Buckingham Palace, London Eye, Tower of London

Today was a long day of 'tourist' sightseeing! We did the things tourists normally do.

First was a bus ride down to Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guards. Was an immense waste of time! We stood for over 100 minutes watching very BORING slow movements of some soldiers. The palace wasn't too impressive from the outside. (They only run tours inside when the Queen is out of town)

Followed by a nice walk through St. James Park, Westminster Abby, Houses of Parliment, and Big Ben, before heading across a bridge over the Thames river. (wow, that quick little sentence actually took quite a while...)

Then for a great 'ride' on the London Eye - ferris wheel thing. It is HUGE by the way. Very easy to ride, and moves quite slowly. (over a half hour to make one revolution) It was great to see London from an entirely different perspective. Though expensive, this is a nice thing to do - highly recommended!

Next up, a cruise down the Thames on a boat, under a bunch of bridges, down to the Tower of London.

This was started back in 1066 after William (first King of a united England) on top of an old Roman fort. It was initially just a 'keep' (called the White Tower) but grew into an entire Castle complex with 20+ towers, interior walls, curtain walls, and a huge moat.

It was attacked twice, repelled the attacks both times - but mostly was the palace for the Kings... it's still officially a 'palace', but the Kings and Queens of England haven't lived there since the late 1600s. It has a long history of being a prison, as well as a place to store the Crown Jewels.

We had a very nice tour with one of the Yeoman Warders - who was very entertaining and explained many bits of history and stories of the folks in the Tower complex.

The Crown Jewels collection was also very amazing. I'm pretty sure I've never ever been close to so much wealth in all my life! - now on the other hand... I really didn't like any of the stuff there. Some was impressive because of the uniqueness, but it was just too much!

Ryan was having a great big allergy attack, so we decided on coming home to the hotel to get him some medicine and to rest up before dinner. Since the Underground Strike this week... all the buses were either full or non-existent... taxis all full... tube subway service stopped. So it was about a three hour adventure walking and finally catching a taxi through very slow, extremely slow, traffic.

In front of Buckingham Palace
Changing of the Guard - BORING!
Wearing a Bearskin Cap - and with an M4 Machine Gun...
Walking through St. James Park
Jill needed a restroom... so she went to the BEST!
Westminster Abbey
The 'Big Ben' tower
The London Eye - Ferris Wheel.
Looking south from the London Eye at houses of Parliament
White Tower - Royal Residence from William the Conqueror
A Yeoman Warder - the one giving us our tour. Simon by name - he was Great!
Medieval demonstration on lawn that used to be the 25' deep moat

It's not just one 'Tower of London' - but a huge Castle Complex

London's 'Tower Bridge'

Got to love those unions! - just think, some train workers who are already receiving 8 weeks of paid vacation, averaging over $80,000 in salary, plus a great pension... are causing pain and hardship to MILLIONS of people.

Science Museum and Harrods

Today was supposed to be rainy all day, so we planned on a bit of 'inside' stuff. Since the Underground was down because of the Strike... we ended up taking a bus down to the Science Museum. I was kind of glad that even Alysha wanted to see the science museum. I think it had something to do with her epiphany earlier on the trip where she decided on studying to become a nurse. I'm glad to hear it!

I thought it was going to be just another 'kids museum' kind of experience. But from the very moment I walked in the front door, it was something special.

I can't even describe all the things I liked about the museum.

The first section was based on Steam Power, and had actual full size versions of the Newcomen, and then Watt, low pressure, and high pressure, and then mobile and factory sized steam engines. These were very well done. With great explanatory descriptions on each one.

I was also impressed with all the 'original' exhibits in this museum had to offer. The No. 1 Babbage Difference Engine, one of two 'Regulator' clocks from the Greenwich Observatory, the first clock from the Long Now Project, just to name a few.

I especially like a section on the scientific instruments used in the 18th century. Many were teaching or demonstration devices to explain different scientific theories. Things we teach in Jr. High Science classes now. I just love Brass Scientific Instruments for some reason.

I could have spent much, much more time in this place!

There was also a very thorough exhibit on the history of flight. I loved a quote from an early french airplane inventor about how they would have to go down in history as having worked on the inventions of flight, but that America would be remembered as the ones who actually did it.

Sections on health and DNA that Jill just loved - and a fun, entertaining hands-on section that had exhibits that I've never seen before. (and I've been in lots of science museums)

We then stopped into Harrods to have an early dinner in their 'Food Court' - we were told by a neighbor friend this food court was something special. We have to agree! The food there was unbelievable! - Unbelievably expensive! We saw a pizza for over $65 - and the security guards wouldn't even let you stop and look around. The place was HUGE with many many specialty areas. It would have been fun to stay and look around - but we were hungry, tired and didn't feel that wealthy.

I guess I'm just not 'sheik' enough for Harrods. (I didn't mean Chic... but actually Sheik) - I'm not Chic enough either. Perhaps if I found an extra couple million hanging around... no... Even then I couldn't bring my self to spend that kind of money on things in Harrods. I can't believe how crowded and how many people were actually spending that kind of money there!

A nice Italian restaurant down the block worked out fine. We had to wait for ages to finally get a bus back to the hotel. (Ryan, Jill and Alysha went shopping for clothes at a couple of stores down the street before returning)

A good day!

(Set Soapbox=On) Did I mention that I *hate* strikes! Obviously something is wrong in a country when workers can cause so much damage to so many people and get away with it. Especially in an economic climate with unemployment so high. JUST HIRE MORE WORKERS! - Go ahead and strike. We'll just replace you. Should be management's position. You are worth exactly what it costs to replace you - no more, no less. If you want to be paid more, then be worth more! (set soapbox = off)

Kids just can never get too much sleep. Waiting for a bus...

On the bus ride - a couple of houses Jill would like to live in

18th Century Science ApparatusFirst prototype of the Long Now 10,000 year clock

Inner Workings of the Observatory 'Regulator' clock

An Example of a single Human's DNA Strands - Huge!

Harrods!

Phantom of the Opera

In spite of the Underground strike... (it took about 90 minutes to go five stops on the underground) - we made it down to the Theater for the play. We got on the very last southbound Bakerloo line train and it was sooooo packed. Just body to body... The only way it could have been worse... we could have been in France with the 'Old French Man' smells...

Phantom of the Opera was great! Everyone enjoyed the show and have a wonderful time. This show has been going for over 22 years... since Ryan was born! Wow.

The British Museum

This morning Alysha woke up with a bit of a 'tummy ache' and so wanted to stay in the hotel and rest. So Ryan, Jill and I took the Underground over to 'The British Museum'.This museum has been around since 1753 - and is the UK's largest and most popular museum. In 2000 they covered the interior courtyard, adding a new round building in the center of the new covered courtyard.
We saw lots of history, from ancient Egypt, Assyria, Greece, Turkey, etc. I really enjoyed seeing the actual 'Rosetta Stone' - It was such a turning point in understanding the history of Egypt.

But my favorites by far were the Astrolabes and ancient brass navigation instruments and tools. Additionally, they had a special section on clocks and watches. I like clocks! (The book 'Longitude' was a great story)

Tonight we'll be heading to the 'West End' to watch the play 'Phantom of the Opera'!I am 'bummed' a bit though... the Underground is having a STRIKE this week. Of course, right when we're in town. So I guess we'll be catching more buses around to see the sights this week. I really don't like strikes of any kind - especially when they can cause such major damage to an economy. On TV they were mentioning something like 50 Million pounds a day in lost business because of the strikers.

A couple of photos from the day trip...

Egyptian Hieroglyphics
Jill and Ryan leaving The British Museum
The original Rosetta Stone
Now here's a form I can look like. I just need to shave my head bald!
They transferred this entire temple from Turkey!
I like this guy - the Egyptian God of Knowledge
Trying to follow streets in London can be difficult - see how the street name changes just in one house to the next?

Train Ride, Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral, Magna Carta

We started out our week in London with a little 'side trip' out of the city down to see Stonehenge. We took a couple of subway (Underground) trips down to Waterloo station and then a train down to Salisbury. It was great having a chance to see the wonderful, and GREEN countryside. Coming from the desert in Utah it was pleasing to see an area that is just green naturally.

There were community gardens by the train tracks - and they didn't even need to have irrigation!

Both Jill and Ryan commented that they could easily live here. I agree.

We then caught a bus out of Salisbury up to the plains north of there where we spent and hour or so walking around the Stonehenge site. We used those little 'voice in a box' guides that talked us through the history and myths surrounding the big stones. Way impressive.

I can't even imagine the amount of effort it must have taken to bring all those stones to the site and erect them. 240 miles for the smaller stones - 240 MILES! These were just the 5-7 ton versions. The 45 ton ones had to come from *only* 20 miles away. And then to get them all placed correctly and both plumb and level? With only stone-age tools... incredible!

Then down to the city/town of Salisbury for a visit to the Salisbury Cathedral. The tallest spire in all of England at 404 feet. This would dwarf the Notre Dame... It was a huge chapel - with many cool artifacts. (We also checked out another great little church called St. Thomas Beckett that was also pretty cool to see)

This stuff in England is *old*! We're just not used to things that are 5, 6, 700 or more years old. I think the oldest thing in Utah is maybe 150 years old.

On top of seeing the great Salisbury Cathedral - to the side in a building called the 'Chapter House' they had a one of the original - only four left - copies of the Magna Carta. This was signed into law in 1215 - and is the basis for not only English Laws - but also the Constitution of the United States, and many other countries.

We had some English Fish and Chips at a little Fish&Chips place in the town square before heading back to London on the train.

Alysha is LOVING all the shopping available here. I think she's been in 5-6 stores already, and we've only been here 28 hours or so. Jill and Alysha just love to shop. So I think they'll have a great time in London.

By the way - getting around on the Underground is a breeze. We picked up some 'Oyster' cards for electronic boarding of all the subway and buses. Highly recommended. Having public transport is pretty darn cool. It would be great to have in America... but we don't have too many places dense enough to make it work. So we'll just stay attached to our cars. (though some folks I spoke with here said they also like their cars for doing most things)

Photos from the day...Classic Medieval Gothic Filigree

English countryside on our way to SalisburyIn front of Stonehenge
I agree!
Riding an escalator up to the Waterloo Train Station
Alysha thought these 'nerds' had an even funnier name here... 'Weirds'
Leave Ryan with a camera and Alysha alone... too much ANTM!
This picture was etched to a solid crystal prism - amazing!
Central Gothic Arches made for a Round Chapter House
What the actual Stonehenge probably looked like
The Magna Carta - little 4-5 point latin chancery type

Rising 404' in the sky - tallest in the UK
From the Salisbury Cathedral - nicely done!
Some birds getting a bit 'familiar' with the sheep
Stonehenge and an overcast sky
This would have been great to see in it's original pristine condition

Arc de Triumph and Champs Elysees

Well - after a week of being on the go, go, go every day. Today we woke up and just relaxed (OK, the kids slept in...) We didn't get back to Notre Dame till after noon... sleepyheads!

Ryan wanted to climb the West Ramparts and see the bells - A bit of Quasimodo in him I guess.

The weather was cold and rainy - so we were so glad we got Versailles in yesterday. Plus on Saturday - today - there were many many more people out and about.

A quick Metro ride over to the Arc de Triumph and we were catching our last 'big thing' we wanted to see. Since today was 'D-Day' - there were lots of old French soldiers in their suits with all their medals on their chests doing a D-Day observance at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the base of the Arch. Another HUGE French monument...

Then we walked down the Champs Elysees - looking at all the shops, the rugby team fans dressed in their team colors, and enjoying the walking and the shopping.

The Louis Vitton shop actually had a queue and folks were lined up just to get in to shop for over priced bags!

Jill, Ryan and Alysha liked their shopping and bought stuff from Paris shops.

We walked from the Arc down to the Concode plaza right down the avenue - ending in the Louvre. One famous, and very large street!

Then back late to the hotel just in time to do laundry to get ready for next week in London.

Mom Strutting...
Just for you Karrissa...
Trying to get warm on a cold summer day in Paris
Top of Notre Dame looking back toward the Eiffel Tower
Ryan and Jill at the 'Big Bell'
The Arc de Triumph
Yes, we were there!
Just to prove we were on the right street
Ready to walk down the Avenue
Alysha wanted a picture of the Louis Vuitton storefront
People were queuing up just to get in to buy overpriced stuff
Of course they had to shop here as well...
From about 1/2 way down the Avenue looking toward the Concode
A shot of the Concorde Obelisk with the Domed Church in the Background