We had a nice walk with family long the shore after a fine breakfast at our hotel. We took more photos and visited. The hotel was very nice. The building was well maintained and interesting.

It had undulating floors and interesting idiosyncrasies that you find in old buildings. We had to go to the third floor to get to the second floor. That was a new experience for me but no big deal. Finding our room was a fun adventure.

The staff were pleasant and helpful.

We have packed up our belongings. That is to say that my wife has packed up our belongings and we are hitching a ride with family up north to where we can pick up the underground and get back to our room at The Strand Palace.

It was a simple matter to get back to our hotel.

The bad news is that Americans must get Covid tests before returning home. The testing offices are all over town. It has become a cottage industry.

We had Tea at Fortnum & Mason this morning. The scones were wonderful as was the creamy butter and jam. We picked up some small food items for friends while we were there. The store has been around for hundreds of years.

We came across the bench where my wife took the photo of me with two of the 20th century’s giants, Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill.

Did you know that Winston Churchill holds the record for the most written words in history? That’s what I have heard, anyway.

I learned a little about power and diplomacy as I sat between them and listened. I wish I could actually do that, but sadly they are long dead.

We circled back to Trafalgar Square and then up the Strand to our fine hotel. There were lots of people about on a fine day of course. As I listened I could hear many different languages being spoken all around me.

My character “Lawrence” in “The Adventures of the Smith Family” had the same experience when he left the farm where he worked for Lord Huntington and came to Themstead, the small village where he would start a new life for himself.

We walked back to the hotel and I took a nap. Tonight we will walk cross the Thames for dinner with family.