The sun was shining brightly this morning in Harrogate and with a clear sunny forecast in store for us, we set off to return our car to Leeds. Thank goodness for the GPS. There are so many roundabouts here we would never be able to navigate it all with a paper map.

Once in Leeds we boarded a high speed train to London. Buying same day tickets can cost a fortune we have learned over the years, but if you purchase them in advance, it’s a real deal. We traveled first class with a meal and wine service included for 75US for both of us. I love to travel by rail watching the changing landscape out the window and imagining what it would be like to live in different places along the way. I observed the people around me. One man was watching a funny movie with wireless earbuds while another woman read a novel The Rumor while a wooden westie dangled from her dog print bag.

We are staying at the Sloane Square Hotel which was recommended by my nephew Chip. He told me that this was a favourite hotel of my sister Susan whenever she came to London. We have a small room, but a sweet teddy with a message that he was up for adoption greeted us on the bed. Of course we said yes. The room overlooks the Holy Trinity Church. We walked around the area and the brick architecture of the buildings is beautiful. There’s a lovely square in front of the hotel where hand painted horses are displayed to remind people of the importance of protecting horses all around the world.

Behind our hotel we found a small pedestrian zone with cheese and wine shops. We visited a small shop with all high end items such as coffee, tea, and wine, and surprisingly even a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal with churros and a bottle of Aunt Jemima

Dinner tonight was around the corner at the Wolf & Lamb which is vegetarian. Their spinach and mushroom sourdough pizza with a side of potato, endive, artichoke, and radish summer salad seemed as if was picked right out of the garden.

Tonight we walked around the neighborhood discovering elegant residential streets with many homes with historical markers. We have stayed in South Kensington the past two years, but this area is very special and I can see why my family and sister Susan liked it so much. I lit a candle in her memory tonight in the Holy Trinity Church next door.