London - 5/7/2016
Jenny, Sarah and I boarded the buses around 6:00am with the other band members and family that had opted for today’s additional
day trip to London. The ride to the Eurostar station near central Paris took about an half an hour. We went through
customs and waited to board the train. Eventually, we walked down the platform and climbed aboard the sleek train cars for
our high speed trip to London. Our route took us north from Paris to Calais where we journeyed under the English Channel to
reemerge at Dover for the final sprint into London at St Pancras railway station. During the two and a half hour trip we
enjoyed a light lunch and relaxed. The seats were large and very comfortable. They were larger and offered more
legroom than on any airplane I had ever been on. The trained moved along at a blistering 300 kilometers per hour or 187
miles per hour. It was a very smooth ride and I was able to walk around with no difficulty. This is truly the best
way to travel. Watching the countryside whiz past the windows was like nothing I had seen before.
Once we arrived in England, the three of us transferred to the London Underground to begin our day exploring. As we
emerged from the underground at Westminster Station I we surprisingly greeted with the sight of Big Ben.
Click here to view all of my pictures of Big Ben
A walk of just a couple blocks and we were at Westminster Abbey.
Click here to see my pictures of Westminster Abbey.
Next, we walked the quaint streets about a half mile to arrive at Buckingham Palace. We pressed our way through the large
crowd to witness the changing of the guards.
Click here to view my photos from Buckingham Palace.
We walked along a street called Birdcage Walk which runs along the south edge of St. James’ Park. We browsed several
shops and admired the gardens along the street.
We crossed the River Thames on Westminster Bridge where we rode aloft on the London Eye. At it’s highest point the wheel
is 443 feet tall. We were able to get a bird's-eye view of the city's landmarks.
Click here to see all of my pictures from the London Eye.
Next, we took a river cruise from the London Eye to the Tower of Loudon about two miles away. We passed under the Golden
Jubilee Bridges, Waterloo Bridge, Blackfriars Bridge, Millennium Bridge, Southwark Bridge and London Bridge. Upon arriving
at the Tower of London we were able to see the famous Tower Bridge nearby.
Click here to see my pictures from along the River Thames
We explored the Tower of London for over an hour. We saw the ceremonial guardians of the Tower of London, popularly
known as the Beefeaters. There was a portrayal of a peasant revolt and we saw a glimpse of a well connected couple getting
married within the tower grounds, complete with royal guards.
Click here to view all of my photos of the Tower of London.
Is was getting late in the afternoon and we hadn’t eaten since before we arrived in England. Right between the Tower of
London and Tower Bridge, we found Perkin Reveller. This contemporary, casual brasserie with river vista, outdoor tables
and a menu of British classics turned out to be the surprising bonus of the day. Being here on the banks of the River
Thames I felt compelled to order the fish and chips.
Click here to see other various photos from around London.
After a little shopping we made our way back to the London Underground for the ride from Tower Hill to King's Cross St.
Pancras. There, we would board the Eurostar for the return trip to Paris. We were all very tired after hopping from
sight to sight in London and two long international train rides. Once we finally returned to the hotel we were right in
bed.
Tomorrow we will visit Sacre-Coeur, the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysees.
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