After the work was all done and out of the way, it was time to see some more of the sights of London... and I had quite the list I wanted to tackle. It was time to board a bus and be on my way to Trafalgar Square.
Trafalgar Square is a large open space in the center of London situated right in front of the National Gallery. With large fountains, sculptures and four large recognizable lion statues, the square is a well known tourist attraction. One of the large plinths hosts modern art that changes periodically and currently is home to a giant blue rooster.
Next I was off to Hamley's Toy Store, an iconic five floors stuffed with every toy imaginable. The store has been a part of London history since William Hamley opened his first store in 1760. The current store is enormous, and the perfect place to buy a special little something for one's nieces and nephews should you have them.
More busses, and much more walking found me in front of the London home of the royal family, Buckingham Palace. The palace was beautiful, guarded by large gilded rod-iron gates. With the cold weather, however, I was disappointed to see the royal guard's iconic red uniform covered by a drab gray coat.
There was time for one last sight before my evening plans. And I had my priority in mind... Platform 9 and 3/4 at King's Cross Station. To be honest, it's a photo spot with a trolly permanently attached to a random brick wall near platforms 9 and 10 with a theme park style line and photographer ready to sell you a photo print of your magical entrance into the Harry Potter world. But it was a fun must see for a Potter fan like myself. And the small old-world Potter style shop tucked in the corner was nice to visit as well. I made sure to pick up a couple exclusive items that can only be purchased there at Platform 9 3/4, passed on my professional photo print, but made sure to get a couple nice snaps on my phone.
From there it was back to my hotel to shower and head out for an evening with my new London boys. With soar feet and aching legs, dinner and a pint of cider in the local gay-pub was a pleasant end to the evening.
