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Published: September 23rd 2008
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Buckingham Palace no1
Waiting for the changing of the guard Today was London Day. We went up to London on the train in the morning and headed to Buckingham Palace. We saw the changing of the guard. The new guards get brought in with a big marching band. Even though it was a Thursday the place was chocka! After we had seen enough we went and joined the queue to see Buckingham Palace. Once we got in the place was amazing! We looked at the 19 state rooms and one of them was set up in for a state banquet - wow! The table starts getting set 2 days in advance and everything is measured so every setting is exactly the same. If you look down the length of the table it is perfectly straight. There were also guards there who stand so perfectly still, not moving their heads at all.
The other rooms in the palace were so glamorous. So much money went into them all! Gold everywhere, massive portraits, sculptures, silk, wooden furniture...yeah, everything you could imagine. They had an audio tour that you listen to while you are walking and the coolest part was the big orchestral music they play as you walk up the grand staircase
Buckingham Palace no2
Looking back at the Palace - a really neat feeling!
After Buckingham Palace we moved on to the Big Ben where I learned that the Houses of Parliament were also. We then went round the corner to Westminster Abbey. It is another old beautiful church. Just as well we had Dad with us also because he pointed out all of the sights to us (I had no idea what they all looked like until we went there).
We walked past Downing Street (where the Prime minister lives) and went to Trafalgar Square. It’s quite funny going to all the places on the Monopoly Board! Everywhere we went there were lots of the true British sights - red post-boxes, red double decker buses, black taxi cabs, policeman with those funny tall hats etc.
At Trafalgar Square we saw Nelson’s Column (another famous landmark I had never heard about!). Daniel and I climbed up on one of the lions and had some poesy touristy shots. Actually Daniel climbed up and dragged me up, then climbed down and carried me off to the ground! Oooohhhh...what would I do without my strong man!
We went on the underground system again (quite handy and quick for
getting around), and headed to the tower of London. We climbed up out of the underground and lo and behold there was the tower of London! It was pretty massive. We read lots of the plaques around it and took photos. We then carried on around the corner to the Tower Bridge, where, surprise, surprise, one half was covered in scaffolding! Anyway, again took the touristy photos and then walked over it to head back into central London along a walkway next to the river Thames (a big old famous river with looks disgustingly brown).
We passed a museum on the water in the form of the HMS Belfast Ship, which even had scaffolding on it! We passed London Bridge (not the famous Tower Bridge, but another bridge). And then eventually decided we would brave the rush hour undergrounds as our feet were getting sore. As we crossed the Millennium foot bridge Dad spotted the St Pauls Cathedral directly in front of us, so of course we went, we saw, we photographed, we conquered another tourist attraction. Then off again to the undergrounds were we joined rush hour workers, but although we had to stand, it wasn’t like we were
The guards
...see their massive guns. all packed in - so definitely not as bad as I imagined it would be.
We then went out to dinner at Fire & Stone before our show. This was really crazy...to get tickets to the show was £26.25 each, but to get theatre tickets and a meal out was £21.00 each! Hmmmm...hard decision! So, as I was saying, we went out for dinner and had yummy pizza - such a hard task for me to endure, I know, I know. And then headed over to the theatre where we saw Chicago. Apparently it is celebrating its 10th year of running the show! They do swap cast every now and then, but still, 10 years of running the same show every night, and twice a week a matinee show too...I’m surprised the theatre was still so full! We had prime seats....second row from the back! Hehehe! But once it started we moved up further, and then at mid-break we moved even further down into the middle section! The show was quite impressive. The story line was not overly enthralling but the orchestra and the dancing and the singing was amazing. I have no idea how they manage to dance
Inside part of Buckingham Palace
You weren't supposed to take photos inside, so Dad stood outside and took this through the door! The other rooms are far more impressive though, but at least you get an idea. so much and sing so loud without sounding puffed!
After the show we joined ever theatre going person onto the undergrounds and back to Waterloo to catch the train back home. I couldn’t believe how full the train was either considering it was 11pm. The British must spent a lot of time out and about quite late at night.
So, that was our London day...hope you enjoyed reading it!
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Rochelle
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oh the memories!!
He he - your pics of London are almost identical to ours. Isn't the Thames disgusting??? And did you know that local restaurants pride themselves on serving fish from the Thames?? And the underground ... I don't miss the smell at all!