Exploring London, one blister at a time

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Today was one of those days that needs to be written in bullet points. London is a BIG city, and good walking shoes or not, you will be exhausted at the end of the day, I guarantee it.

Our day started with a walk to Westminster Abbey and a self-tour of the inside. There are SO many elaborate crypts and interesting people buried there, from k1ngs and queens to Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin. Definitely worth the 15 pound cost to go in. You can’t take pictures inside but there are postcards and you can purchase a guidebook with photos for 2 pounds.

From there we…

-walked past Big Ben and Houses of Parliament

-walked down Whitehall Avenue past the Prime Minister’s house (10 Downing Street)

-walked to Trafalgar Square and then down The Mall to Buckingham Palace (where we saw the beginning of the Changing of the Guard procession)

- watched the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace among about a gazillion people

-maneuvered through the crowds to St. James Park to get some water and take a break

-walked to Picadilly to pick up the Original Tour hop-on hop-off bus (Blue Tour)

-went to Victoria and Albert Museum

-Took the Yellow Tour all around London until we reached Tower of London

-Went to Tower of London (the Crown Jewels are definitely the highlight here, and there was also an interesting temporary exhibit about Henry VIII)

-Stopped for fish and chips at Tower Hill Diner

-Took a Thames River Cruise from Tower Milleniium Pier to Westminster Pier

-Walked past Big Ben/Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey again

-Stopped for ice cream

-Walked back to the hotel

I’ll let the photos fill in all the parts I’ve left out!

Tomorrow we take a day trip to Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford, and Warwick Castle!

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Comments

[Michael]

That was a lot to get explored in one day! Gazillions sounds right, they're like a zombie horde gathering outside the palace. Hurrah for Fish and Chips. Loved the historical grafitti photos :)

[Michael]

Also, the English food looks a lot less appetising than your normal food pictures :(