Duck & Waffle
We began the day with a late (10:00am) breakfast at Duck & Waffle, which was amazing. The views from the 40th floor are amazing, and the food was incredible. I, of course, had the duck & waffle, and Teresa had the eggs Florentine (served on a waffle). We split a dessert waffle: the lemon meringue. It was divine. Be sure to make a reservation, as it’s quite busy.
Sky Garden (and Leadenhall Market)
After breakfast, it was a short walk to Sky Garden, which has even better views than Duck & Waffle. In addition to the panoramic views, there’s an actual garden, plus a restaurant. Sky Garden is free, but a timed reservation is required, so book in advance. Our reservation was 11:45am, which worked out perfect after an hour or so at Duck & Waffle. On the way to Sky Garden we stopped briefly at Leadenhall Market, which is on the way. You may recognize Leadenhall Market from the Harry Potter films – it was used as a location for Diagon Alley.
A Monument, a Walk Along the Thames, St. Dunstan in the East Church
After Sky Garden we headed towards the river, stopping to check out a monument to the Great Fire of London, then had a nice walk along the Thames to the Tower Bridge. Just around the corner from the Tower of London, we took a detour to check out the ruins of St. Dunstan in the East Church, which was destroyed in the Great Fire of London, then rebuilt, then destroyed again in WWII. The ruins have been converted into a lovely public park. It’s only about 5 minutes walk from the Tower of London, so check it out next time you’re in London.
As for the Tower of London itself, that’s one thing we forgot to book in advance, and there were no available tickets for the rest of the day. There were tickets for the following day, at certain times, so you may be able to book a day ahead, but further out is better. We got a good look at the outside, and it ended up being a blessing in disguise, as it gave us more time in Shoreditch.
Next post will be Brick Lane/Shoreditch, which was amazing. We spent most of the day there, and could have spent hours more if we didn’t have theater tickets…
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