Stuff and More Stuff: London First Trip

Ok, so I figured it was about time to bring all my darling, yet very neglected, blogging friends up to speed on everything...sorry, I kind of left you all hanging right outside of London...lol.

England

What an amazing experience I had! I already shared some of the small town stuff with you all, so I will share some pics from London and attempt to recap. I do apologize for the darkness of the pictures...it was a bit overcast, but if you would really like to see a pic, I think you can just click on it and it will be a better quality...maybe my computer is just dark...I don't know.

This was the first delightful scene as I arrived by train into London. It is the site of the 2012 Olympics...there was a big multi-million dirt mound too, but I'll spare you the view.

Jackie and I took the boat down the Thames river so we could catch a glimpse of many of the sites. Brrr...it was sooo dang cold and I was playing it tough 'cause I'm from Colorado...they don't know cold over there...lol...apparently I don't know cold on the river.

Tower Bridge

This is the bridge the US thought they were purchasing (and getting such as great price for it too)...oops...we actually purchased London Bridge...which is falling down...haa haa haa...it's not so pretty. I thought I took a pic, but can't seem to find it...hmm, but then again, I took over 500 pictures, so maybe I just can't remember which bridge it is.

Tower Bridge leading to Tower of London

This is the Tower of London.

If you look closely, you can see writing toward the bottom that says "Entry to the traitors gate." I was surprised to find out that traitors were just about anyone the King/Queen didn't like...like, at one point, people who worshiped in a manor that was not the way the K/Q worshiped...they were rough royal peeps back in the day (uh, actually the day before "back in the day").

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. I wish there was a way to capture the whole thing...it was unbelievable! My pics do this place no justice at all.

The gates even have crowns.

Sovereigns Entrance to the Houses of Parliament...sorry, I couldn't capture it really, so I just took pictures of some of the architectural detail.

Big Ben of course.

I had to put these next two guys together. Apparently the statue on the left is a bit controversial. It's a statue of Oliver Cromwell holding a sword and a bible. He is said to have initiated the trial and execution of Charles I...well, I knew that the bust of Charles I was right across the street because supposedly Cromwell's head is bowed to avoid the piercing gaze of Charles I. I turned around and after a few minutes, I saw the iiiiiiiitttttttyyyyyy bitty bust of Charles I and about laughed my head off...poor dinky Charles! I personally have come to the conclusion that Cromwell's head is bowed 'cause he's squinting so hard to see Charles I across the street. Aren't they just fabulous buildings though!

This next guy you may have seen on the news. He's the guy who camped outside the
Houses of Parliament day one that the war in Iraq started...he's still there, but at least now he has a permit to be there. He will remain until the war ends...power to ya brother.

The next pic is an Egyptian Obelisk...they call it Cleopatra's Needle, but it was around long before Cleopatra. Maybe they call it that because they were eventually moved to a temple built by Cleopatra...who knows? Anyway, there is another one in New York City, so eventually I will have to travel to New York to take a picture so my collection of Cleo's needles will be complete.

Below is the London Eye...or Eye of London whichever...I didn't get a closeup, but it's a pretty cool wheel.

This gorgeous little red church here houses the first English translation of the Bible.

Blackfriars Railway Bridge (the second...Blackfriars the first is no longer and this bridge was eventually renamed Blackfriars.)

I LOVE this place. I wish I could have gone in and looked around. It is The Globe Theater which is a reproduction of Shakespeare's original theater. IT HAS A THATCHED ROOF! Gorgeous!

This just cracked me up...it is a picture of a spa...very nice huh...lol. When they built it, they put in two-way glass so that the clients can look out over the Thames; however, they installed the windows backwards and everyone can see in, but they can't see out...hee hee...that's what I call accountability...of course, since they have not changed it...maybe it's just vanity. ;)

City Hall

This is a picture of the Gherkin...I think it has a real name, I think it is the Swiss Tower, but Gherkin is what the locals call it...I suppose that is one of the better likenesses they could have label it.

The Household Calvary

The museum left much to be desired. It showed the stables and some of the outfits they wore throughout the years...that's about it. I took pics, but they only allowed me to if I promised not to publish them. The best of the Household Calvary is outside:

hee hee This guy looked like he was dancing 'cause they can hardly walk in those giant boots.

Me and the Calvary "bloke."

Buckingham Palace

The gardens around Buckingham Palace

This guy was on the property surrounding Buckingham Palace, but isn't quite a part...maybe he's just protecting the side gates...not sure, but he looked like a toy soldier on a tattered mantle...lol.

These are called the fabulous buildings of London...haa haa haa...just kidding. I don't know what they are, I just thought they were wonderful.

I had to take two pictures of this building just 'cause it is sooooo fabulous!

I don't recall what building this is below on the left, but it had every single profession carved into the side of it.

I don't know what this is either, but it is awesome! Anyone know?

This is nothing really...I think I was just excited to see a door knob in London. Do you know they don't have door knobs on their houses? They have little finger pulls...I should have taken a picture of them...lol. Also, in the center of the door (the circle) it is embossd with VR for Victoria's Reign.

Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of this building (the pic on the left) in it's entirety...they were filming a Baliwood movie at the time, but the detail is phenominal.

I loved the sculpture on the building on the right, but was quite saddened to see the building on the left covered in a NYC style media screen.

After our walk around London, we went into a pub for cider...made from organic apples...sounds good doesn't it? It's not...don't let anyone tell you different! It's beer...blech...I think they just needed an excuse to put ice cubes in beer.