Monday, July 22, 2019

A Taste of London, Part Two




After a great night's rest we awakened to start our full day in London.  We noticed last evening a couple nice places near our hotel that open for breakfast.  



Caffe' Concerto makes a lovely omelette that gave us the energy to enjoy the morning activities.  Last evening we bought the tickets for the Hop On Hop Off Bus to take a tour around London.  This seemed like a great way to see more of the sights up close and personal.  This is a great way to stop when you want and get back on later if you have time.



There are flowers everywhere we walk in London.  I applaud this lovely city for adding so much more beauty to an already amazing place.  Let's get on the double decker bus.  Maybe we'll try the top level or maybe you want to sit downstairs where it's less breezy.




Right off the bat we pass by the Horse Guards Building with a mounted trooper of the Household Cavalry in full regalia.  How exciting!  There is an air of royalty in London.



We were thrilled to see the lovely architecture that surrounds the Houses of Parliament that borders the River Thames.  It's so fun to view these iconic spots in person. 



Traveling through the West End Theater district we notice the lovely flower boxes brimming with lovely color.  It would have been nice to have time to take in a show.



The lovely Sicilian Avenue shopping area looks so charming in Bloomsbury, London. 



The Royal Stock Exchange sits proudly among the skyscrapers of London.



Our bus took us back across the Thames on the London Bridge.  The Tower Bridge is in our view.


The Tower of London is officially Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London.   Not only is it a castle, but a fortress and an infamous prison. 

Riding along the streets of London we pass many iconic places.



The Marble Arch used to be in front of Buckingham Palace during Queen Victoria's reign until she had it moved.  The arch has been moved many times and now is in the Park Lane area.



As you can see Trafalgar Square is quite the gathering spot.  We continued on the bus tour.



We pass by the Monument to the Women of WWII.  The lettering on the monument is the same lettering used on ration books used during the war.  There are 17 different uniforms symbolizing the hundreds of jobs that women did during the war.



Down this block is Number 10 Downing Street, the headquarters of the Government of the United Kingdom and the home of the Prime Minister.



The beautiful towers of Westminster Abbey rise skyward.  This area was so congested with construction it appeared to be impossible to visit.



We decided with the time we had left we would visit St. Paul's Cathedral.  So we left the bus and walked up to the cathedral to buy our entrance tickets.



Queen Anne was the reigning monarch when the new St. Paul's Cathedral was completed in 1710.  Her statue stands in front as we enter.  St. Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican church and is the seat of the Bishop of London and the mother church of the Diocese of London.  It is dedicated to the Apostle Paul.  The present church is at least the forth cathedral to stand on this site.  Its predecessor was destroyed in the Great Fire of London.  The present cathedral was designed by the great Sir Christopher Wren.  Including its dome it used to be the tallest building in London until 1967.  The dome stands at 365 feet tall.  



Stepping inside of St. Paul's I'm in awe of the quiet beauty and reverence of this very large building.  You may remember that St. Paul's was chosen for the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer.



We really enjoyed the multimedia headphones that provided a wealth of information on the cathedral.  It was an especially nice way to enjoy the serenity of this special place and still stop and reflect when we wished.  The cruciform sculpture is one of two that commemorate the 100 year anniversary of World War I.  They each depict the war graves of Northern France.



The beautiful gilded ceilings caused us to have a seat and ponder the meaning of each one. 













The altar with the organ in the background.  



Even though we didn't hear the organ playing the media headphones gave us a small sampling of its beauty.  I must admit even hearing it through a headphone touched my soul.






The stone effigy of John Donne has its place in the cathedral.  Nicolas Stone designed the statue of Donne the preacher and poet and Dean of St. Paul's.  This piece survived the Great Fire of London of 1666 that destroyed the Norman cathedral of St. Paul. 

I'm so glad we were able to visit this beautiful house of worship in London.  Though our time was quite limited in this lovely city, we enjoyed it very much.  



We headed back to our hotel to pack our bags and get ready to leave and head back to Southampton in the morning to board the Queen Victoria.  We are so excited to be going to Norway!  Please join us as we travel the North Sea to a most beautiful kingdom. 










21 comments:

  1. A whistle stop tour indeed, so I do think taking a bus tour was the best thing. You saw so much more, taking in the highlights, than if you had taken the claustrophobic underground from point to point. It looks as if you found some chilly weather? Lovely photo of you! You must be having fun sorting out photos and writing your lovely words as a fond memory.

    ~~~Waving~~From Across the Pond~~~Deb in Wales xoxo

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    1. Deb, I've really enjoyed sorting through all the photos. I take way too many, but that is the beauty of a digital camera. I honestly don't have the heart to delete a single photo.
      I long for some chilly weather like we experienced and really can't imagine touring with 90 degree and above temperatures. Hopefully you are staying comfortable. xoxo ♥

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  2. Thank you for this gorgeous virtual tour!Hugs!

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  3. You managed your time well in London. Beautiful photos you've shared from St. Paul's. What a magnificent cathedral.

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    1. Ellen, St. Paul's Cathedral was magnificent. Since time was short, the places we saw and visited meant a lot to us. Thank you for stopping by.

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  4. Wow.. what a whirlwind tour of London you two had! I'd love to do something like that. I'm looking forward to the next part of your adventure. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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    1. Teresa, I'm so glad you are joining us as we travel. I pretty sure you are going to love Norway!

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  5. I am glad that I have traveling friends as I shall never see London for myself. I had no idea that the Marble Arch has been traveling around London. It doesn’t seem like something that would be easy to relocate.

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    1. Vee, our grandson Alex thought the same thing as you as we all pondered about moving the Marble Arch.
      Sending love to you, my friend. ♥

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  6. What a wonderful tour you took us on. It was a joy to come along with you and remember the times I spent with my daughters in our capital city. I am so looking forward to the next leg of your trip.

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    1. I'm so happy to have you along with us, Lorraine. I'm pretty sure you are going to enjoy our travels north. ♥

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  7. These are splendid photos but it is lovely to see you in the last one Martha Ellen :) Thank you for sharing these around London, always enjoyed :))

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    1. Thank you so much, Denise. It's always lovely to have you come along on our travels.

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  8. I am so glad that you were able to have this wonderful trip sandwiched into your trip to Norway. You were able to see many fascinating sights! Your photographs are wonderful, Martha Ellen . . . always capturing the beauty and the history!

    And now I'm ready to see Norway with you!

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    1. I'm ready too, Cheryl! We are so glad we were able to get a small glimpse of London. It was not at all what we expected--a happy surprise. ♥

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  9. What beautiful pictures you have shared and the history. Such a contrast between the Royal Stock Exchange and the skyscrapers.
    Surprised to hear the Marble Arch has been moved several times. I Look forward to hearing about Norway.
    Betsy

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    1. London is really a contrast of old and new. I can't imagine moving the Marble Arch either! I guess with enough money and engineering it was accomplished. I'm so glad you will join us on our trip to Norway!

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  10. A bus is a good way to get an overview of a city. Top of a double decker would be fun. You got some good photos as you drove around! Anxious to see Norway through your eyes!

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    1. We enjoyed London so much more than we expected, Dotsie. We've had a lot of family visiting lately, but I do hope to get our Norwegian trip soon. I'm so glad you will be joining us.

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  11. St. Paul's is wonderful isn't it.
    I visited many years ago, it is a special place.

    I certainly enjoyed A Taste of London, Part Two.
    I wonder where you are off to next!

    All the best Jan

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