Thursday, July 16, 2015

London, UK 20-27May2015

London!

There is always something new to see and do
no matter how many times we have visited 
this amazing city!
We have given up counting...
and who cares how many?

We never get sick and tired of
this wonderful world city.

We love the hotel we have booked this time
as it is located right behind the 
Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly.

Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Soho,
Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, National Gallery, 
Regent Street, Oxford Street, West End for theatres, 
Green Park, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Chinatown...

These are all in walking distance from our hotel.




 Piccadilly Circus

Leicester Square prepares for daily red carpet event

Trafalgar Square




The British National Gallery

Lion statue at Trafalgar Square



Big Ben


The O2 in Greenwich peninsula
 We enjoyed the cable car ride from the O2,
 cross over Thames river


 authentic delicious goulash soup
 Hungarian food for dinner in Soho was a great idea



Can't leave London without visiting
this wonderful department store Harrods

 Crazy Camden market, it looks like there is nothing you can't find here







 Camden market is lots of fun
and huge to look around!

Next stop was another market in Notting Hill.
Portobello Road antique market.

Portobello Road Market

 We were invited by good friends who live in Greenwich
and had lovely alfresco lunch on their house roof top
overlooking the whole city skyline.
It was something and we really enjoyed it.

Tower of London


London Tower Bridge view from the river cruise


Walk across the river on Tower Bridge was a fun
 a view from City Hall



 Borough food market was closed unfortunately 
but there were few still open for business

 The Household Cavalry museum and the Horse Guards Parade

 A Horse guard, very popular for photo shot from tourists

Buckingham Palace for Changing the Guards


Westminster Abbey

 A statue near the Hyde Park corner
A not-so-timid squirrel in the park

 A Greek lunch was very good near Covent Garden

Beyond Bollywood was one of five shows
we saw in West End and it was very colourful as expected.

Musical the Memphis was soulful and good

Leading roll performance from Imelda Staunton
was absolutely fantastic and fully deserves the standing ovation 
from every one in the theatre which she did receive.

4 times for Greg and 3 times for myself.
Wonderful Miss Saigon the musical!
Without doubt, London production was the best.
Loved it.
And, finally the Lion King

 On our last day in London,
we were advised by a gentleman who sat next to us in a cafe
while at breakfast that we should go and see the Royal Parade.

British Parliament is opening today and
the whole Royal family is parading from
the Palace to Big Ben.
The Queen is going to make a speech 
in the parliament according to tradition.

There were many more people at the Mall than
the daily event of changing the guard and 
the beautiful weather could not be better for it.






Here comes the Royal carriage of Her Majesty 

St James' Park next to the Palace.
No body wants to pay to sit on these chairs yet.
 
St James' Park