Trip 52

December 16, 2025

We touched down at Heathrow just after sunrise, London still asleep under a cloudy December sky. The air outside was brisk—about 3°C—but calm and dry, a blessing after checking the forecast for days beforehand. With coffee in hand and that peculiar mix of excitement and jet lag, we boarded the Elizabeth Line toward Paddington Station, watching the city unfold stop by stop.

Paddington himself greeted us in bear form, of course—his statue a cheerful welcome to travelers young and old. From the station, we walked about fifteen minutes to our rental near Edgware Road. It wasn’t quite check-in time, so we met the building custodian, who stowed our bags in the basement until the host arrived. With some time to spare, we wandered toward Marylebone High Street and browsed the shelves at Daunt Books, a must-visit for book lovers, and the store was quite busy for a midweek/mid day. The creaking floors, warm lights, curated sections made it easier to forget the lingering travel fatigue, though my feet reminded me often.

Our host met us a bit later, welcoming us warmly with snacks, bottled water, and a quick tour of the apartment—how to get past security doors, operate the lift, and even the washing machine. After paying around £1,000 for four nights, it felt good to know every detail was covered. The first order of business was a nap. Economy seats make for little sleep, even with noise-cancelling headphones.

We all took a nap, as the plane was not a very comfortable ride (coach), but with noise canceling headphones, able to take some brief naps.

By 4:30 p.m., darkness had already settled over the city, and we headed out for dinner, our first London meal of the trip. A quick Bolt ride brought us to Mercado Mayfair, a converted church that now houses a collection of casual dining options. The vaulted ceiling and stained-glass windows survive, but the pews have been replaced by long communal tables. Under the archways, we found everything from bao buns and cheesy handmade Parmesan pasta to tacos, baklava, and craft cocktails. YouTube

From the Mercado , we walked up to Oxford Street to begin viewing some of the many lights shows put on by the larger shops. Oxford Street, had transformed into a glowing tunnel of Christmas lights. Selfridges outdid itself again—its windows danced with animated displays, each one a tiny holiday world.

The tuk tuks were in evidence, but fortunately, not yet blaring Mariah Carey’s “All I want for Christmas” at top volume.

The route to Bond Street was obstructed by building construction, so we took the long way around to see the light displays on this very high end shopping street.

To travel back to our apartment, we’ll walk to the Piccadilly Circus Tube station, passing the Fortnum & Mason department store, pausing just long enough to admire the ornate window displays. I’m sure we will come back later to give it a proper visit, but for now, just window gazing at their displays.

It’s a short ride back to the area of our apartment and then about a 15 minute walk. The key fob to get into the building worked 😉.

London was fully dressed for Christmas—and this was just day one. Tomorrow will bring even more lights and sights.