FranceSpainEnglandIceland2015: Tour of London

As planned, today we walked along the Thames seeing some London sites. We started by crossing the river over the London Bridge and continuing around Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress (otherwise known as the Tower of London). This brought us to the Tower Bridge, which we crossed before continuing upstream. In this direction, we passed the HMS Belfast (a WWII era Royal Navy light cruiser), the Tate Modern (a monstrous brick structure which was formerly the Bankside Power Station and is now an art gallery), and the modern reconstruction of the Globe Theatre. Here we crossed the river once again over the Millennium Bridge and continued straight to St. Paul's Cathedral. We got a good view of the latter as well as some of London by going to the roof of a nearby shopping mall. After a brief snack, we continued along the northern bank of the river, passing ornate lamps and benches, as well as Cleopatra's Needle, an Egyptian obelisk from the reign of Thutmose III (1400 years before Cleopatra), which is flanked by a pair of magnificent Sphinxes. A short distance from the Needle we left the river for a detour through Trafalgar Square, where we saw Nelson's Column and the exterior of the National Portrait Gallery. After returning to the Thames, we got a good view of the London Eye and the houses of Parliament. We walked out a ways onto the Westminster Bridge for an improved view of the latter before leaving the riverside once again and passing the Big Ben clock tower and Westminster Abbey. Tired at this point of the bustling city, we walked through St. James Park, which is known for its lake and inhabitant waterfowl, including a colony of pelicans introduced as a gift by the Russian Ambassador in 1664. Leaving the park brought us to Buckingham Palace. We ended the day at two pubs (one for a drink and one for dinner, both separated by lengthy walk) and a ride through the tube. (TS)

Our route (in blue). The start position is at the lower right; the return tube ride is not included.

Nathaniel, Maryrose, and Mom in front of the London Shard

Detail of the Tower of London

Mom and Maryrose next to the Tower of London with the Tower Bridge in the background

Nathaniel and Mom in front of the Tower Bridge

The author, Maryrose, and Nathaniel with the HMS Belfast in the background

The author and mom in front of the Globe Theatre

Nathaniel and the author in front of the replica of the Golden Hinde moored at the St Mary Overie Dock (which has its own interesting story, not explained here for lack of time). Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the globe in 1577 with the real vessel.

This ocean-going replica gets some modern help.

The Millennium Bridge

Maryrose and Mom in front of St. Paul's Cathedral

Maryrose, the author, and Mom in front of St. Paul's Cathedral. Among others, the cathedral has seen the burial services of Lord Nelson and Winston Churchill.

Mom in front of one of many elaborate lamp posts on the Thames

The author on a bench supported by two winged sphinxes.

The author in front of one of the two Egyptian Sphinxes flanking Cleopatra's Needle.

Cleopatra's Needle. This obelisk was given to the United Kingdom by Egypt in 1819 in commemoration of the two English victories at the Battle of the Nile and the Battle of Alexandria in 1801.