Wandering Tourists in London

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We met John's cousin Jane at Waterloo Station and headed towards the Southbank. We decided to do the ultimate tourist act and go on the London Eye. The "queue" was incredibly long so we opted to buy our tickets ahead and go back later in the afternoon to go on the Eye.

Wandering along the Southbank was great. The Thames was on our left while street performers lined our right - well, actually, the "performers" were people all painted in gold and silver who sat completely motionless for money. Not sure if "performer" is the correct description b/c they just stand there! Anyway, we went into the Tate Modern for a mere minute to see some contemporary art. The one that struck us the most was a glass of water on a glass shelf. Very moving. NOT!!!

The Tate Modern building itself was interesting in that it's a converted power plant. The neat thing is that it's right beside Shakespeare's Globe Theatre which originally dates back to 1200. Seeing the classic vs. the contemporary side by side was neat.

We walked along the Wobbely Bridge which got its name b/c when it was built the engineers didn't anticipate the volume of people who would cross it on opening day so it wobbled to and fro b/c of the weight. They've since fixed it and we crossed without any shakiness. (Another interesting tidbit was that we found very few garbage cans around London. It was quite annoying carrying our litter for miles but when we learned that the lack of litter cans was due to the IRA bombings it all made sense)!

We discovered Borough Market which whetted our appetites for the markets in France. The breads and cheeses were the most amazing things I've seen ever. Can't wait for the Provencal markets.

Continuing along whatever street we were on we got to St. Paul's Cathedral and the site of Prince Charles and Princess Di's wedding. Since we were there we felt we should pay it a visit inside but...wait for it...they charge you £8! The church charges!!!!!! I think that is so offensive and I'm the least religious person out there. Churches are meant to be be sanctuaries for salvation yet this famous site is charging admission! Unbelievable! In a huff, we travelled further on foot along the north bank of the Thames where we found a memorial in honour of the bombing victims. There were tons of flowers and a book to sign where we left a few words ourselves.

Finally, we decided to go back to the London Eye. It was a half hour wait even with tickets and I was a bit skeptical b/c it just looked like a big ferris wheel. Plus, the capsules you go into are called "pods" and the whole experience was starting to feel like a scene out of Cocoon.

As we approached our "pod" the "ferris wheel" didn't stop - somewhat like a ski chair lift. The British Airways men swipe each pod before you get on - I guess to check if the previous group left behind any suspect "device". Interesting.

Anyway, the Eye travels in a big circle so slowly you can see everything worth seeing in London. It was amazing and was great for perspective. It confirmed to us that we've seen tons of London and didn't miss a thing as first timers. We can leave knowing we had a good overview which will be great for next time.

After the Eye, it was about 6pm so a pre-dinner drink was in order. Jane and I opted for a bottle of champagne. Go big or go home I say! It was a lovely time sitting outside w/ John's cousin sipping bubbly. John, of course, had a Stella in a chilled glass which, I might add, is very difficult to get here. The drinks are never cold and when you ask for an iced drink they look at you like you're....American!

Dinner wasn't bad but John and I are still waiting for a stellar meal. The hunt continues.

Miss you all!

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