[Continued from here. Yes, I know it’s a year and a half old.]

Our Tube ride downtown is interrupted by the closure of a station. The cited reason is “persons on the rails.” Becky has an adorable zombie panic attack, and we finish the journey on foot.

The banking district had been so lively the day before, but today (Saturday) it’s deserted. We enjoy some architecture.

We grab lunch in an adorably day-glo cafe near the Tower of London, then head inside. It’s a nice old castle with lots of history, and its own dragon. Turns out the Crown Jewels are actually mostly just sparkly crystal.

Then we hike around London for a bit, following yet another Rick Steves walking tour. We end up at the Borough Market, which is awesome, and we sampled several cheeses before settling on a bleu for lunch.

We strolled down Southwark, dropping into the Tate Modern just long enough to buy a pen, and the Founders Arms for pints before taking the Millennium Bridge back to the north side.

We try to ride the Tube back to our lodgings, but there’s a station upgrade happening (damn you, Olympics!), so we switch to buses at the Marble Arch. Apparently we’re not the only ones with this idea; the bus is packed and slow.

By this time we’re starving. We buy some pockety things at a halal market and bring them home. By the time we emerge from our devourative stupor, we realise (yeah, that’s the British spelling) it’s only 7, so we head out yet again for some dessert – honey-lavender crème caramel and pouring-gold-down-your-throat port at the Princess Victoria just down the street.