Day 20 - Tuesday, July 2, 2024 - London

By Ellen Outten

 

The London Eye 

Today, Wayne and I rode the hop on hop off bus.  My personal opinion, if you can walk, don't spend the money.  Traffic is absolutely jammed, 24/7.  It doesn't matter where you go or what time of day.  The loop took 3 hours to complete.  My best guess would be that it was appropriately 7-8 total miles.  We criss crossed back and forth over much the same territory.  We crossed the Thames River five times.  Traffic, between sightseeing buses as well as the public transport buses (red double deckers) clog the roads.  If you're lucky, two cars may make it through an intersection before the light turns.  

And the traffic lights!!!  I have never seen so many, anywhere.  Every intersection!  

Here's a good example:  we got in and off the Red Route at stop #22.  Stop #21 is Westminster Abbey.  It's 1/10th of a mile from #22....it took 10 minutes to get there.

It might be an idea to ride it and see London for the first time, but truthfully, if you have no problems walking, then walk!

We bought a two day pass as there's a Blue route and a Green Route and we thought we would ride again tomorrow.   Neither one of us is interested in getting back on the bus!

So back to our day.  We boarded at 8:35 am.  At that early hour, it was already 13 minutes behind schedule.  And as the day wears on, they only get slower.  

I took many pictures from the 2nd outdoor deck of the bus.  Did I mention it was 58 degrees Fahrenheit?  We also had, the last hour, a bit of mist/rain.  

Tomorrow the plan is to walk.  I'd love to really walk around Westminster Abbey and since it's next to Big Ben and about 1/10th if a mile from the hotel, I opt for this.  I'd also like to walk through Hyde Park which is only 2/10th of a mile in the other direction.  We'll see what the weather holds in store.

So here are some pictures from the bus ride, some of which you've seen before.

Westminster Abbey...too big to fit in one picture.
More of Westminster Abbey 
More and more if Westminster Abbey 
Big Ben, actually it's only the bell at the top that is "Big Ben".  The clock tower is actually named Elizabeth Tower for, you know who, at her 60th year on the throne, her diamond jubilee year.

Oh yeah, more of Westminster Abbey 
Government building, I believe Town Hall
The London Eye, built in 1998, opened in 199, on the South Bank of the River Thames.  It is Europe's tallest cantilevered observation wheel, (Ferris Wheel) and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom

The Tower of London 

More of the Tower of London from Tower Bridge 

Another shit
Tower Bridge 

The dome of St. Paul's cathedral.  St Paul's has had some of the nation's grandest funerals, including Admiral Lord Nelson (1806), Arthur, Duke of Wellington (1852) and Sir Winston Churchill (1965).

Another angle of St. Paul's 




One of the building's on Fleet Street.  The street was famous for printing and publishing at the start of the 16th century.  By the 20th century most British national newspapers operated from here. The term “Fleet Street” has become synonymous with the term British National Press.



Crossing the Thames with a view of , guess what....oh yeah, Westminster Abbey and Big Ben.
London Eye 


County Hall next to Big Ben

Parliament building 

The Guards house where horses are trained for the military 

Lord Nelson protecting our bus

The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square 

Nelson's Columb on Trafalgar Square.  Tall stone pillar with bronze lions & battle scenes honoring the victorious Battle of Trafalgar.

Lord Nelson on top

Another shit if Trafalgar Square 

Statute on Trafalgar Square 

Picadilly Circus intersection 

The other corner of Picadilly Circus intersection 

Statute at the edge of Hyde Park 

An iconic symbol of London, one of the entrances to The Tube.

Passed a Lotus dealership on the bus route 

Wellington Arch

We went out for dinner tonight and every bar and pub was packed.  I thought it was because of football (soccer) on TV but it appears the Brits stop in to their local pub on Tuesdays Wednesdays and Thursdays for a pint before they go home.  They don't stay long....just a pint with friends, usually only one, and then they're off.  

While we were there, we had a very nice talk with one British gentleman, covered healthcare, retirement, vacations and living in London generally.  Nice to chat with a local!  

Maybe they do it to avoid rush hour traffic on the tube or buses, but then again, if they all stop for a pint, then it didn't fix anything!

I can't imagine commuting in London and this comes from me, who commuted 60 miles to work each day in New Jersey and four years servicing agents and traveling the DC beltway.  That was a walk in the park, comparatively speaking.








Comments

  1. Barbara BaydukJuly 2, 2024 at 6:15 PM

    loved the tour and yes the traffic is horrific

    ReplyDelete

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