This morning we headed to Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben….
After seeing the admission price of 12 pounds each to see the inside of the Abbey we decided to just admire it from the outside …….. we were spoilt in Italy where the cathedrals and churches were free or a minimal cost. I would've liked to have gone inside but I like to eat too!
We walked across the Westminster Bridge to check out the London Eye – actually my “carer” went to check out the cost while I sat on a wet bench, just over the bridge, watching the river flowing past. He reported back that the tickets were around 15 pounds per person but there were thousands of people queuing up just to buy tickets …. we decided to give that a miss too. This was the view from the other side of the Thames:
Not to be undone yet, we decided to pay a visit to the Prime Minister at No 10 Downing Street – there was quite a reception committee …. no admission here – free or otherwise.
Tubed it to Charing Cross and checked out Admiral Nelson's statue at Trafalgar Square- where I had to cross the street and then back up a bit more just to fit the entire pole in a photo.
Then it was back onto the train to check out Leicester Square - there is a little fun park in the centre over the holiday season
I liked the name of this "ride" though have to admit that anything with a name like this would be unlikely to get me on it! I do not even do ferris wheels ….. I was actually a little relieved not to get on the London Eye! (pathetic I know! – it ranks up there with my irrational fear of squirrels).
… we wandered until we found Chinatown.
There was a little Chinese girl peering into the window as I was taking this photo and I asked which one she liked – she pointed shyly at the snowman .
By now my foot was letting me know that it was time to head back to the hotel. I am getting much better at going up steps…. today I actually managed to ascend with one foot per step as long as I had my stick on one side and a railing on the other!! Yipee – this is the first day I have been able to do that so it really was a big day for Emjay!
However, I don't even look close to being able to descend with one foot per step! It must be so frustrating for travellers to come upon me going down the steps - I'll bet they feel like shoving me down!
Aussie Emjay's Blog 
Another wonderful picture tour with you. Loved the bakery shot – my favorite would have been the mouse. LOL Had enough snow. So glad to hear that your ankle is doing better. Using it so much may have been what you needed – don't think you would have worked it so hard at home. What wonderful pictures and memories you and your son will bring back!
I enjoyed your Italy pics and I have to hand it to you, you are a real trooper, trekking all over on that foot of yours.
I have been to London/England a few times and have never been to Westminster Abbey, nor have I ever seen a sky so blue over England. Seriously.
I like the snowman best too!
Wow, you did good to see that much in a day. The War Cabinet Rooms are just around the corner from 10 Downing Street, and are well worth a look. There was a guy standing just inside the fence with an automatic weapon at the ready the day we were at 10 Downing Street.I'm finding it hard to comment as I can't see the words as I type them. I have to keep highlighting them to see what I've written. Have you changed your background colour, or am I going blind?
LOL – you are going blind! No I haven't changed anything. Yes – we saw the guys with automatic weapons inside the fence here too but I was reluctant to photograph them – might be seen as threatening. They were also all around the Houses of Parliament. So now you want me to go back to the War Cabinet Rooms? I saw the signs…….
Thank you Gina. Yeah if I was at home I might still be catching a taxi to work LOL….. now I have no excuse not to get back on the Metro on Monday (except that I just don't wanna!)
LOL – this is my second trip to England – same time of year – and I haven't seen a sky as blue as it was today.The sun still set just after 4pm though! We Aussies are a tough and determined breed.
I just got my sight back. Not sure what the problem was before. The War Cabinet rooms are fine if you're into history like I am. I got a real kick out of seeing the room where the War Cabinet met, and the map room where they kept track of how the war was going. Everything is left as it was when the war finished. I wasn't game to take a photo of that guy with the gun either, although I did sneak one from a distance. The really scary one was the three guys dressed in black who were walking through the crowd with automatic weapons at the ready at Changi airport in Singapore. I wasn't even game to look back at those guys, let alone take a photo.
Love those
cakes but; too much sweetness not good! Some times it seems people go on
vacation just to wait in lines, so what a smart move on your part as well as
that would be damn high up, without liquid courage you would not get me up
their unless I was uncomfortable numb but I not sure I wish to up my one
medication!
What great
places you visited, there is only one place that I was interested in visiting
and it is where they brought back an obelisk from Egypt or it was one that was
from Cleopatra not sure off the top of my head but I know it is by the River at
a bridge where more people have killed them selves supposable then a little and
they say at night time you can hear a voice talking… sounds like a fun and
cheery place!
Well have a
great time watch out eating too many sweets although with the prices of some of
them I would starve and also what is it that you eat, what type of pudding I am
curious because of a caramel type
pudding and a cake type thing you poured it over was something we had with our
grandmother?!
Great photos! You are really an explorer. I can't believe you are visiting so many places. Have fun!
12 pounds? {jumps over to online currency converter} 18.61 USD?! shit. tourist gouging! glad you found other alternatives. often getting off the beaten track offers the most delightful surprises and discoveries. AND at no cost! aside from the cost of a pastry and coffee. 😉 glad your foot's showing an improvement.
Beautiful pictures..I especially like the one of Thames.Great news about your feet..just take it easy!
those cakes are awesome!! I like the snowman too. Good choice 🙂
What an enjoyable-sounding day and lovely photos of it. I don't fancy ferris wheels either, and would definitely avoid anything named Insania, but that's a mighty fine airbrush job there on its sign.
Wow, you're certainly packing in the sights! It's a shame you weren't in London a couple of weeks earlier, we were there the weekend before last and because my brother works in Westminster he gave us the guided tour, uncluding the bits that the public don't get to see! You could have come round with us, and got some subsidised lunch in one of the Westminster restaurants. We had a fab time but the husband got a rollocking off a security guard because his phone went off while we were in the Chamber. Oops. There's a lovely christmas market near the London Eye that is worth a look.
Oh my gosh, my feet were sore just reading about your day!!! You'll need a vacation from your vacation! What a great trip!
jealous
I think you did a post on the War Cabinet rooms after your visit here? I think in the background there is a guy with an automatic and the one at the front has a weapon strapped to his leg – I'll bet they have some in those pockets to with their hands on the trigger. LOL – I had that experience in Bangkok airport – I kept my head down!
Yes, I did do a post on the War Cabinet rooms. You sure those other guys weren't just pleased to see you?
LOL – that does sound like a "cheery" place you want to visit! I think if I was better organised you could buy the London Eye tickets on line and then just turn up at an appointed time ….. you certainly can waste a lot of time in lines!
I'm a busy bee LOL. It might be a long time before I get to travel this way again so I'm trying to fit in as much as my foot and time will allow.
Thanks Waterbaby re the foot… it was a bit tired today. It is amazing how spoilt we get with "attractions" – living in DC, the Smithsonian museums are all free (including the National Zoo) so I always tend to feel a bit ripped off when visiting ones that charge (and charge more than I think necessary for upkeep).
Thanks Purple … you must be close to your trip away?
LOL …. thank you.
See! Who says I don't read and retain! LOL… I wondered if they were just keeping their hands warm……
Thank you re the photos. The only fairground ride I have ever been sick on was a ferris wheel – the same thing happened when I went deep sea fishing and they stopped the boat to just drift. It is that slow motion that does me in. On fast rides I just don't like the feeling of being scared.
Yes I read your very amusing account of your trip to London. I suppose it didn't really occur to me that it would cost anything/that much to go inside. We saw many people read the sign and then move on. It seems if they halved the cost they might get more people through and actually end up with more money- we would've paid 6 pounds each.
It has been wonderful Kate – we really loved Italy and intend to go back again. My foot was really "tired" this morning. I hope your foot is now back to normal – I look forward to getting home and catching up with all my neighbour's posts – it is harder to do on the road than I thought!
What? of my crappy foot! LOL. I hope your new site is going well. I have had a couple of quick peeps but will spend more time visiting once I get back to DC next week.
Yes..we start Monday. I'm not sure if the splendor of the canyon will compare..
understandable; don't blame you a bit.
Oh, wow, that must have been awful (being sick on a ferris wheel). That's interesting about the slow drift, a feeling I actually kind of enjoy. (well, maybe not on a deep sea fishing boat — I've never tried that before and probably won't because of ocean fears!) I have a fear of heights, though.
Oh – it will – just wait until you get there. It is amazing! I hope it doesn't snow too heavily – it looks pretty sprinkled with snow but a lot will make it difficult to do the walks you want to do. Have fun!
The worst part about the fishing trip is that they do not take you back to land …. people pay a lot of money to go out for the day and if you get sick that's basically too bad. We would drift awhile (with me feeling awful) and then they would start up and move to where the sonar showed a school of fish during which time I would recover. It was an experience I never wish to repeat and I'm sure my (ex) husband regretted spending the money on taking me out there (the only joyful bit in hindsight! LOL.