With an offer of 10% discount we had breakfast at the London Street Brasserie. While the discount was applied, we were somewhat taken aback to discover a 20% service charge had been added!
This morning we mastered London's underground rail network. It was child's play! The Circle Line is yellow & the District Line is green. It provided a fast and efficient commute to the various destinations on our tourist trail for today.
Our exit from Piccadilly Station came with an awakening of the senses. Ripley's Believe it or Not was appropriately positioned at this chaotic intersection of buses, bobbies, buskers, bicycles & boulevards! What a circus!
The National Gallery, which houses the artistic expressions of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Turner, Constable, Monet, Van Gogh & Picasso, sits above Trafalgar Square. The square is a grand piazza that separates the West End from Whitehall. Nelson's Column, built to commemorate the British victory at Trafalgar in 1805, stands sentinel over this open space.
The Household Cavalry Museum offered a behind-the scenes look at the work that goes into the ceremonial duties & operational role of the Royal Cavalry. At the conclusion of the Queen's Jubilee celebrations, the parade ground will be transformed to accommodate the beach volleyball events during the 2012 Olympic Games.
The famous black door at # 10 Downing Street, Whitehall is barely visible from the gated & heavily guarded entrance.
The Cabinet War Rooms are a warren of tunnels beneath Whitehall. They were the underground headquarters from which Winston Churchill coordinated the Allied resistance for much of World War II. It is claimed he experienced his finest hour as British Prime Minister while in this space.
The Royal Mews, responsible for the travel arrangements for Her Royal Highness, is home to the collection of historic coaches & carriages, including the luxurious Australian State Coach, complete with central heating!
Buckingham Palace was a disappointment. Described as a 'stunning piece of Georgian architecture' it left me somewhat wanting. While the flag at mast indicated otherwise, today Buckingham Palace was a lifeless structure!
St James' Park was a serene open space. The wetland area was particularly beautiful with an abundance of bird-life seeking sanctuary there. Fragrance from the roses, the old English variety, wafted through the park. The squirrels were happy to share our lunch!
Kings & Queens; statesmen, scientists & soldiers; poets, priest, even the household plumber; warriors & women; heroes, heroines & villains are given recognition in Westminster Abbey. Audio guides offered us an appreciation of a millennium of British history.
Six hours negotiating trains, buses and pedestrians and with four miles on our pedometer we are foot sore and weary.
The Cabinet War Rooms are a warren of tunnels beneath Whitehall. They were the underground headquarters from which Winston Churchill coordinated the Allied resistance for much of World War II. It is claimed he experienced his finest hour as British Prime Minister while in this space.
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