First thing I saw...

This was the first street scene of London I saw. I came up at the Knightsbridge stop, right in front of Harrods. It's the tan building to the left.

Pub

This was the first Pub I saw.

Me

Not the best photo of me, but I didn't have anyone to take my pic. My camera has a 'self-photo' setting. It works, you just look funny.

Horse & Buggy in front of Hyde Park

Where the guards pace

Palace Gate

Unicorn on the gate

I love this picture. Turned out well. It's of the Unicorn atop the gate of the palace. My photo of the lion on the gate post next to it didn't turn out as well.

Palace Guard

Buckingham Palace

Victoria Monument

The gold statue at the top of the Victoria Monument, in front of Palace. This is beautiful, I can't believe how shiny and bright it was.

Hyde Park

This is Hyde Park, next to the Palace. I walked down this path on my way home. Very pretty park. Really old trees. I bought my first thing with British money there - a hot chocolate at the park kiosk.

Big Ben

This is the first time I saw Big Ben. I was walking around the Victoria monument, and looked over and it took me a minute to realize that I actually was looking at it. Not a photo. That it was me there. I actually got teary eyed. Wished my parents and Dan were there with me.

Myth Buster

So much for the myth that these guys refuse to react to the crowds. This guy kept wave his left hand at a big crowd of kids every so often. It was hard to catch him doing it. The kids went crazy when he did it.

Natural History Museum

The last thing I did on my first day was this musuem. The architecture and the building alone was worth going to see. Everything, the arches, the ceilings, the stonework all had animal motifs carved or painted. The arches in the main hall were great. It looked like an M.C. Escher drawing. I'm glad I saw the building, but I didn't think the exhibits were that good. I didn't get to see the British Museum, which I heard was much better.

Dino

Dinosaur in the hall of the Natural History Museum.

Dino

Dinosaur in the hall of the Natural History Museum.

Callbox

I liked this picture.

The London Eye as we walked up to it.

Big Ben and Parliment from the Eye

On the Eye with Big Ben in the Background

Covent Garden

Walking up to Covent Garden. It was an enclosed old market. Lots of shops, cobblestone streets, street musicians playing, mulled wind stands and the huge Christmas tree to the left. Really liked this area. We had lunch in a pub near here called the Marquess of Anglesey.

Mulled Wine

The Mulled Wine stand at Covent Garden, it was yummy. Santa's Grotto is to the left.

Christmas Lights

These are the Christmas lights stretch hig above the roadgoing down Regents Street. All of the streets in this area had these lights above them, very pretty and very festive. Except for the Ice Age movie ads added on.

Picadilly Circus Screens at Night

Four Horses of Helios

This statue is near Piccadilly Circus I think. Or Leicester Square. I was getting tired and we were walking all around that area. It's an incredible statue, not really in a prominent place.

St. Paul's Cathedral

I spent about 2 hours at St. Pauls Cathedral. One of the most impressive buildings I've ever seen. Being inside, it's so huge, massive, aching with history and beauty. Charles & Di were married there, Nelson and Wren are buried there, along with a lot of other famous Brits throughout history. I'd def go back and see this again.

Cherub on St. Paul's

White Boxes at the Tate Modern

This was the installation piece in the Turbine Hall. I really wish I hadn't missed the piece with the Sun. This was pretty freakin bland. ooohh boxes.

Tower Bridge

This photo is taken from the London Bridge. I thought I could walk from the Tate Modern to the Tower Bridge, but it was alot farther than I realized, and I was running out of time for the day. I'll have to see it next time.

Tube Corridor

This is what the Tube corridors look like. I thought it was a pretty easy system to get around on. Seemed very much like the DC Metro - except for one thing. Just because you see the entrance to a station, doesn't mean the platform is anywhere near. You can walk for hundreds of yards up and down stairs and escalators before you get to the platform.

Saturday Night Party

This is some of the group from the party at the house Saturday night. It was a late 60th Birthday party for G's Dad. Holy cow can the British drink. Found out it wasn't just our friends - it's everyone! This was such a fun night, good to see everyone, laughed all night.

Countryside

This is the field behind the house I stayed at. It's in High Wycombe. I thought it was very pretty in this area. Rolling hills were a lot like Ohio.

Rugby Scrum

It was really cold this morning - frost on the ground, and all these kids in shorts and t-shirts.

Tick Tock

as my husband just emailed me...I'm counting down the time til I leave work to go to the airport. My trip to London starts tonight. I am so excited. My stomach is in knots. I layed in bed for an hour last night before I finally nodded off. I've wanted to do this for so long, there is so much I want to see, and eat, and drink, and buy, and ship home, and take pics of. I wish I had all the money in the world so I could take my parents and D with me, and stay and see more. But this time, this trip is just for me. I have obsessivley packed and organized. Made copies of documents, organized my bag, got my clippy umbrella. (very pleased that every day the forecasts looks better and better though)

London Weather

London Webcams

On top of having a great trip, I'm going to get to see friends I haven't seen since New Years, and go to a huge family party Saturday night. I'm supposed to try and get some sleep on the flight over, but 1) I love flying 2) I love movies So I hope it's a bad selection. I've got good seats both ways, by the window, one of the two on the side. Thank god I'm not the one stuck in the middle seat of the five row.

Next time I post will be to give all the details and posts lots and lots of pics!!!