Friday, August 20, 2010

Icons of London

Tower Bridge (not London Bridge, as I thought)

Big Ben- one landmark that lives up to its name!
(though Big Ben is only the name of the bell inside the clock tower)

This one did not go to
the Ministry of Magic- too bad!

Buckingham Palace- big but not beautiful.
The flag was flying so we knew
Her Majesty was in residence.
How many books have I read that take place in London? In how many movies have I seen images of the city? And when I finally arrived there, it was just as I expected and even better.
We spent nearly three days hopping around the city- from Pimlico to Piccadily Circus, Westminster to West End, Soho to Southwark, Hyde Park to Holborn, Buckingham Palace to the Borough Market. We saw great landmarks, wandered in neighborhoods and sampled English ales in many dark, wood-paneled taverns including one that was a favorite of Charles Dickens.
I love being in cities that seem to equally embrace their history and their future. One of the most visited attractions is the Tower of London- a fortress, garrison, palace and prison that dates back nearly a thousand years- and it is right in the middle of the city, adjacent to the Wall Street-like business district. And there is not just one London. It seems that each neighborhood has its own unique flair and certainly a few days doesn't do justice to the many personalities of the city. I can't wait to go back... but there are just so many places to go!

2 comments:

Jessica said...

Love the new format! I visited London back in 2003 when I visited my (ex)boyfriend. We visited the Tower Bridge when David Blaine had his magic trick of staying suspended in a clear box over the river for some insane amount of days. Did you guys go on the Eye?

cortina said...

yes, london does have it's unique flair. we loved it!