Monday, we got up early to take the kids to the airport. The bus ride from Cambridge to Heathrow is over two hours, so naturally my son fell back asleep during the ride. Which was fine.

Early morning bus to Heathrow
on the way to heathrow, via flickr

After we got them checked in and through security, Heather and I went into London. Not that I haven’t been able to keep busy in Cambridge, of course, but we were in the area.

At Heather’s suggestion we went to Covent Garden, where I’d never been before, and we wandered around the flea markets for a bit.

Covent Garden panorama
covent garden, via flickr

I picked up an old hip flask– I’ve always wanted one– but mainly just took in the scene.

Type cases
type cases in covent garden, via flickr

After that, we made our way to Piccadilly Square and then Burlington Arcade. For me, Piccadilly is a kind of default stop: it’s the very first place I went when I first came to London in 1989. I got off the plane and got through customs, got on the Tube, got off at Piccadilly, and went straight to the Royal Astronomical Society. So the area still has a kind of nostalgic pull for me.

We took a quick stroll through Burlington House, but then took a stroll down Burlington Arcade, which I just love.

Window shopping
burlington arcade, via flickr

I’ve never bought anything there– everything is absurdly expensive, and the stores that have that prohibitive, formidable exclusiveness that keeps the likes of me on the outside looking in– but it’s a great place to walk around and look.

Writing implements
store window, via flickr

After that, it was a quick dinner, and off to see The Rivals, which was fun. Then it was back to Cambridge, and back to work.