London Calling

Another beautiful day wandering the dark streets of London.  I started my day by waking up at about 4 AM.  Eventually I got out of bed to go for a walk, when I came across a row of bicycles for hire.  So I "hired" a bike and joined the early morning commuters riding shoulder to shoulder with black cabs and red buses - it was heaven.  London is actually an excellent cycling town, if you are not scared of traffic.  There are narrow bike lanes everywhere, and traffic is just more fluid than it is in Canada - you ride where you fit and nobody gets mad.  A great start to my day.  I got back in time to have my English breakfast before setting out with the group to the Tower of London.  Mr. Sawatsky gave us a shortened, Canadian accented "Beefeaters" tour before we split up to join real Beefeaters, see the Crown Jewels, and explore the castle with the tower that gives this 900 year old fortified complex its name.  The collection of armour in the white tower is astounding - actual armour worn by various kings of England, including Henry VIII's special giant cod-piece armour set.  Sam flew in from Vancouver overnight and met us as we were leaving the tower to cross tower bridge for an informative guided walk of the south bank led by Mr. Sawatsky.  Ending the day on Leicester Square hunting for final London souvenirs and half-price theatre tickets seemed like the right thing to do.  As I write this, some of our group have gone off to see "Singin' in the Rain", and some have gone off to see "Sweeney Todd" at bargain prices.  Tomorrow we leave the grand city and continue our British adventure...



 Click here for exclusive videos of our day in London:
Tim wanted to join in
 A real Beefeater

These bikes are HEAVY duty, 3 gear, city machines.

Back at the hotel after my ride up to Tower Bridge and back, crossing the Thames four times (not on purpose).  It's just before 8 AM.  An early morning.

Monuments to the merchant marines who perished in the many wars of the last century.  On Tower Hill.

Tower Bridge (not London Bridge, which is small and plain)

Sawatsky is technically a beefeater, so he did the tour for us, because I am technically not a beefeater.

He tells some gruesome tales, this man.

Tower Bridge from the White Tower.

and from the South Bank.

Nobody else was interested in this phone booth but me - dedicated to The Clash (my first album ever in grade 7 was "Give 'em Enough Rope".  Highly recommended.

With Joe Strummer (RIP) at the London Calling phone booth.

This WWII vessel from Britain's infamous navy is permanently docked on the Thames.

More stories of suffering and misery.

The tall building in the background with a plane apparently heading towards it will be the tallest building in Europe when it is completed.

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

The Millennium Bridge heading north towards St. Paul's Cathedral.  It was featured in one of the Harry Potter movies that I was awake for.

St. Paul's dominates the skyline in the old city of London.

Our kids dominate the steps to this little church - nobody may pass.