Big Bus

Just a simple listing of all the places we saw on the bus tour.

• Marble Arch: They performed executions at this spot. The arch was actually moved from Buckingham Palace. How they moved is a mystery to me. 
• Harrods: a big fancy department store. It had the first escalator. Those brave enough to ride it received brandy (for the gentlemen) and smelling salts (for the ladies).
• The Knightsbridge and Kensington High Street areas are so pretty. They are definitely higher end London, but the buildings are lovely, especially the ironwork.
• Passed through Nottingham Hill Gate, which comes alive on the weekends and has a great carnival sometime during the year.
• Continuing on past Paddington Station and St. Mary's Hospital, somehow related to the discovery of penicillin.
• Green Park has lawn chairs for rent for those wishing to soak up some sunshine. It is also called Dueling Park because gentlemen would settle their differences here.
• The original Hard Rock cafe.
• Regent Street is the widest 18th century street in London. Some lord did not want his view of Regent's Park obstructed so  the street was made to fit the width of his house..
• Oxford Circus: check.  Btw, circus refers to a roundabout.
• Piccadilly Circus: First place to display electronic advertisements.
• National Gallery and Trafalgar Square
• Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese:
• No. 10 Downing Street: Official seat of the Prime Minister.
• Westminster Abbey and Bridge




Parliament



• Big Ben: The Clock Tower is being renamed Elizabeth Tower, in honor of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
• Houses of Parliament
• Lambeth Bridge and Palace
• St. Thomas Hospital
• Florence Nightingale Museum
• County Hall
• London Eye
• Waterloo Station and Bridge
• Golden Jubilee Bridge
• Cleopatra's Needle
• Royal Courts of Justice
• St. Paul's Cathedral
• The Monument: Tallest 17th century structure in London. A memorial to the Great Fire of London of 1666.
• The Tower of London
• Tower Bridge: Possibly my favorite cite in London. It's so pretty to look at. 

  

  Tower Bridge

  
• HMS Belfast
• London Bridge: not particularly impressive. However, there's a great view of Tower Bridge.
• The Shard: Random pyramid shaped skyscraper.
• City Hall: Modern circular building.
• The Gherkin: kind of like an elongated oval shape. The glass exterior has a really neat pattern to it.
• "The City" or London's financial district has over 500 foreign banks.
• Victoria Station: Some parts of the London underground date back to 1863.
• Wellington Arch: with Europe's largest bronze sculpture.

If any of these places and names seem interesting, look them up online. There's just too many for me to go through and describe in detail.



Really cool taxi.