Thanks for coming along, and I’ll now get to work on the next one. You’ll be the first to know. 😎

Ok folks, we’re back in the 50th state, after the usual multi-flights and airport hotels. Always go into a bit of a funk at the end of a trip, but that’s usually balanced out by the pleasure of coming back to the creature comforts of home. And reuniting with Sundance the golden, and her little twin brother Butch. Yes, I occasionally have to explain the Butch-Sundance name-pairing to less-than-40-something types. Great movie. When we adopted them, I wanted to name them Bonnie and Clyde. Barbara wanted to name them Butch and Sundance. So we compromised, and named them….Butch and Sundance.

With my obsession with Indian food, in London we’ve been to moderately-famous Dishoom a couple of times, this time we went to Yaatra, in the Westminster area. Just astounding, enormous flavors. Himalayan dumplings, calamari pakora, Goan Handi curry and good ol’ butter chicken.

Elizabeth I’s final resting place strikes a chord - I started collecting signed historical documents in my 20’s, have most of the British royalty from Elizabeth on. And one before, Edward IV. Elizabeth’s signature is surely, bar none, the most exquisite in all of history.

Been to London several times before, but realized that we haven’t been to Westminster Abbey since 1979. (how old are *we*?)

A little too much of this around town these days.

Didn’t necessarily expect to see this statue on the streets of London.

Told Barbara that I’d look really good in this get-up.

Borough Market, near the site of the Old Globe. A heaven for cooks & foodies, lots of terrific butcher stalls, produce, fresh fruit, cheeses, deli stuff. Bought a small tub of that Vache Rosso reggiano cheese chunks, just for munchies in the hotel room.

Not the most beautiful view out a hotel room window we’ve ever had. On the other hand, if you zoom in on that first pic…..I guess our room qualifies to be called “Westminster Abbey view”.

Saw “Hamilton” at the Victoria Palace theater. Beautiful house.

Ok, we’ve disembarked our ship in Dover, and will be in Merrie Olde London Towne for a few days.

It’s the right time of year for bluebells and gorse to bloom, everywhere you look. We’re told the yellow gorse gives off a coconut-like fragrance, and residents will drape their wet laundry over the plants to dry, and pick up some of that smell.

I forgot what this was.

Have never seen one. So I guess the sign works pretty well.

Probably too long a shot for my trusty iPhone, but this is Lochleven Castle, where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned for a year, and was forced to abdicate in favor of her infant son James.

Scone Palace. No, it’s not a breakfast eatery - pronounced “skoon”. The current Earl of Mansfield lives there with his family, so we were asked not to take any pictures of the interior. So here’s a pic of the exterior. And of adjacent Sone Abbey on Moot Hill, where Robert the Bruce was crowned in 1306. And pics of some resident peacocks. And of a painted highland cow on the grounds.

I was today years old when I found out that “Peking Duck flavored seaweed chips” is actually a thing.

A half day ride around the Scottish highlands. Rugged beauty everywhere you look.

Outside the City Hall, there was a protest against the Iranian regime, as well as a youth group playing local folk music. You can guess which was the noisier group.

We also made friends with Mollie. She’s almost five years old. She’s also a golden retriever, which means we instantly became her new very best friends.

We stopped at a fun lively local pub - felt a little self-conscious ordering a Diet Coke rather than a Guinness.

High walls still stand from the original purpose, to separate warring factions - the nationalists vs the unionists. These days, they’re covered in murals and graffiti and posters, advocating most all different sides of any and all issues.