London Bliss...

 Big Ben

London, England

In the spring of 2005 we took a wonderful three and a half week trip to London and Paris with some dear friends. The entire time we were there it was truly magical experience. Landmarks that I had read about were right before my eyes, every day a new adventure.

I'll  be kind and I'll only post some and not all of the 500 or more shots!

Our trip went so fast, there was so much to see, so much to soak in and still could see more. I'd go back in a heartbeat! We stayed in the the beautiful Knightsbridge District of London, two blocks from Hyde Park. A few mornings we would take a walk around the park before breakfast, it was that close! Princess Diana's Memorial Walk is in Hyde Park.

Buckingham Palace
The official London residence of the British monarch. The palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality. We were able to take a tour, what a grand and awesome feeling it was walking through the Palace. It was lavishly furnished with some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection. There were paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Vermeer, Poussin, Canaletto and Claude and some of the finest English and French furniture in the world. The Palace was truly majestic.
It's home to the Queen and you always know the Queen is home if the flag is flying.

Across from Buckingham Palace waiting for the Changing of the Guard.
If you will remember, this is where the multitude of beautiful lowers were placed in memory of  Princess Diana when she died. 

 Our traveling friends...look at the black car behind them...

Indeed a Royal is leaving the Palace in the black car...

The Changing of the Guard
 What a sight to see! The horses were just beautiful. Watching the stiff and regal looking guards was incredible. I found it so interesting that guards you see in front of Buckingham Palace are not just ceremonial guards but also serving Soldiers. While upholding the traditions of the past, they also perform duties throughout the world as professional soldiers and are known as some of the most elite and skilled soldiers in the British Army.
This is why changes may occur in the guard change as the soldiers are required for operational duties.
 Also, if you are around in August and you don't see the guard, the are away guarding the Queen.

The Tower of London

Another view and closer to The Tower of London
Saw the majestic "Crown Jewels," and the regalia and vestments worn by the sovereign of the United Kingdom during the coronation ceremony. Not to mention it served as a place for executions, armory, the Royal Mint and since 1301, it has been the home of the
Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.
The photograph is of visitors standing in awe of the Tower on the grounds around The Tower of London, it was cool and raining the day we went.

Big Ben and The Houses of Parliament

Oh my, to see Big Ben in person was just incredible! It is possibly London's most famous landmark. "Big Ben" does not refer to the whole clock tower, but to the huge thirteen ton bell that strikes the hour. It was awesome to hear. The Houses of Parliaments, Beacon of "the mother of all Parliaments",  is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames.

It was interesting to see where Prime Minister Tony Blair sat when Parliament convened.

After walking and walking and walking the through Palace of Versailles and the Gardens, we were exhausted, but happy! 

Westminster Abbey
The was incredible and truly majestic to see, a living pageant of British history!

We attended a service on Sunday the next day and sat in up front in the choir area. There are no words to describe the feeling of sitting there and then going to communion, so incredible to walk on the same areas where many did for their royal coronations, weddings and funerals, the site of many burials that go back to 1066. The Abbey has been the coronation church since 1066 and is the final resting place of seventeen monarchs. I could have just wondered around in there for days!

St. Paul's Cathedral
 Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer married here. What a beautiful Cathedral!
We took a tour of the Cathedral and were told that Christian worship has been offered here for fourteen hundred years. The Anglican cathedral is the highest point in the City of London.
Important services held at St. Paul's include the funerals of Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and Sir Winston Churchill; Jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria; peace services marking the end of the First and Second World Wars; the launch of the Festival of Britain and the thanksgiving services for both the Golden Jubilee and 80th Birthday of Her Majesty the Queen.

The Royal Family holds most of its important marriages, christenings and funerals at Westminster Abbey,  but St Paul's was used for the marriage of  Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer...it was amazing to stand there remembering watching them getting married on live TV.

St. Martin of the Fields 

The Royal's worship here.

Stopped to get a photograph on the London Millennium Bridge crossing the River Thames. We were heading to The Globe Theater to see a play. We also had a memorable Riverboat dinner trip down the Thames, another priceless event!

The Globe Theater

 Windsor Castle

The town of Windsor is located in the Royal Borough of Windsor and is about 20 miles west of London. We took the train to Windsor and back to London.
What a castle!
 Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world and is also the Official Residence of Her Majesty the Queen. The castle has been home to generations of royal families. The  Queen of England spends much of her private time at Windsor Castle. The Queen's Mother is laid to rest alongside her husband King George VI, her services were at St George's Chapel. It was incredible so see so much history in one day! We also saw the gorgeous grounds, Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House and St George’s Chapel, a day full of wonder! We had lunch outside the Castle at a little charming restaurant and then walked through the town of Windsor.

 The streets in the Town of Windsor, near Windsor Palace.

The Town of Windsor is south of River Thames

We have so many memories and hundreds of photographs, these are just the highlights of our trip, for now I think this is all anyone can take at one sitting! I am going to add pictures soon of us enjoying an afternoon picnic at Hyde Park, at the moment can't find it. We bought cheese, crackers, fruit, pate and other scrumptious goodies at Harrods and headed to the park! We even took our own music, it was delightful! We were four out of many having the same type of day in the park, Hyde Park.
What a lovely Sunday afternoon!

Oh, oh, one more thing...the London taxi driver, they know everything! They also love to chat! Forget the books, forget the map, they know it and will tell you so! We did enjoy our time in a taxi! Oh those cute little cars, the guys rode backwards!

I never got a photograph of us in them, no time, taxi drivers are in a hurry!
They looked like this one!

Coming soon. Our experience on the Eurostar Train and ride through The Chunnel 
- from London to Paris...

Hope you enjoyed some of the highlights of our trip to London!