London our first stop, before starting our Search for the Northern Lights!

Our first full day in London we met up with Anthony...
our very good English friend, who came up from Southampton to show us the sights!
We started with a general walkabout around the
typical sights of London.

We walked across Westminster Bridge to get to the
heart of our tourist destinations...

First we walked by Parliament...
I was disappointed for our travel buds, Veronica and Sean,
because Big Ben was under wraps, while undergoing
maintenance and repair.  We could see the clock peaking
out from the shroud of scaffolding and tarps,
but no bell!

The London Eye is a giant ferris wheel that never stops.

The wheel moves slow enough for people to get on and off

without mishap, but never completely stops.

Throughout the hour long ride, you are rewarded with 

spectacular views of the city.

Dan and I rode the Eye the last time we were in London

but Sean and Veronica opted out this time around.

But of course, I still have to click away!!!

One of the things I love about London is the old world 

charm that you find all around town, in the details!

This church window and shadows made me think

of Sherlock Holmes and maybe a horror movie or two!

I love the old world architecture...

...the soaring towers...

...and a beautiful view Westminster Abbey.

The Abbey is chock full of history.

"Ever since the coronation of William the Conqueror in 1066,

all coronations of English and British monarchs have been 

performed here.  There have been 16 royal weddings at the abbey since 1100." Wikipedia

And it is the burial site of over 3000 prominent people throughout British history, including royalty, Prime Ministers,

poets, actors, scientists and military leaders.

Stephen Hawking was laid to rest in the abbey.

 

I don't know about you, but when I saw this roof and chimneys, I immediately thought of the "Chim Chimney"

scene in the original Mary Poppins with Dick van Dyke and 

his fellow chimney sweeps dancing across the roofs of London!

You've probably heard about the love locks on bridges in 

Paris...well, London has its own share of love locks.

Apparently, this practice has caught on, all over Europe, 

to the chagrin of the locals.  While it's a charming

idea for the lovers to write their names, and date and lock 

it to the bridge "locking their love forever", 

it actually can become quite cumbersome 

and rather dangerous with all the added weight to the bridges.  And, the locals pretty much hate it.

So I suggest resisting the impulse to add your own!

I love the little open air food and drink counters throughout
the city.

Two more views of Westminster Abbey.

Quite an imposing building don't you think?

Imagine my surprise when we walked through 

 Parliament Square,

 and I found myself looking at 

a statue of our Abraham Lincoln!

Lincoln is one of 12 statues in the square of British, Commonwealth, and foreign political figures.

Quite honestly, I think he's the only non-British, 

non-Commonwealth notable represented here!

Mahatma Ghandi, Indian Independence leader,

Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa,

and Millicent Fawcett, Campaigner for Women's suffrage,

were the only other ones not currently of the UK.

But with India and South Africa once being part of 

the Commonwealth, and the British Women's Suffrage

movement being part of Britain's history, 

Lincoln rather stood out to me as quite

unusual to be included in their Parliament Square. 

Next stop...#10 Downing Street!

To visit more little corners of the world, click on the images below!