England day 3
I awoke at 9am on the third day of our stay in England. I put on nice clothes as today we were going to London. I had my breakfast and then at about 10:30 we drove to the train station so that we could catch the train to London. The reason we waited until after 10, was so that we missed the morning rush and could purchase discounted tickets.
The train trip to London was not dissimilar to the ones I am now accustomed to in Switzerland, the train was the same style and the computerised voice told you what stops were coming up. However the difference with eh English train was that they still had Guards or train officers who travel all day on the train, stamp your ticket and are fully equipped in first aid if necessary. We all had our tickets stamped and then sat back to enjoy the scenery. As we approached London I was amazed to see all of the houses packed so close together in long lines, the streets looked so dark and grey as if no sun would ever touch them, it reminded me of yet another movie, Billy Elliot and the streets that he lived in, with the people crammed in like sardines. Such a stark contrast to the English country side we had driven through the other day.
The first Landmark I could see form the train was the London eye standing tall above the city, we then pulled din to the station and hopped of the train. We bought tickets for a open top double Decker bus tour and then went to find our bus.
We hopped aboard our bus and off we drove. We passed many white tall buildings and Hotels, we passed through countless streets with regal looking buildings and English flags flying high. There where clocks coming off buildings, old buildings, new architecturally designed buildings and tremendous old churches. We passed St Paul`s Cathedral and the monument to the London fires.
We drove over the Tower Bridge
And then arrived at our first stop for the day `The Tower of London` Had our photo taken with a Gaurd and then went to enter the building.
This building just makes you shudder as you think of what it must have been like for all of the Kings Queens and other ill fated people who where rowed to The tower of London to be banished form the world in this cold isolated building.
However our tour of this tower could have been nothing like this experience as it was rather exciting to see Coats of armour, model horses and old weapons
Yet the biggest attraction had to be the Crown Jewels. The crown Jewels will never cease to amaze me when they are on Television, and to see them in real life is something else. The rocks that are on these crowns are out of this world and the intricate designs of the crowns is magic. The doors to get in and out of this secure vault is almost an attraction in itself as they are so thick and dominating that if they such on you you would never live to tell the story.
These jewels are guarded by the best of the English guards and one would be arrested if one took a photo of the jewel let alone tied to steal them. So lets just say my camera stayed safely in my bag through out his whole regal experience.
After the tower of London it was back on our bus for a view of the Thames, a the Waterloo bridge, Trafalgar square,A Kings Monument, Piccadilly Circus, and the marble arches.
Once we reached the monument of the Victory of England against Napoleon, and the war memorial for the Australian soldiers we hopped of our bus for a spot of shopping.
After shopping, and going into the ever so important tourist shops to buy badges and patches for my Rotary blazer it was back on the bus to go and Visit Buckingham Place. On the way we passed the Ritz hotel where one could have afternoon tea for the small price of 55 pounds…or 127 dollars. We also passed the Phantom of the Operas home and the West End.
We even passed a few special British specialities such as the famous back cabs or in our case a purple and a pink one as well. The famous red items, the post boxes and Phone boxes. We also didn’t miss out on seeing a Pub with a real English name ‘the Bag a nails` and the famous Underground station. Also every famous manopy street you can think of ...I have driven over.
After our English experiences we arrived at the biggest attraction of them all her majesties Buckingham palace. Here we saw the `bobbies` with their hats and Olivia and I had a photos out side this famous residence.
Once we had snapped away at the royal palace it was time to get back on the bus and head back to the train station, passing on our was Westminster Abby and Big Ben.
With weary eyes and legs we boarded the train and rode it safely home after a big London day.
The train trip to London was not dissimilar to the ones I am now accustomed to in Switzerland, the train was the same style and the computerised voice told you what stops were coming up. However the difference with eh English train was that they still had Guards or train officers who travel all day on the train, stamp your ticket and are fully equipped in first aid if necessary. We all had our tickets stamped and then sat back to enjoy the scenery. As we approached London I was amazed to see all of the houses packed so close together in long lines, the streets looked so dark and grey as if no sun would ever touch them, it reminded me of yet another movie, Billy Elliot and the streets that he lived in, with the people crammed in like sardines. Such a stark contrast to the English country side we had driven through the other day.
The first Landmark I could see form the train was the London eye standing tall above the city, we then pulled din to the station and hopped of the train. We bought tickets for a open top double Decker bus tour and then went to find our bus.
We hopped aboard our bus and off we drove. We passed many white tall buildings and Hotels, we passed through countless streets with regal looking buildings and English flags flying high. There where clocks coming off buildings, old buildings, new architecturally designed buildings and tremendous old churches. We passed St Paul`s Cathedral and the monument to the London fires.
We drove over the Tower Bridge
And then arrived at our first stop for the day `The Tower of London` Had our photo taken with a Gaurd and then went to enter the building.
This building just makes you shudder as you think of what it must have been like for all of the Kings Queens and other ill fated people who where rowed to The tower of London to be banished form the world in this cold isolated building.
However our tour of this tower could have been nothing like this experience as it was rather exciting to see Coats of armour, model horses and old weapons
Yet the biggest attraction had to be the Crown Jewels. The crown Jewels will never cease to amaze me when they are on Television, and to see them in real life is something else. The rocks that are on these crowns are out of this world and the intricate designs of the crowns is magic. The doors to get in and out of this secure vault is almost an attraction in itself as they are so thick and dominating that if they such on you you would never live to tell the story.
These jewels are guarded by the best of the English guards and one would be arrested if one took a photo of the jewel let alone tied to steal them. So lets just say my camera stayed safely in my bag through out his whole regal experience.
After the tower of London it was back on our bus for a view of the Thames, a the Waterloo bridge, Trafalgar square,A Kings Monument, Piccadilly Circus, and the marble arches.
Once we reached the monument of the Victory of England against Napoleon, and the war memorial for the Australian soldiers we hopped of our bus for a spot of shopping.
After shopping, and going into the ever so important tourist shops to buy badges and patches for my Rotary blazer it was back on the bus to go and Visit Buckingham Place. On the way we passed the Ritz hotel where one could have afternoon tea for the small price of 55 pounds…or 127 dollars. We also passed the Phantom of the Operas home and the West End.
We even passed a few special British specialities such as the famous back cabs or in our case a purple and a pink one as well. The famous red items, the post boxes and Phone boxes. We also didn’t miss out on seeing a Pub with a real English name ‘the Bag a nails` and the famous Underground station. Also every famous manopy street you can think of ...I have driven over.
After our English experiences we arrived at the biggest attraction of them all her majesties Buckingham palace. Here we saw the `bobbies` with their hats and Olivia and I had a photos out side this famous residence.
Once we had snapped away at the royal palace it was time to get back on the bus and head back to the train station, passing on our was Westminster Abby and Big Ben.
With weary eyes and legs we boarded the train and rode it safely home after a big London day.
2 Comments:
hi ange,
the photos are awesome..... it sounds like you hda heaps of fun.... looks like you had awesome fun is england.. the guards looked funny... you did sosososossosososo much in just one day... well three days all up.. but like you went to hhhhhhheeeeaaaaaappppssssss of places in one day...was it fun??? well that was a silly question... of course it was fun. keep having fun... you only have nine months left.... that is like three times what you have already been there for... thats alot.... when do you change host families... or are you with the same family all year???
Missing you heaps...
best be offf
xoxo
love
OLivia
HI Angela,
Your description has reminded me SO much of your father's and my first visit to London to play tourist....all of the major sights. We went to the Tower on a subsequent visit....such wonderful memories you have rekindled.
Love Mum xxxx
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