After an amazing three nights in Germany, Candace and I were up early to catch our high-speed train from Stuttgart to Frankfurt. It was a bit stressful carting almost 50 kgs of luggage each, but we managed okay! We've decided to travel light next time we travel - but this time we had no option since we were carrying our lives with us! Once at Frankfurt Airport, after a delay of an hour or so because of snow and ice and our plane having to be de-iced, we were heading to London and arrived at around lunchtime on Sunday, the 2nd of December. My high school friend Matthew met us at Heathrow and we drove to his house near Ravenscourt, not far from the airport.
After dropping our bags, we were eager to explore London and so we walked to the London Underground (henceforth tube) station nearby and headed into Central London. Matthew was an awesome tour guide and we had an amazing time walking past historic places such as the Wellington Arch, the new Bomber Command memorial, Buckingham Palace, Green Park, Big Ben (The tower itself is Elizabeth Tower - the bell inside is nicknamed Big Ben) and the Houses of Parliament, the Thames River, the London Eye, and St Paul's Cathedral. We also walked through the Christmas market on the embankment.
We caught the tube back and alighted someways from Matthew's house, and so we were able to have another London experience by catching a red double-decker London bus! Matthew and Kelly treated us to a lovely roast once we were back at their flat. It was a great way to end a productive day's sight-seeing!
Thanks to Matthew for taking lots of photos of Candace and I in front of historic London sites!
Wellington Arch.
Bicycles for hire in London.
Bomber Command memorial - dedicated to those Royal Air Force pilots and crew who lost their lives in WW II.
The crest of the Royal Air Force's Bomber Command.
The Queen Victoria monument outside Buckingham Palace.
Candace and I in front of Buckingham Palace.
Beautiful view in one of London's parks.
Traditional lamps still burn on gas - not electricity!
The Mandela monument near the Houses of Parliament.
Westminster Abbey.
Holding up Big Ben!
The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben at sunset.
Under the London Eye.
Tower Bridge at night.
The reconstructed Globe Theatre - where Shakespeare's plays were performed - on the bank of the Thames River.
Traditional London Phone Booth.
On the bridge as we approach St Paul's Cathedral.
The dome of St Paul's Cathedral.
Another view of St Paul's Cathedral. We caught the tube back to Matthew's house here. What an amazing day!
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