Day Nineteen: London Baby
Today we spent the day in London. Saw many of the major sites and then got see the show Wicked at the end of our day. The day was cold and wet, and at one point we stopped in a Starbuck and I went in the bathroom and literally dried my soaking wet shoes with the hand dryer. But overall it was a great day. I had been to London once before, which helped a little in the planning and knowing where to go, and it was fun to experience it with Jen. It's definitely a great city to explore. We only had one day, which is do-able, but you wont see everything. You could spend several days to several weeks and probably still find things to do. Here are some of the spots we visited in the city.
Piccadilly Circus
"Piccadilly Circus is a road junction and public space of London's West End in the City of Westminster, built in 1819 to connect Regent Street with Piccadilly. In this context, a circus, from the Latin word meaning "circle", is a round open space at a street junction" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piccadilly_Circus). It is sometimes described as the "time Square" of London, with its billboards and busy streets. Jen and I walked through on our way to buy tickets for a show that night.
TKTS Shop
In Leicester Square there is a ticket office called TKTS, this is where Jen and I got tickets to see Wicked that night. Usually they have discount tickets for shows that day. Some are restricted view but it can be worth it if you get really cheap tickets. When I went in college (granted that was almost 10 years ago) we go tickets for $20 to see Les Mis and Phantom of the Opera. Here's some more information from their web site.
What is TKTS?
TKTS is London's most famous and popular theatre ticket shop. Based in the Clocktower Building in Leicester Square, TKTS is an essential part of a visit to London. Smart Londoners, too, head to TKTS for great value tickets to dozens of top West End shows.
What can I buy at TKTS?
We're famous for half-price tickets on the day of performance for West End musicals, plays, opera and dance. But we've also got thousands of advance tickets, many at amazing discounts, all of them representing great value-for-money. A limited number of shows also sell full price tickets through TKTS. We also sell and accept Theatre Tokens. (http://www.tkts.co.uk/)
Jen and I didn't get half priced tickets but they were discounted and we got great seats. It does help to get there in the morning; its first come first serve for discount tickets. I have read reviews that say that they no longer offer discount tickets, but the website says they do, so just do your research before you go.
St. Paul's Cathedral
"Early each day to the steps of Saint Paul's, The little old bird woman comes, In her own special way to the people she calls, "Come, buy my bags full of crumbs"..." (Feed the Birds, Marry Poppins)
When Jennifer was little her favorite movie was Marry Poppins. So going to the steps of St. Paul was on our list of stops in London. Plus St. Paul's Cathedral a top site in London. The Cathedral was built in 1675 - 1720 and has held many important services; such as Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher funeral, and Prince Charles and Princess Diana's wedding.
Tower Bridge
"Tower Bridge (built 1886–1894) is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London which crosses the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, from which it takes its name, and has become an iconic symbol of London" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_Bridge). Often mistakenly called London Bridge, it is not. London Bridge is a pretty plain looking bridge crossing the Thames, and one of the old versions of the London Bridge is actually in Arizona.
Tower of London
"Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle located on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the square mile of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill. It was founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078, and was a resented symbol of oppression, inflicted upon London by the new ruling elite. The castle was used as a prison from 1100 until 1952, although that was not its primary purpose. A grand palace early in its history, it served as a royal residence" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_London).
The Tower of London has a very bloody past. "The Bloody Tower acquired its name in the 16th century, as it was believed to be the site of the murder of the Princes in the Tower" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_London). Also ,"public executions were held on Tower Green, including two of Henry VIII's wives: Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard" (http://golondon.about.com/od/thingstodoinlondon/ss/toweroflondon.htm). Below is a picture of the place where the executions would take place, commemorated by a glass pillow, where they would have rested their heads before getting them chopped off.
"Today [the Tower of London] houses the Crown Jewels and is keeper to the Royal Ravens. The ravens are flightless birds due to the fact their wings are clipped and this tradition points to the superstition that the English still believe dating back from time of Charles II that when there are no longer ravens in the Tower both the White Tower and the Commonwealth of England would fall" (http://www.britainexpress.com/articles/London/tower-of-london.htm).
London by...
Hop on Hop off Bus:
This is the best way to see London. It gets you to all the places you should visit and just riding the bus itself is a great way to get an overview of the city. Some buses have live commentary (they can be pretty funny) and some have headphones you plug in to hear a recorded commentary. Either way they are informative and interesting. The bus is also a pretty cost effective, and time efficent way to see the city. You could use the Tube (subway) but it can be confusing to figure out which line you need to get where you want to go.
The big ferris wheel is the London Eye, which we did not get to ride this visit. But if you have time I would highly recommend going. I went when I was in London 10 years ago. It is a little expensive, but fun and has great views of the city. It takes about a half and hour to get all the way around. The wheel moves so slowly that it never actually stops for you to get on and off, unless extra assistance is needed (it is handicap and limited mobility friendly, and stopped for people who need assistance). The pods are completly closed and made of glass so you can see all of London and not worry about falling out.
Ferry:
Our ticket for the Hop on Hop off Bus included a ride on the ferry. So after we visited the Tower of London we took the ferry back to Westminster Abbey. The day we were in London it was pretty cold and rainy (I guess typical for London), but the ferry is a covered ferry with tables, so we got our lunch to go before getting on and ate as we rode up the Thames.
Westminster Abbey
This mainly gothic style church was built in the 10th century and has been the burial and coronation site for English monarchs. It was also the site of Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, as well as, Queen Elizabeth II and Phillip. Several people are buried here, most english monarchs and royalty, but also people like Charles Darwin and Isaac Newton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_Abbey).
Buckingham Palace
"Buckingham Palace is the London residence and principal workplace of the monarchy of the United Kingdom. Originally known as Buckingham House, the building which forms the core of today's palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703...During the 19th century it was enlarged and finally became the official royal palace of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckingham_Palace).
Wicked
That night Jen and I saw Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theater. It was a great show and so much fun, especially to watch Jen experience Theater for the first time. She had never been to any shows and loved it. Going to the theater in London is a must for anyone who is planning a trip here. You will not be disappointed.
After the show Jen's friend Phillip picked us up at a Tube Station and then gave us a short tour of London at night in his car. This was pretty cool, if he hadn't done this we would not got to see London at night. And after walking a lot that day, driving around was great for me.
Piccadilly Circus
TKTS ShopIn Leicester Square there is a ticket office called TKTS, this is where Jen and I got tickets to see Wicked that night. Usually they have discount tickets for shows that day. Some are restricted view but it can be worth it if you get really cheap tickets. When I went in college (granted that was almost 10 years ago) we go tickets for $20 to see Les Mis and Phantom of the Opera. Here's some more information from their web site.What is TKTS?
TKTS is London's most famous and popular theatre ticket shop. Based in the Clocktower Building in Leicester Square, TKTS is an essential part of a visit to London. Smart Londoners, too, head to TKTS for great value tickets to dozens of top West End shows.
What can I buy at TKTS?We're famous for half-price tickets on the day of performance for West End musicals, plays, opera and dance. But we've also got thousands of advance tickets, many at amazing discounts, all of them representing great value-for-money. A limited number of shows also sell full price tickets through TKTS. We also sell and accept Theatre Tokens. (http://www.tkts.co.uk/)
Jen and I didn't get half priced tickets but they were discounted and we got great seats. It does help to get there in the morning; its first come first serve for discount tickets. I have read reviews that say that they no longer offer discount tickets, but the website says they do, so just do your research before you go.
St. Paul's Cathedral"Early each day to the steps of Saint Paul's, The little old bird woman comes, In her own special way to the people she calls, "Come, buy my bags full of crumbs"..." (Feed the Birds, Marry Poppins)
When Jennifer was little her favorite movie was Marry Poppins. So going to the steps of St. Paul was on our list of stops in London. Plus St. Paul's Cathedral a top site in London. The Cathedral was built in 1675 - 1720 and has held many important services; such as Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher funeral, and Prince Charles and Princess Diana's wedding.
"Tower Bridge (built 1886–1894) is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London which crosses the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, from which it takes its name, and has become an iconic symbol of London" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_Bridge). Often mistakenly called London Bridge, it is not. London Bridge is a pretty plain looking bridge crossing the Thames, and one of the old versions of the London Bridge is actually in Arizona.
Tower of London
"Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle located on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the square mile of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill. It was founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078, and was a resented symbol of oppression, inflicted upon London by the new ruling elite. The castle was used as a prison from 1100 until 1952, although that was not its primary purpose. A grand palace early in its history, it served as a royal residence" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_London).
The admission to the Tower of London comes with a free tour. It is put on by the Yeoman Warders (also known as the "beefeaters"). "They will entertain you with tales of intrigue, imprisonment, execution, torture and much more" (http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon/stories/yeomanwarder). Yeoman Warders are not just hired actors or tour guides they are "required to have served in the armed forces with an honourable record for at least 22 years. The current contingent of warders have experienced serving in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, Bosnia, the first and second Gulf conflicts and in Afghanistan. They are happy to answer your questions about the Tower and are some of the most photograped guards in London!" (http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon/stories/yeomanwarder). This is such a fun, interesting and informational tour. This was my second time doing it and it was awesome both times.
"Today [the Tower of London] houses the Crown Jewels and is keeper to the Royal Ravens. The ravens are flightless birds due to the fact their wings are clipped and this tradition points to the superstition that the English still believe dating back from time of Charles II that when there are no longer ravens in the Tower both the White Tower and the Commonwealth of England would fall" (http://www.britainexpress.com/articles/London/tower-of-london.htm).
London by...
Hop on Hop off Bus:
This is the best way to see London. It gets you to all the places you should visit and just riding the bus itself is a great way to get an overview of the city. Some buses have live commentary (they can be pretty funny) and some have headphones you plug in to hear a recorded commentary. Either way they are informative and interesting. The bus is also a pretty cost effective, and time efficent way to see the city. You could use the Tube (subway) but it can be confusing to figure out which line you need to get where you want to go.
The big ferris wheel is the London Eye, which we did not get to ride this visit. But if you have time I would highly recommend going. I went when I was in London 10 years ago. It is a little expensive, but fun and has great views of the city. It takes about a half and hour to get all the way around. The wheel moves so slowly that it never actually stops for you to get on and off, unless extra assistance is needed (it is handicap and limited mobility friendly, and stopped for people who need assistance). The pods are completly closed and made of glass so you can see all of London and not worry about falling out.Ferry:
Our ticket for the Hop on Hop off Bus included a ride on the ferry. So after we visited the Tower of London we took the ferry back to Westminster Abbey. The day we were in London it was pretty cold and rainy (I guess typical for London), but the ferry is a covered ferry with tables, so we got our lunch to go before getting on and ate as we rode up the Thames.
Westminster AbbeyThis mainly gothic style church was built in the 10th century and has been the burial and coronation site for English monarchs. It was also the site of Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, as well as, Queen Elizabeth II and Phillip. Several people are buried here, most english monarchs and royalty, but also people like Charles Darwin and Isaac Newton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_Abbey).
Buckingham Palace
"Buckingham Palace is the London residence and principal workplace of the monarchy of the United Kingdom. Originally known as Buckingham House, the building which forms the core of today's palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703...During the 19th century it was enlarged and finally became the official royal palace of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckingham_Palace).
When visiting London this is just one of the stops you have to see. You can take a tour but we did not have enough time. If you do want to go inside I would suggest buying your tickets in advance and doing research on the best time to go, there were very long lines when we walked by. There is also the Changing of the Guards. This takes place at 11:30am, everyday from May to July and on even days (i.e. 2, 4, 6) throughout the rest of the year.
Wicked
That night Jen and I saw Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theater. It was a great show and so much fun, especially to watch Jen experience Theater for the first time. She had never been to any shows and loved it. Going to the theater in London is a must for anyone who is planning a trip here. You will not be disappointed.
After the show Jen's friend Phillip picked us up at a Tube Station and then gave us a short tour of London at night in his car. This was pretty cool, if he hadn't done this we would not got to see London at night. And after walking a lot that day, driving around was great for me.
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