When Parents Come to London Town
6:11 PM
Taylor's parents came into town (for work but they made a weekend of it)
We hit the ground running. These poor jet-lagged parents got about 20 minutes to rally from their flight before we got them out of their hotel room to grab some breakfast on the way to a tour of Parliament!
I've written this before but I don't mind saying it again: This tower is known as Big Ben. It is actually the Elizabeth Tower. Big Ben is the largest of the bells (13.5 tons) that are inside the tower that ring the time. (Another interesting note: Big Ben and the Liberty Bell were cast in the same place: Whitechapel Foundry)
There are very few places inside the Palace of Westminster where you are allowed to take pictures. Like here in St Stephens Hall.
One thing the decorators did NOT grasp was the concept of SUBTLY. Everything is deliberately designed and perfectly detailed. Not an inch of 'plain' or 'ordinary'.
Stained Glass and giant chandeliers. Beautiful.
Overall, I think we decided that some of us were too tired to sit and listen to a guide for 2 hours (and when I say 'sit' I actually mean STAND because you are NOT allowed to sit most places unless you are a Member of Parliament. Seriously. Don't sit.) Besides, when you go through on a self-guided tour (with an audio guide), you can hang around for as long as you want instead of being shepherded around on a schedule. Still can't sit though.
However, we also got to see the Queen's changing room and a couple of roped off area which are exclusive to a guided tour....it's a toss up which is better. Whatever you prefer.
However, we also got to see the Queen's changing room and a couple of roped off area which are exclusive to a guided tour....it's a toss up which is better. Whatever you prefer.
You can also take pictures here, in the great Westminster Hall. An architectural gem of its time because of its lack of columns to support the large, wooden-beamed ceiling.
I love lampposts and the ones around Parliament Square are high on my list of favourites.
(The initials are for King George IV who was Regent for 10 years...during his father's period of insanity. Interesting family history if you've got that time to look into that)
(The initials are for King George IV who was Regent for 10 years...during his father's period of insanity. Interesting family history if you've got that time to look into that)
Westminster Palace/Houses of Parliament from Westminster Bridge
This building is known as the two different names because it once was exclusively a royal residence. Over a millennium, it has been transformed to be the seat of a modern democracy. The traditions and rituals still practiced in the House of Lords and House of Common are hundreds of years old. And some are downright silly. Like dragging the Speaker out by force, the messenger of the opening of the session has the door slammed in his/her face in the House of Commons, etc... silly but honoured traditions all the same.
We ALWAYS find an excuse to go to Borough Market for lunch! So many great options and a great atmosphere. This lunch we split up and got organic goat's milk ice cream, greek souvlaki, and aromatic duck wraps (bet you can't guess who had ice cream for lunch...).
A pedi-cab. Party on wheels, blasting party music to pump them up because they all have to peddle to keep up with traffic!
My peeps
From the Tower Bridge Museum. Taylor and I went while we gave the parents a nap time. :)
We got up to the bridge right as it was being lifted for a passing ship.
It was a slow process to get the bridge back down.
After the cars and pedestrians get the 'ok' to cross. Look at all the little people.
View from the top, facing west
Let's play that game...do you see...?
City hall, the Shard, HMS Belfast, the Walkie Talkie, St Paul's Cathedral dome, Tate Modern and London Bridge
And a teensy little corner of the Tower of London there on the right.
See? There's the Tower of London, Gherkin, Cheesegrater, Walkie Talkie, and you can still see the dome of St Paul's Cathedral
Hot husband alert!
You can see the glass floor bit from here.
The engine room behind the raising/lowering of the bridge
Selfie with some London skyline icons.
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