and hopefully many nice experiences!

    Hugs from here, Traude

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  24. That is some view, Carloyn, and London is one of my favorite places at any level. Glad you enjoyed the trip.
    Amalia
    xo

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  25. How beautiful photos of London, Carolyn! I love them! Kisses, my friend.

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Thank you so much for visiting Draffin Bears.
It always makes me happy to read your comments
and I look forward to visiting you.


Carolyn xx