Please mind the gap between the doors and the platform.

---

So. I made it.

Of course I faced all the stereotypes of international flight…waiting in the wrong lines, crying children, confused but nice people in the way, confused but NOT so nice people in the way…etc.

But all of that became ancient history in the last 30 minutes of our flight.

From above, small English towns at night look a bit like spider webs, if you covered them in drops of water and held them under street lamps. And then, instead of going straight to Heathrow, the plane circled over central London, right when it was all lit up. I’m half convinced the pilot wanted to show it off. Or maybe he just wanted to see what it looked like; his accent WAS distinctly American.

I couldn’t have hoped for a better introduction to this city. I’m not sure if any of you enjoy how cities look at night...




…which you SHOULD...*

But it was gorgeous.

*This picture was not taken today, but actually the last time I visited London about 3 years ago.

Being no longer eligible for student discounts really smarts, money-wise, so I didn’t go into a lot of places. The day was actually pretty gray, especially in the morning. But it works here. London is full of dreary, gothic architecture and although I’m sure blue skies wouldn’t have hurt, the weather sort of added something the atmosphere of the place. At least I thought it did.




The lighting made for some not-so-great pictures, though.




This is Westminster Cathedral. Admission was 15 pounds (about $23) so please enjoy these pictures of the beautiful OUTDOOR section of the building.




Ooh, look a sundial!

In all seriousness, this church (called St. Margaret’s, on the grounds of Westminster Abbey) was consecrated in 1523. Being here makes the “Historic Building” signs in Massachusetts look downright laughable.




Not a great picture, but a scene from the pilot episode of the Doctor Who remake takes place on this bridge. Rose and the Doctor run across it to get to the London Eye in a frantic effort to save London from aliens. Luckily for them (and London) the bridge was miraculously free of people at the time.




I’m not too happy with how this picture came out, but it’s the only one I have of the Houses of Parliament from the water.




Except this one, but there’s this weird clock in the background. I’m not sure what that is or how it got into the picture.
I hear a scene from the Disney version of Peter Pan took place here, though.




Trafalgar Square. I don’t know who that guy was, or what he did, but apparently it merited a pillar high enough to guarantee that no one would ever see his face again. Part of me wonders if he was secretly afraid of heights or something and the sculptor had a grudge he didn’t want to admit.




A ship in a bottle in front of the National Gallery. Make no mistake, this sculpture was pretty big. You could probably fit a small child in there if you really wanted to. Some of the chaperones of the nearby school group would probably have happily obliged.

There was a plaque underneath explaining it. I read it, thought “hmm, that’s interesting,” and promptly forgot. Sorry.




St. Paul’s Cathedral from below. Going inside would have cost 12 pounds (about $19) so again, lovely from the outside, isn’t it?







“for any thing so o'erdone is from the purpose of playing, whose
end, both at the first and now, was and is, to hold as 'twere the
mirror up to nature: to show virtue her feature, scorn her own
image, and the very age and body of the time his form and
pressure.”

Or something like that. I couldn’t go in this time, but 3 years ago I did and for those who are curious, it looks like this:







This was supposedly the cathedral where Shakespeare was a member. Admission was cheap and it was lovely on the inside, but you need a special permit to take pictures in there, so you’ll have to take my word for it.

After this, I wandered across the London Bridge (yes THE London Bridge) to try and find a building I saw repeatedly on my trips to London 3 years ago. I always said it looked like a giant cigar, but I never found out what it was actually called. Today, it took a few minutes of wandering the financial district, as I didn’t want to stop any Londoners in business suits to ask “excuse me, I’m trying to find a building that looks like a giant cigar, can you show me where it is so I can go take a picture of it?”

But I found it.




I still have no idea what it’s called.

After taking the picture, I turned around and saw this:




And thought, “what in the bleeding is THAT?"

In a British accent, no less.

I think it’s a business building?

Anyway, things I didn’t go see today: The Tower of London, the Tower Bridge, Westminster Cathedral (a few blocks away from the Abbey), Buckingham Palace, King’s Cross station (where Hogwarts students board their train via magic platform), any of the big parks. Truthfully, having visited all those places before (yes, including King’s Cross), I’m not sure that I will this time around. Probably Camden Town (hip marketplace north of the city) tomorrow and then definitely Canterbury (yep, THE Canterbury) the day after that.

One more thing. For some reason I thought it was a good idea to try and get from one side of the city to the other at about 5pm today. Consider every stereotype you can possibly imagine about a foreigner attempting to cross a huge city during rush hour. Then subtract a language barrier and add in a city-wide Tube worker strike, so that approximately 1/3 to 1/2 of the stations are closed.

I will never complain about Boston public transit again. Ever. If I do, run me over with a bicycle. Preferably while wearing a suit and tie and carrying a briefcase.

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Comments

[Kristen]

Gherkin
Your giant cigar is the gherkin... Which is British for pickle! Kevin told me about this a while ago. Also Dad knows people who work in the giant pickle and he mom and Ben went to the top!! Glad to hear you're having fin!

[wendy]

priceless
I've been to some of these places many years ago, but your comments make them delightful to revisit!