Views of London…

So, I’ve gone through the first pass of London images. We Americans are so familiar with London, that it makes it hard to visit and NOT end up with iconic images: the red phone booth, Buckingham Palace and its guards, and “Look, kids…Parliament!”.

Its also tough to ignore all the tourists. Like all the major capitals of Europe, Central London is loaded with fellow travelers. So, this leaves the observant photographer with the option of photos with and without people…even though the photos WITH people are more realistic.

Thankfully, one spot that seemed almost devoid of people was Green Park, which was a half-block from our hotel. True to its name, Green Park was lush with greenery and provided a quiet place to begin and end our day.

Two new items along the Thames are remnants of the Y2K celebrations: the London Eye and the Millennium Bridge. The London Eye is an enormous wheel (apparently NOT a Ferris wheel, but LIKE a Ferris wheel) with large 25-person capsules that make a single revolution every 30-minutes. The Millennium Bridge is a dramatic footbridge that crosses the Thames at a SLIGHTLY-older icon–St. Paul’s Cathedral (completed in 1710).

On our second day in London, we walked to the British Museum, which is truly a reflection of the former might of the British Empire. The building itself is a sight, and the collection is enormous. I mean…we’re talking trinkets like the Rosetta Stone. Not that we could get close the the Rosetta Stone…did I mention all the people?

We didn’t really have any “eventful” meals in London. We did stumble on a couple of pubs for good fish and chips. And on our last night…we found outstanding mojitos in Soho.

In the end, you just have to love London for that healthy British sense of humor 🙂