London was a highly anticipated destination for Adam on this journey – as he had never been there before and always wanted to. We flew into London in mid July from Dublin, after spending two weeks on the Emerald Isle. This post covers only the time we spent in London. There is a separate blog post for the time we spent across the rest of England and another post for the time we spent in Scotland. The exact dates of where we stayed are on Our Schedule page of this website.
We stayed near Regent’s Park for our first three days in London. Together, we rode the London Eye, visited the Tower of London, and had lunch at a Pub on the Thames River. Susan’s knee needed surgery at this point (discussed in the “England” post) so she had to limit her activities (Susan had been to London twice before so she did not feel that she was missing out). Adam roamed around the city, using the Hop-on-hop-off bus, and walking for miles. The London subway “the Underground” is fast and efficient, albeit noisy. We ultimately departed the UK from London Heathrow Airport in early September.
This is not our typical map for an adventure, but I thought this map from Hand Drawn Maps illustrates the main attractions in London. Our adventures, split into several different stays near London, will take us along the Thames, from Vauxhall to Tower Bridge and from Seville Road to the “Gherkin”.One of the first items to see in London and a great way to start our trip – The Houses of Parliament and the Clock Tower. An interesting note – the Clock Tower is now called Elizabeth Tower, named for the former queen after 50 years of UK rule. “Big Ben” as the clock tower is sometimes called, actually refers to the largest bell inside the tower, weighing a staggering 14 tons. One of the many travel tips we have is the Hop On/Hop Off buses available in many cities. A great way to see the many significant sights a city has to offer while enjoying the ride. Here, Adam is passing Trafalgar Square during the ride in London.For all the James Bond, 007 fans that are subscribed, can you guess the location…. If you said MI6, you are correct! The building photographs well, but appears smaller in real life compared to the onscreen version from the movies.“This is the BBC, here is the news…” Located several blocks from our first hotel, this is the HQ for the BBC news service. Additionally, during another stay in northern London, in Muswell Hill, was another BBC location which broadcast the first High Def television service in 1936.
One of the fun things we did was ride the London Eye. The London Eye was built in 1999 as a temporary attraction, but the wheel proved so popular that they kept it permanently.A trip on the London Eye takes about 30 minutes where you are inside one of 33 pods (pod 13 is missing as a means of Good Luck). As you can see, the pods are mostly windows, providing an extensive view of London and the surrounding areas. Each pod is climate controlled.One of the best views of Buckingham Palace is from the Eye. A working palace and ceremonial home of the British Monarchy, the current monarch, King Charles III, does not reside in the palace.The views of London were spectacular! Here, we are facing east along the Thames. The skyscrapers in view make up the London financial district, home to many famous buildings including the “Gherkin”. The tallest building in London, the “Shard” is seen on right.While in the Eye, we looked down below us and there was a Pub on a ship in the Thames River – so we went and had lunch there. The ship is named the PS Tattershall Castle, and it was a passenger ferry across the Humber estuary from 1934 to 1973, before being towed to London in 1976.One of the interesting things about travel is the ability to connect with people or places you normally only see in You Tube videos. Located in the bustling Borough Market, Mei Mei is a Malaysian eatery that is run by Chef Elizabeth Haigh. I can definitely recommend the Nasi Lemak – quite delicious.
The Tower of London, was built in 1078 by William the Conquerer and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fortress, located along the River Thames, has served as a seat of power, a prison for many famous individuals and as the Royal Mint.The Tower of London currently houses the Crown Jewels, the priceless ceremonial regalia and crowns used in royal coronations. Unfortunately, photographs and video were not allowed. The jewels were impressive and worth the visit.The famous Tower of London Ravens are a significant sight inside the tower complex. Legend has it that if the resident ravens ever leave the fortress, the Tower will crumble and the British kingdom will fall While at the Tower of London, we were able get a picture with the Iconic Tower Bridge. For those familiar with our family, you know the extensive Lego collection that we have. It is exciting to visit places that you have assembled in Lego. Adam walked the bridge and got to see up close the details on each Tower.You never know who you will meet in London! Adam was able to meet the 6-foot tall Legos version of King Charles III during his session at the Hamleys Toy Store on Regent Street.
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