London!

London...so much history, entertainment, beauty and culture...

 

 Flying over London heading for Heathrow airport

 

My home while in London; the YHA Earl's Court

 

I spent most of my time in London checking out the typical tourist attractions along with going to the "We Will Rock You Musical" (which was absolutely fantastic!), relaxing in a few parks and local pubs and a wee bit of shopping.  It was amazing seeing so many places which I've seen on TV/news over the years.

 

One of the 270 Tube stations in  / Fish & Chips and Mushy Peas!

 

The London Underground (otherwise known as the Underground or the Tube) is a metro system serving a large part of Greater London and parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex. The system serves 270 stations and has 402 kilometres (250 mi) of track, 45% of which is below ground.

 

 

 It's Big Ben!

 

Big Ben is the nickname for the great bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, and often extended to refer to the clock and the clock tower. The tower is now officially called the Elizabeth Tower, after being renamed (from "Clock Tower") to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The Elizabeth Tower holds the largest four-faced chiming clock in the world and is the third-tallest free-standing clock tower. The tower was completed in 1858 and had its 150th anniversary on 31 May 2009, during which celebratory events took place.  The Elizabeth Tower has become one of the most prominent symbols of both London and England and is often in the establishing shot of films set in the city.

 

 

The Houses of Parliament

 

The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Commonly known as the Houses of Parliament after its tenants, the Palace lies on the Middlesex bank of the River Thames in the City of Westminster, in central London. Its name, which derives from the neighbouring Westminster Abbey, may refer to either of two structures: the Old Palace, a medieval building complex that was destroyed by fire in 1834, and its replacement New Palace that stands today. For ceremonial purposes, the palace retains its original style and status as a royal residence.

 

 

 The breathtaking Westminster Abby
 

Wow!  What a beautiful place!  Common with many churches we were unable to take pictures within the Abbey, however this gave me time to really enjoy it's beauty.

The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English, later British and later still (and currently) monarchs of the Commonwealth realms. The abbey is a Royal Peculiar and briefly held the status of a cathedral from 1540 to 1550.

 

The London Eye

 

I didn't go on the Ferris wheel (as I was advised the views from St. Paul's Cathedral were equally as good) but it was really cool to see and chill out in the area.

 

The London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel situated on the banks of the River Thames in London, England. The entire structure is 135 m (443 ft) tall and the wheel has a diameter of 120 m (394 ft).

It is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe, and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom, visited by over 3.5 million people annually. When erected in 1999 it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, until surpassed first by the 160 m (520 ft) Star of Nanchang in 2006 and then the 165 m (541 ft) Singapore Flyer in 2008. Supported by an A-frame on one side only, unlike the taller Nanchang and Singapore wheels, the Eye is described by its operators as "the world's tallest cantilevered observation wheel". It offered the highest public viewing point in the city until it was superseded by the 245-metre (804 ft) observation deck on the 72nd floor of The Shard, which opened to the public on 1 February 2013.

 

Trafalgar Square

 

Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, United Kingdom, built around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. It is in the borough of the City of Westminster. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of contemporary art. The square is also used for political demonstrations and community gatherings, such as the celebration of New Year's Eve.

 

This proud Canadian takes pictures of Canada House!

 

Canada House (French: Maison du Canada) is a Greek Revival building on Trafalgar Square in London that is part of the High Commission of Canada in London. Canada House hosts the cultural and consular sections of the High Commission, while the political, trade and administrative functions are carried out from Macdonald House in Mayfair.

  

  

 

Beautiful St. James's Park

 

What a beautiful and peaceful park!  I could have spent hours exploring and relaxing here.  At one point a squirrel (in the above photo) ran up me..yes that's correct it ran up me! It ran/crawled up my leg and stomach up to my chest...friendly little fellow :)

 

St. James's Park is a 23 hectares (57 acres) park in the City of Westminster, central London - the oldest of the Royal Parks of London. The park lies at the southernmost tip of the St James's area, which was named after a leper hospital dedicated to St. James the Less.  St. James's Park is bounded by Buckingham Palace to the west, The Mall and St. James's Palace to the North, Horse Guards to the east, and Birdcage Walk to the south.

  

 

The British Museum - one of a few museums I visited, surprisingly!

 

The British Museum is a museum in London dedicated to human history and culture. Its permanent collection, numbering some eight million works, is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence and originates from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present.

The British Museum was established in 1753, largely based on the collections of the physician and scientist Sir Hans Sloane. The museum first opened to the public on 15 January 1759 in Montagu House in Bloomsbury, on the site of the current museum building. Its expansion over the following two and a half centuries was largely a result of an expanding British colonial footprint and has resulted in the creation of several branch institutions, the first being the British Museum (Natural History) in South Kensington in 1887. Some objects in the collection, most notably the Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon, are the objects of intense controversy and of calls for restitution to their countries of origin.

 

  Taking the River Cruise / Hey kids, there's Big Ben!

  

The Tower of London

 

Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the square mile of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill. It was founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078, and was a resented symbol of oppression, inflicted upon London by the new ruling elite. The castle was used as a prison since at least 1100, although that was not its primary purpose. A grand palace early in its history, it served as a royal residence. As a whole, the Tower is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat. There were several phases of expansion, mainly under Kings Richard the Lionheart, Henry III, and Edward I in the 12th and 13th centuries. The general layout established by the late 13th century remains despite later activity on the site.

 

The Tower Bridge

 

Tower Bridge (built 1886–1894) is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, over the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, from which it takes its name.

The bridge consists of two towers tied together at the upper level by means of two horizontal walkways, designed to withstand the horizontal forces exerted by the suspended sections of the bridge on the landward sides of the towers. The vertical component of the forces in the suspended sections and the vertical reactions of the two walkways are carried by the two robust towers. The bascule pivots and operating machinery are housed in the base of each tower. The bridge's present colour scheme dates from 1977, when it was painted red, white and blue for the Queen Elizabeth II's silver jubilee. Originally it was painted a mid greenish-blue colour.

 

 

St Paul's Cathedral

 

What a spectacular cathedral!!  It is absolutely gorgeous inside;  as I spent a little too much time admiring inside I had only approximately 10 minutes to climb 661 steps to enjoy the breathtaking views from the top of the cathedral.  Worth the climb!

 

St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604.  St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother church of the Diocese of London. The present church dating from the late 17th century was built to an English Baroque design of Sir Christopher Wren, as part of a major rebuilding program which took place in the city after the Great Fire of London, and was completed within his lifetime.

The cathedral is one of the most famous and most recognisable sights of London, with its dome, framed by the spires of Wren's City churches, dominating the skyline for 300 years.  At 365 feet (111 m) high, it was the tallest building in London from 1710 to 1962, and its dome is also among the highest in the world. In terms of area, St Paul's is the second largest church building in the United Kingdom after Liverpool Cathedral.

 

Telephone Booth / Taxi

 

 

Buckingham Palace

 

Wow!!  Just like I've seen on TV all these years, Buckingham Palace is an amazing place.  Although I didn't see any royalty it was wonderful to be in the area and the crowds of people gathered to see the Changing of the Guards were unbelievable.

 

Buckingham Palace is the official London residence and principal workplace of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focus for the British people at times of national rejoicing and crisis.

 

Changing of the Guards

 

 

Enjoying lunch and quiet time in a park

 

  

I was inspired by the non profit organization transforming the lives of woman and children by creating jobs and devoting all their income to children's scholarships.  Products (above) are handmade using recycled materials to help our planet.

 

 

 

M&M's!!  

Being a huge M&M fan, exploring M&M world was a must!
 

Piccadily Circus

 

Enjoying some bagpipe music, a perfect Segway for my journey up to Scotland 2 days later.

 

While in London, I also attended a 3 day Wisdom Course through Landmark Education.  Alike the numerous Landmark Education courses I have taken in the past 6 years this weekend was inspirational, empowering and fun!  I met several wonderful people from the UK, Europe as well as a few others from North America.  If you are interested in learning about what it takes to LIVE an EXTRAORDINARY life I invite you to check out http://www.landmarkeducation.com/

 

* Information in italics are provided by Wikipedia

 

Highly recommend:

 

London Earl's Court YHA:  http://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/london-earls-court

London Pass:  http://www.londonpass.com/

Oyster Card:  http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14825.aspx 

We Will Rock You Musical:  http://www.wewillrockyou.co.uk/#/news