Because of our exciting European Adventure (tomorrow!!), we're likely to be out and about somewhere on Alyssa's birthday. Blessed with gorgeous weather and a free Saturday last week, we decided to celebrate early. And what Alyssa wanted to do was a day of Beatlemania fun.

So we got our tourist maps and camera and trekked out to Marylebone to hunt for Paul McCartney's house and, around the corner, the famous Abbey Road!

 The House, as it turns out, is in a really gorgeous neighbourhood but it is quite possibly the least interesting house on the block. Then again, if you're Paul McCartney, maybe you have nothing to prove through "keeping up with the Joneses".

 Abbey Road really was just a hop skip and jump away. The road was *really* busy and we weren't sure at first where the actual road crossing from the album cover was, so we took our best shots at the first one we found.

 We were informed by a friendly motorist that we'd passed the correct one and went to explore. Alas, we found that we were not destined to get the kitchy tourist photo after all. The Abbey Road crossing is currently blocked up by construction. They dug it up and blocked it off to repair a water main. So no photo. But we did get to see the recording company right there, as well as a wall of beatles-y graffiti.

 There was still lots of day left and way too much sunshine to go home so we strolled over to nearby regent's Park for an ice cream and a sit and then, a romantic row-boat paddle around the boating pond in the park.

 I know I risk the great horrifying of my more eco-aware friends when I tell you that the big parks in London are stocked with all kinds of exotic and introduced waterfowl in bright colours and varieties.  And since we're getting into spring, they were very active.

 After the boat ride we took a stroll through the inner circle of the park, home to some gorgeous gardens and hundreds of Londoners trying desperately to soak up the sun while it's here.

The park's south entrance comes out around Baker Street station. Guess who's a big deal on Baker Street? Yep.

All told, strolling and rowing and Beatles-ing was a nice way to spend a sunny Saturday and we returned home very satisfied. London's a cool city. Next stop: Europe!