Pictures First, Words Later
We felt bad that we were such unappreciative bums yesterday, so Bridgette and I made plans to go out and explore today. Accompanied by Cat, we took the tube to Buckingham Palace, where the guards/royal marching band (?) played some music and then marched through the square and disappeared. It was jam packed with international tourists. I used to pride myself on being able to distinguish/identify foreign languages even if I don't speak them, but I almost feel like I am getting worse! We did hear a lot of French and saw quite a few Orthodox Jews. The hoards were densely gathered near the gates, sometimes 6-7 people deep. By wiggling my way through or holding my camera above everyone's heads, I did manage to get some neat photos and a couple videos. We had thought about taking a tour of the palace, but it was really crowded and we didn't see signs anywhere that would have pointed us toward that. Hopefully, we will go back and tour before we leave!
Today was sunnier than I ever imagined January in London could be, so we migrated from Buckingham Palace to the London Eye. For £19.95 (~$32) you get to ride once around in a little glass capsule. It's crazy because the wheel turns slowly enough to board the ride while it is moving. We only had to wait in line for about 10 minutes after purchasing our tickets. I can't believe how quickly the lines moved and how few people were there considering it was a lovely Sunday afternoon! There were probably 15 people in our bubble, which was perfectly comfortable. The views were stunning, however, (and I can't believe I'm saying this) it was too sunny! The sun was already on its descent, backlighting the views of Big Ben and Westminster Abbey beyond recognition. But, hey, silhouette photos are still pretty cool. I usually hate ferris wheels. The height, the swinging cars, the dangling feet all freak me out, but this was a lovely, temperature controlled, stable ride that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Today was sunnier than I ever imagined January in London could be, so we migrated from Buckingham Palace to the London Eye. For £19.95 (~$32) you get to ride once around in a little glass capsule. It's crazy because the wheel turns slowly enough to board the ride while it is moving. We only had to wait in line for about 10 minutes after purchasing our tickets. I can't believe how quickly the lines moved and how few people were there considering it was a lovely Sunday afternoon! There were probably 15 people in our bubble, which was perfectly comfortable. The views were stunning, however, (and I can't believe I'm saying this) it was too sunny! The sun was already on its descent, backlighting the views of Big Ben and Westminster Abbey beyond recognition. But, hey, silhouette photos are still pretty cool. I usually hate ferris wheels. The height, the swinging cars, the dangling feet all freak me out, but this was a lovely, temperature controlled, stable ride that I thoroughly enjoyed.