Day 1 - LondonAuthor: jawapro
Date: Thu 22/01/2009 06:50 AM
From Heathrow, we caught the tube into London. Efficient - but crowded. That about sums up the tube network. That and the fact that they are constantly saying “mind the gap”. You hear that a few hundred times on the tube. It’s not even a big gap.
We found our hotel - but weren’t able to check in yet. We did manage to leave our bags with the bag-room though. We went over the road to a coffee shop for a drink, and attempted to contact home to say we’d got there. We’d been sending SMSs but hadn’t got any replies so we didn’t know if they were working. Apparently they were - our parents just hadn’t replied.
As far as weather goes - it was a pleasant surprise. Everyone had been telling us it would be very cold and we’d need many layers of cloths etc. Emma was wearing layers - but I was just in my big red jacket - and that was plenty warm enough. It was too cold for just a shirt - but not by too much.
It also wasn’t raining. It rained while we were on the tube from Heathrow, but after that it was fine.
We went for a walk, and found the entrance to the British Museum (where the lion was) but decided that as the weather wasn’t bad - we should go and take a look at some of the outside things. We grabbed a Travelpass for the Tube network, and headed off to find the Queen.
Buckingham Palace. One of the must-sees in London - but not actually all that exciting in itself.
Sadly, there was no changing of the guards ceremony - but there were still some there, who would occasionally do a little march and their dance thing. Not sure if they do it on a schedule, or just when they are sick if standing in the same place.
There were also some ‘normal’ guards to stop people from entering the palace.
The Union Jack was flying - but I don’t think that means the Queen is in town. I thought it was her standard that flew in that case.
A group of mounted guards rode past for some unknown reason.
This was the only queen we saw - and she was the wrong one.
We walked through the park opposite the palace, and met this cute little squirrel/chipmunk guy. We can’t remember which is the name of the European variety and which is the American.
From here we could see the Eye - but there was no way I was going on it.
We walked past Downing Street - but you’re not allowed in it.
From here we walked to Westminster. Here we saw the House of Parliament:
Big Ben:
Westminster Abbey:
And a friendly chap called Churchill.
We were now even closer to the Eye - but I was even further from going on it. Didn’t appear to be in use anyway.
Next stop was the Tower of London - which is less of a Tower and more of a group of them.
It costs a bit to get in - and there were no tours running - but it was still worth it.
Inside ‘The Tower’, there are lost of different towers and buildings. The whole complex has been used as fortresses, palaces, and various other things. It is most famous as a prison, even though that was one of it’s lesser uses (from what we could tell from the plaques)
The towers were interesting - some included video projectors detailing some information about a room or period.
While another room had a couple of actors who were busy discussing why Edward The Something’s marriage was considered successful with some other patrons.
In another of the towers, we got to handle some old pieces of equipment.
Although difficult to tell from this photo of the model - the entire Tower complex used to be surrounded by water. You can still see a ditch where the moat used to be - but it’s not full of water anymore.
In this section of the Tower, the Crown Jewels are kept. There were heaps of Beef Eaters (guards) roaming about, and you weren’t allowed to take photos.
Never knew there were so many different gold and jewel swords and scepters.
This is a replica of one of the crowns - which we were allowed to photograph.
It was getting late and dark by this stage - and we were kicked out before we got to the center tower (which was being renovated). I’m not sure what’s in there, or what we missed. Pity - but such is life.
Just besides the Tower, is Tower Bridge. We didn’t go in or on it - but spent a while gazing at it from the shore.
Tower Bridge in the dark - after we left the tower.
From here we caught the tube back to the hotel, checked in with Contiki and headed for bed. We were both dead tired, and I fell asleep before Emma even turned off the lights (she was in the bathroom at the time).
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