Christmas in London was the plan. I often find myself down the online travel content wormhole late at night, trying to find those nuggets of information I didn’t know I needed. After reading dozens of articles about the best cities for the holidays, it was obvious that a London holiday was going to be magical.

But first, we had to get there, taking four different trains over eight hours from Whittlich, Germany to St. Pancras Station in London.

“Jadee, where does this train end?”

“Um, all I know is it sounds like pancreas.”

Upon arrival, it was time to mind the gap on the world-famous London Tube (Underground). Dad had given us some leftover British pounds from a recent trip as well as two Oyster cards to use for the London Tube. I went to check the balance on the cards at a kiosk, and I learned that I actually owed the London Tube (Parliament?) £6.80. Classic Good move. After checking for cameras and moving to a new kiosk to start from scratch, we were loaded up and off to our hotel/apartment thing.

We made one connection at the best-named station in London – Oxford Circus. Oxford, Ohio is a second home for me, so anytime I see the word Oxford, it immediately catches my attention. And if you’ve ever spent time in lovely Oxford, Ohio, you’ll know that it can very much be its own type of circus.

Fun fact – There are 31 U.S. cities named Oxford. A “circus,” from the Latin word meaning “circle,” is a round open space at a street junction. So yeah, the station isn’t as wild as you’d imagine.

We stayed at the Marlin Waterloo, serviced apartments in Waterloo (close to London Eye) on the Brown Line, one stop away from the second-best-named Tube station in London – Elephant & Castle, which has neither an elephant nor a castle. The Airbnb inventory in London is very limited, and I learned how popular the city is during the holidays while booking a property. The Marlin did the trick though. Great location!

After walking around and having a bite to eat, Jason and I took one for the team and scoped out the classic English pub a few doors down – The Crown & Cushion. With a couple pints in hand and no crown in sight, we found a couple cushions and scoped out the scene. One of those great moments of the trip – Drinking an English pour in a classic English pub on Christmas Eve.

I was excited to walk around London on Christmas day. The Tube shuts down for the holiday and open restaurants are sparse, but I was hopeful for less crowds and open-range wanderlust. I studied abroad in Swansea, Wales in 2003 and spent some time in London. But it had been a long time, and it’s amazing how much you begin to forget as the years pass. So I was excited to re-acclimate myself.

We got out early on Christmas day to a VERY quiet London. It was awesome. Very close to us to the west was the River Thames and Westminster Bridge, and as we were nearing the bridge, I peeked to my right and caught a surprise Christmas view. A great little view to start the day.

Tess was excited to take a photo with this lion statue and show off her Christmas socks. It had rained that morning, but the skies were clear now.

On our train ride to London the day before, I was perusing London-based content on Instagram. I love to utilize this specific social platform to explore images and videos of cities before I visit them. I’ve found it to be very helpful to get a feel for a city, build itineraries, and discover little known secrets. In this particular example a “London” or “#London” search opened the door to many fun travel experiences.

One image stood out, and I was determined to replicate it the next day. The description gave me a good chuckle as well – “While the tunnel may smell like urine, the view is worth it.” The caption was correct on both aspects, and Cal helped me line up the shot below. What you don’t see in this picture is the 5-person line behind me waiting impatiently to take the same picture. That’s the downside of Instagram…..

But there we were, on Westminster Bridge with about 10 others, with “Big Ben” (The Elizabeth Tower) in front of us. This is the point in the post where I could provide some fun facts about this amazing landmark, but because I’m a huge Chevy Chase fan and proponent of the National Lampoon’s Vacation movie series, let me just leave you with one of my favorite movie scenes of all time.

So you know I kept saying “Big Ben kids, Parliament” as we walked the bridge. I’m sure the family loved it. We captured all sorts of great photos, but most importantly, I was able to thank Tillie’s mom Julie and her husband Rob for their donation. As a family with a dog care business, we know how important (and comforting) it is to know that your pup is in a great place when you travel. We recently learned that our almost 14-year-old dog Leena has cancer, so that feeling has intensified for us lately, and we knew that Leena was in a great place with Rob and Julie during our trip.

From the other side of the Westminster Bridge, you can catch a great view of the London Eye, the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom. I thanked my Iowa State fraternity brother and the City of Five Seasons’ (Cedar Rapids) favorite son, Allan Hammell for his donation.

We continued walking west towards Westminster Abbey, one of the hottest tickets in town for Christmas day service. A royal church and a World Heritage Site with over a thousand years of history, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British monarchs since 1066. Also, did you know that Westminster Abbey is the resting place for more than 3,500 people? Included inside are the tombs of Sir Issac Newton, Charles Dickens, Stephen Hawking, and 18 English, Scottish, and British monarchs. Quite the place!

I thanked my Uncle Tom and Aunt Colleen again for their donation. I’ve seen them a number of times following this trip and before I posted this blog post, and I am thankful that they haven’t called me out for my blogging tardiness.

Speaking of Tom and Colleen, they sponsored the next stop too, and it’s a spot that should be recognizable to you. Buckingham Palace is the King’s official London residence, a working royal palace, the home of the monarch, the focus of national and royal celebrations, as well as the backdrop to the regular Changing the Guard ceremony. Even on Christmas morning, Buckingham was bustling.

With many thoughts swirling in my brain about the ridiculousness of monarchies and my allegiance to Team Harry, I was brought back to earth with portrait mode photo requests from these two queens.

We then decided to stand at the Buckingham Palace fence and wait for the Changing of the Guard. Let me say this clearly – I hate crowds. Everything about them. Of all crowds I dislike most, it’s crowds at popular tourist attractions. But I wanted to see the Changing of the Guard and thought the kids would get a kick out of it. So we waited, for 20 minutes, with four to five layers of people crowding behind us.

It was fun to watch the guards pacing to and fro, doing their thing, but we were ready for the show. At showtime, after being packed in there for 20 minutes with hundreds of new friends, a guard arrived with important news, as stated by the sign that he displayed rather than using his voice – There would be no Changing of the Guards today. In one fell swoop, the crowd sighed, the kids were disappointed, and Lindsey of Fleetwood Mac further secured his spot as my favorite Buckingham.

In addition to our royal disappointment, we were hungry, and our next challenge would be to find an open restaurant on Christmas. Months back, my pal Nat Love, asked if he could add a stop to the itinerary for a donation – The Hard Rock Cafe. I didn’t think much of it, added it to my list of stops, and went on my way. Well what do you know, it was nearby and getting ready to open for lunch, and we were second in line! The Hard Rock (and Nat) saved us!

I’ve been in a few Hard Rocks, and I love music, but I wouldn’t say I seek them out. What I didn’t realize, was that the London Hard Rock is the original, which made it quite awesome. I kid you not, the place filled to the brim within minutes. We weren’t the only ones looking for a Christmas meal. With great music videos by David Bowie, Elton John, and Boy George streaming in the background, and original Hendrix guitars flanking the walls, the lunch was everything we needed. The kids even got Messi souvenirs with their meals. Tess is a fan.

After lunch, we wandered the streets to soak in some more of the London Christmas spirit.

We made our way to Oxford Street, filled with recognizable stores (that were closed for the day). Outside the Oxford Circus Underground station, I thank my buddy Andy Tomka for his donation. Along with many great college memories with Tomka, he played a role in my very first running trip that took me through Chicago. I vividly remember running through Chicago with Andy on a cold February Chicago day.

We turned south on Regent Street, one of London’s most decorated streets during the Christmas season. It’s a little more festive at night when the street’s decorations are lit up, but it still provided great flare during the day. London was starting to get busy again that afternoon, and we could feel that on Regent Street.

Regent Street bends into Piccadilly Circus, the Times Square of London, filled with people and video advertisements draped along the buildings. If you’re a child of the 80s and 90s from Iowa, visits to Piccadilly Circus Pizza will definitely hold space in your memory. Picture this – You’re with your family at a pizza parlor, and out of nowhere, a talking animal robot comes rolling up to you on a tricycle and delivers your pizza. Pure bliss!

At Piccidilly Square, I thanked one of my favorites, Mike Hyatt. A fellow Phi Delt and Big 12 brother (he claims Oklahoma State and lives near the TCU stadium in Fort Worth), Mike has been one of my biggest supporters and mentors over the years. Generosity oozes from his body, and I am grateful to know him. I was thrilled to watch him receive a lifetime achievement award from Phi Delta Theta at our Convention this past summer.

Trafalgar Square was our final stop of the day, and I was able to thank Mike again amidst its famous fountain and structures.

We finished the day with fish & chips delivery and relaxation to cap off a memorable Christmas.

The next morning, we woke up to yet another holiday – Boxing Day! Boxing Day was once a day to donate gifts to those in need, but it has evolved to become a part of Christmas festivities, with many people choosing to shop for deals. We humans just can’t hold back from replacing a good thing with a good deal. Sigh.

We walked through the South Bank neighborhood towards the river and reached the famous Globe Theatre, made famous by that guy they called Shakespeare. At the Globe, I thanked Joe & Sarah Wechsler and family for their donation. Joe, my brother from another mother, recruited me to be on the Phi Delt staff back in 2004, and I’ll be forever grateful to him. My family joined his family on an epic RV trip west a few years ago. My favorite thing about Joe is that he makes my crazy decisions seem tame. Like that time he randomly moved to Lake Placid, tried out for the U.S. Olympic skeleton team, and damn near almost made it.

The day’s route gave us a look at modern London and was a stark contrast to what we had witnessed the day before.

On a bridge, across the River Thames from the “City of London,” I thanked my long-time Phi Delt colleague Debbie Smith. I always enjoy catching up with Debbie when I’m back in Oxford, Ohio, and she’s always one of the first to give me a great hug and offer a good laugh.

A fun city view as we continued our walk.

And a few Shakespeare-related sights along the way.

We ended up at Borough Market, normally a lively London market filled with unique vendors. Unfortunately, the market was quiet on Boxing Day, but we were still able to walk through it. I thanked foodie Kyle Prager at Borough Market. Kyle used to work on the Phi Delt staff and is now a regional volunteer. We have a shared love for baseball, and I love that Kyle is now in the umpiring game.

We continued east towards a few of London’s most famous landmarks – Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. It was really neat to see Tower Bridge in the distance as we approached.

A look at this magnificent bridge.

I made a London rookie mistake with my thank you signs. It’s easy to confuse the Tower Bridge and the Tower of London as they have similar names are in the same area. I pulled out my Tower of London thank you sign but thanked Josh Ehlen with the Tower Bridge in the background. Whoops! In any case, it’s a great shot, for a great guy, that Josh Ehlen. A fellow runner (a much better runner than me I must add), I’ve always admired Josh’s charisma and work ethic. It wouldn’t surprise you that he’s a former wrestler too.

Some family shots in front of the Tower Bridge.

Since I had additional donors to thank at Tower Bridge, I went for the on-site view to make up for my mistake! What an amazing bridge! I thanked Marc & Jennifer Mores on the bridge, and photographer Cal was even able to get a fun London cab in the background. Marc, a long-time friend,former boss, and Cyclone fanatic peruses London every once in awhile for work, so I imagine he’s stepped foot on this bridge a number of times.

Now here is the Tower of London, home of the Crown Jewels since 1661. Picture me thanking Josh here.

As we turned back west, it was fun to see some of the modern architecture stake claim to this section of London.

It was time for a Runner’s Choice photo, and with many Harry Potter fans by my side, we walked through Leadenhall Market (also known as the entrance to Diagon Alley) in Harry Potter’s world. What a festive little place, with other Harry Potter fans everywhere looking to spot some magic. I thanked Robbie Marsden at Leadenhall Market. I don’t know if Robbie is a fan of Harry Potter, but I’m a fan of Robbie and his Philadelphia-area sports shenanigans. Robbie has also been a source of inspiration as our family took on the job as Rover dog boarders. He’s the ultimate dog whisperer.

Scenes from Leadenhall Market.

And walking west towards the Bank Underground Station.

St. Paul’s Cathedral is one of the more majestic structures in London, and its grandeur can be spotted from many city views. We let the youngsters run around and burn energy at St. Paul’s while Tess and I thanked Lawrence and Brandy Cunningham again for their donation.

Some sights from St. Paul’s Cathedral, and some final photos of Cal wearing my travel vest. We accidentally left his coat in Germany, and minutes later, we finally found a replacement coat for him.

With St. Paul’s Cathedral looming large in the background, I found the perfect London red telephone booth to capture a Runner’s Choice photo, thanking one of my top supporters, Jason Brannon. Jason, another Iowa State Phi Delt, is a world traveler himself, and I love seeing where the wind takes him.

I had done some research on some of London’s oldest pubs, and we found the perfect one to thank another donor. How can you pass up some refreshments at a historical pub called Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese?

Pint in hand, we loitered in an open hallway and enjoyed the rustic atmosphere. I knew I had to find an awesome place to thank Andrew LaPorte while “drinking a beer in a pub.” We had found it, and the beer was as delightful as Andrew’s effortless mashed potatoes.

We continued our long walk through Covent Garden, Soho, and Chinatown, where the crowds had gathered and the Christmas spirit was alive and well. We promised the kids a stop in London’s most famous toy store, Hamley’s as their reward for a full day of walking. Little did I know there would be a thousand people in there. We grabbed a souvenir Harry Potter wand, jumped on our broom, and flew out of there as quickly as possible.

On our way back to the Marlin Waterloo, we crossed the Thames once again and caught one awesome scene at dusk.

That evening, we had a special surprise for the kids – Elf the Musical! It was a wonderful way to finish another amazing day in London.

We had a few plans for our final day in London, including ice skating reservations to kick off the day in Hyde Park. During the holidays, the Winter Wonderland is erected in Hyde Park, attracting families with moody children. But before we entered, I needed to thank Chris Loschiavo again for his donation. I was hoping to get out to Wembley Stadium to thank him, but it proved to be a bit too far out of the way. Instead, we stopped by the stately Wellington Arch to snap a photo.

We strapped on our ice skates and were some of the first people on the ice that day at the Winter Wonderland. The kids immediately let us know that the ice wasn’t of their liking, and I immediately let them know that I had finally delivered on MY ice skating promise, just a few days later and in a different country. I also thanked my colleague Jim Rosencrans for his donation. I’m very excited for Jim as he and his wife Lauren prepare to welcome their first child into the world.

We learned that Hyde Park is indeed a very large park, and we walked through Kensington Gardens to Kensington Palace, a historic royal abode. Kensington Palace has been a residence of the British royal family since the 17th century. The Kensington Garden crew clearly has experience with a set of hedge trimmers. I thanked my former colleague Andrew Norrie at the palace. Andrew has been living the digital nomad professional life the last few years, taking him across the world as he works remotely. Fun stuff!

Once again, we were hungry, and Jason led us to The Mall Tavern in Notting Hill for lunch, where I was able to further enjoy the delights of British fish and chips. Even though Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant were not there, it was a great little place for a classic British lunch! Kevin Marks supported my “eating fish and chips” spot on the itinerary. I’ve been able to build a fun little portfolio of thanking Kevin in fun spots across the world! Thanks Kevin!

The group split up for a few hours, and my crew ventured north for a few final stops. I thanked Laura Voisin George at Regent’s Park, another classic London Park. I worked hand-in-hand with Laura years back on campus at the University of Southern California.

My final London thank you took place at one of the city’s most famous street crossings, Abbey Road, where the Beatles famously crossed for an album cover. Even in the rain, the intersection was filled with Beatles-loving tourists, trying to get a picture while dodging traffic. I took the safe route. I thanked my old pal Sparky Reardon for his donation. Long-time dean of students at Ole Miss, he remains the unofficial mayor of the city, and welcomed my family with open arms during a trip south a few years back.

We were wiped, so we took the Underground back to our room and enjoyed a quiet evening in this magical city. The next morning, we were off to Lisbon, Portugal!