Arriving in England we where greeted with an over cast afternoon which I am sure is quite normal weather for this time of the year. We decided to take a cab to our hotel, I always wanted to go in a black cab through London, why? I am not sure but I can now tick another thing off my list. We where staying at the Novotel Hotel London Bridge so the cab driver gave us a mini tour as we past some famous landmarks before arriving at the hotel. Even though there was only an hour difference between Rome and London we where feeling a bit tired and decided to have an early night.
Picture: London Black CabDay One - Saturday
Seeing as we were not to far from the Tower of London we decided to make this our first sight seeing stop. The weather was over cast and with a little drizzle we made our way over to the tower. I thought The Tower of London would have been a bit higher but I am sure back in its day it was quite high. We walked around for most of the morning and got to see the crowns which where all breath taking. The history and the age of this structure we found quite interesting and was worth visiting. Our afternoon was spent walking around the city of London which on a Saturday resembled something of a grave yard or ghost town but we found a pub and stoped for a drink and something to eat.
Seeing as we were not to far from the Tower of London we decided to make this our first sight seeing stop. The weather was over cast and with a little drizzle we made our way over to the tower. I thought The Tower of London would have been a bit higher but I am sure back in its day it was quite high. We walked around for most of the morning and got to see the crowns which where all breath taking. The history and the age of this structure we found quite interesting and was worth visiting. Our afternoon was spent walking around the city of London which on a Saturday resembled something of a grave yard or ghost town but we found a pub and stoped for a drink and something to eat.
Picture: Paige standing on The Tower Bridge
Picture: Lunch
Picture: Paige with two London Policemen
Tower of London
Begun in 1079 during the reign of William the Conqueror this castle complex is one of London’s three World Heritage Sites (besides Westminster Abbey and Maritime Greenwich). The White Tower at its heart was the original building. Walls, more towers, a riverside wharf and palace were added over the next few centuries. Originally a royal residence, the tower was increasingly used as a prison after Henry VIII relocated to Whitehall Palace in 1529.
Begun in 1079 during the reign of William the Conqueror this castle complex is one of London’s three World Heritage Sites (besides Westminster Abbey and Maritime Greenwich). The White Tower at its heart was the original building. Walls, more towers, a riverside wharf and palace were added over the next few centuries. Originally a royal residence, the tower was increasingly used as a prison after Henry VIII relocated to Whitehall Palace in 1529.
Picture: Ben & Paige near Big BenDay Two - Sunday
We started off our day with a big breakfast in a little café we stumbled across the previous day close by to the hotel. Feeling very full from the yummy breakfast we decided to take a stroll over the Tower bridge and down a long the Thames River.
We started off our day with a big breakfast in a little café we stumbled across the previous day close by to the hotel. Feeling very full from the yummy breakfast we decided to take a stroll over the Tower bridge and down a long the Thames River.
Our first stop was Shakespeare’s Globe. Wow, what an interesting theatre which was replicated on the originally built one in 1599 in a different location. The structure that stands today was built with traditionally methods which you could see quite well from the wooden pegs that held the oak pillars together. The tour guide was well versed in how and why certain aspects to the Globe existed which we found quite interesting. A highly recommended tour. One day we hope to see a show there, and apparently it is very popular and the shows are frequently sold out.
Picture: Bernadette & Paige in telephone boxShakespeare’s Globe
The rebuilt Globe is no ordinary theatre. This faithful replica of the original “Wooden O’ has the same central stage left open to the elements, surrounded by a roofed ring of seats. It also uses Elizabethan construction methods and materials and is only 200metres from the original Globe Theatre, where Shakespeare worked from 1599 to 1611.
The rebuilt Globe is no ordinary theatre. This faithful replica of the original “Wooden O’ has the same central stage left open to the elements, surrounded by a roofed ring of seats. It also uses Elizabethan construction methods and materials and is only 200metres from the original Globe Theatre, where Shakespeare worked from 1599 to 1611.
Picture: The stage at the globe
Picture: Part of the seating at the globeWe strolled back along the Thames River over the London Bridge which we were a little surprised at how plain this bridge was compared to the Tower Bridge. We came across The Black Friar Pub which had an Art Nouveau facade and inside has mosaics on the walls with pillars and fireplaces. We feasted on meat pies filled with stout gravy and the nicest mashed potatoes served with steam broccoli (and a pint of Ale for Ben). It was simply yummy. After lunch we decided to jump on one of the city’s tour buses that we could hope on and off at our leisure and took in the history of the city and rested our tired feet.
Day Three – Monday
We started our day with another big breakfast and jumped back on the city tour bus as we had some time still left on our tickets. The day was a bit grey and we where wondering if the sun ever shone in London. As the tour bus went around a different part to London it felt like hours before we arrived at Madam Tussaud’s waxworks museum. The line had started to build so we where waiting for about half an hour before we got to go in. We found the museum split into different levels with different wax figures spread through out. Some of the figures looked so life like and others I cant say they did a good likeness of the celebrities. I think the strangest thing was people were getting their photo taken next to the Adolf Hitler Wax figure.
Picture: Ben standing next to wax figure of John Howard
Picture: Bernadette standing next to wax figure of Tom CruiseAfter our brush with the so called famous people we headed on the tube to the London Eye that’s once we worked out how to get our tickets and the best way to get there. I was really surprised at how short the trains were and how often the trains would arrive but it turned out a great way to get around London in the end.
The London Eye was a great way to see the whole of London. Paige was really excited to be going "up to the sky" as she said. The security everywhere is quite amazing, getting patted down and bags checked on entry to the glass capsules. They even had people doing bomb checks as people jumped off each glass capsule. The Eye moves quite slowly up and the "flight" as they called it takes about half an hour to do a full circle so we where lucky the day was quite clear and the rain had held off to get a good view of things.
The London Eye was a great way to see the whole of London. Paige was really excited to be going "up to the sky" as she said. The security everywhere is quite amazing, getting patted down and bags checked on entry to the glass capsules. They even had people doing bomb checks as people jumped off each glass capsule. The Eye moves quite slowly up and the "flight" as they called it takes about half an hour to do a full circle so we where lucky the day was quite clear and the rain had held off to get a good view of things.
Picture: The London Eye
Picture: View from the top of The London Eye
Picture: Paige standing with gentleman we met, he had sewed on all the buttons on his suit
Day Four – Tuesday
We jumped on the tub and headed to Buckingham Palace where we were hoping to see the changing of the guard but it wasn’t meant to be today as a police officer told us that because of the troops being overseas fighting in other countries this would only be happening tomorrow so we would have to come back.
We jumped on the tub and headed to Buckingham Palace where we were hoping to see the changing of the guard but it wasn’t meant to be today as a police officer told us that because of the troops being overseas fighting in other countries this would only be happening tomorrow so we would have to come back.
We then headed off to the Imperial War Museum where we wandered the different levels of War memorabilia, I got chatting to a couple of veterans that where happy chatting about the olden days, they remembered fondly the war years.
Walking around I had seen the Lion King stage show advertised so I decided to take this opportunity to see this show at the West End. The production of the Lion King was just amazing. The music, the puppetry and overall effects was just breath taking. I thought it was worth every pound I had spent on the ticket.
Walking around I had seen the Lion King stage show advertised so I decided to take this opportunity to see this show at the West End. The production of the Lion King was just amazing. The music, the puppetry and overall effects was just breath taking. I thought it was worth every pound I had spent on the ticket.
Picture: Buckingham Palace
Picture: One of the gaurds at Buckingham Palace
Day Five – Wednesday
We had seen the biggest basilica in Rome so we thought we would head to St Paul's Cathedral as we had heard that it was very impressive. St Paul's was built after the Great Firer of London and inaugurated in 1697 and also survived the London Blitz of WWII. An impressive cathedral with the roof decorated with beautiful mosaics which must of taken years to complete. I can’t say I was impressed that we had to pay an entry fee to enter a church.
As the rain came down we went back to Buckingham Palace for the Changing of the Guard. Once we arrived the crowds where out in force so getting a good spot was just impossible by the fence so we decided to stand across the road to get a good view of the soldiers and horses entering the palace grounds. I had seen this on tv but to see the procession close up was even better.
Picture: Palace Guards
Picture: Police protecting the palace
For a change of pace we headed to Harrods to visit this retail store. “What’s all the fuss about” I thought as I entered the store, over priced and it didn’t really "blow my hair back" oh well I can say I had been there.
Back on the tube and to the Camden markets. “Have a look at yourself” I heard myself thinking as we saw many punks and alternative dressed people. I think it’s a place that shows you that if we all looked the same then life would be boring. Camden Markets is an area that unusual dressed, body pieced, shaved hair people blend in as the norm.
Picture: Paige liked the big lion
Picture: To remember the woman of WWII
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