The great Samuel Johnson said that when one is tired of London, one is tired of life. I couldn't agree more. It's one of my very favorite cities in the world, and I try to get there as often as I can—hey, it's research!

I recently returned from a short visit and here are a few of the wonderful things I experienced as I explored its rich and fascinating history:

The gates around Buckingham Palace look splendid in the English sun.

The Palace itself is quite impressive as well. For those of you interested in history, it didn't become the oficial residence of the British monarch until the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837.

As I write Regency-set historical novels, I was interested in seeing
St.James's Palace, which was home to "Mad" King George III.
As you can see, it's far more modest than Buckingham Palace.

These Horse Guards stand guard at a building called, er, Horse Guards,
which housed many of the top military brass during the Napoleonic Wars. Today it's still an offical government building, and one can view a small, but fascinating museum on the history of the Horse Guards, as well as see the everyday workings of the orginal stable.

This is the back of Horse Guards, overlooking the parade grounds where the mounted troops would drill. I've set some of the action of my new WIP here, so I spent an afternoon poking around the grounds and the museum.

Right next to Horse Guards is the Admiralty, which is often mentioned
in Regency-set books. (Fans of Patrick O'Brian will also be familiar
with the place.)

In Regncy times, Hatchards was one of the most famous boostores in London. It still exists on Picadilly Street and carries a wonderful assortment of books.

The British Museum is always a must-see for me when I visit London,
especially its magnificent display of the Elgin Marbles.

I always try to plan a trip to London so that I am there on a Saturday moring and can visit Portobello Market .I love strolling through all the fun, funky stalls lining the street.You never know what treasures will turn up!

One of the dealers had a stall devoted to miniature portraits painted during the Georgian/Regency times. Aren't they exquisite! Sadly they were way too expensive for me, but it was fun looking!