trinityofone (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
trinityofone) wrote2005-10-18 08:58 pm
trinityofone) wrote2005-10-18 08:58 pm
Entry tags:
London Calling!
Finally a real update! Though, since I'm already deep in my studies (trying to understand what the heck Chaucer is on about in "A Parliament of Foules"--fun!), rather than going into great detail about my myriad adventures, I'm going to start you off with some pictures from my three days in London. Enjoy!
I'm proud of this shot--it almost looks like it could be a postcard. I'm a very good photographer when I'm very nearly blinded by the sun. ;-)
By the way, our London guide on our walking tour wanted to emphasize that, contrary to popular belief, the above is actually St. Stephen's Tower; the bell is Big Ben. Impress your friends with your geeky knowledge!
On my first full day, I sauntered down to Cheyne Walk in Chelsea and got my first view of the Thames.
I crossed the river by the Battersea Bridge, which was closed down to cars and nearly deserted--very 28 Days Later. (More on that later!)
I ended up walking all the way down to Hammersmith, and this factory was one of my favorite things that I passed. This is it from the Battersea side.
And from the Chelsea/Hammersmith side. It's a perfect example of The Good Ugly, don't you think?
On my second day, my fellow EAP students and I were taken on a walking tour of Westminster. Here you have: the Tube station, the London Eye, and Big...er, St. Stephen's.
(My Dad commented upon my arrival in London that since so little time had passed since I left, it was as if I had 'gated there. And at night, the Eye really does look like a big Stargate!) (I'm so impressed that my Dad made this reference before I did. He is teh awesome.)
Westminster Abbey. Gothic much?
St. James' Park...and there's the Eye again! It's EVERYWHERE!
Trafalgar Square, at its most moody. However, I can't look at this statue without thinking about the line from Neverwhere: "It's just a normal London pigeon. The kind that craps on Lord Nelson." Spoils the grandeur a bit. *eg*
Day three, we took a boat trip--up? down?--west along the Thames. While everyone else was busy snapping pictures of the Houses of Parliament, I was busy squeeing over this:
It's the hospital Jim wakes up in in 28 Days Later! Isn't that cool? ...Hello? Anyone with me here?
We sailed away from Westminster. And the bridge that a newly awakened Jim crosses. *cough*
We passed under the pair of bridges at Blackfriars, which produced another Neverwhere-related squee from me.
This area was especially cool because you could see the pilings from where an older bridge had been taken down.
We also passed under the Millennium Bridge...which was being stormed by small children! OH NOES!
Here beith Tower Bridge and the H.M.S. Belfast, producing Neverwhere!squee part the 87 millionth.
We landed in Greenwich, resting place of the Cutty Sark. Unsurprisingly, vague, Patrick O'Brian-related squee ensued.
After hiking up to the Observatory, I planted a foot on either side of the Meridian line. Lots of tourists take variations of this photo, but I think I'm the only one who managed to make it look like the effort of straddling two times zones was really about to make me topple over.
Instead of going straight back on the Tube, my little group decided to cross the Thames via an underground tunnel I hadn't even known existed. It was cold and damp and badly lit and very, very creepy. The result? The biggest Neverwhere!squee yet! Whee!
That's all for now, folks! More updates to come...and maybe I'll even get around to talking about Dublin, hmm?
I'm proud of this shot--it almost looks like it could be a postcard. I'm a very good photographer when I'm very nearly blinded by the sun. ;-)
By the way, our London guide on our walking tour wanted to emphasize that, contrary to popular belief, the above is actually St. Stephen's Tower; the bell is Big Ben. Impress your friends with your geeky knowledge!
On my first full day, I sauntered down to Cheyne Walk in Chelsea and got my first view of the Thames.
I crossed the river by the Battersea Bridge, which was closed down to cars and nearly deserted--very 28 Days Later. (More on that later!)
I ended up walking all the way down to Hammersmith, and this factory was one of my favorite things that I passed. This is it from the Battersea side.
And from the Chelsea/Hammersmith side. It's a perfect example of The Good Ugly, don't you think?
On my second day, my fellow EAP students and I were taken on a walking tour of Westminster. Here you have: the Tube station, the London Eye, and Big...er, St. Stephen's.
(My Dad commented upon my arrival in London that since so little time had passed since I left, it was as if I had 'gated there. And at night, the Eye really does look like a big Stargate!) (I'm so impressed that my Dad made this reference before I did. He is teh awesome.)
Westminster Abbey. Gothic much?
St. James' Park...and there's the Eye again! It's EVERYWHERE!
Trafalgar Square, at its most moody. However, I can't look at this statue without thinking about the line from Neverwhere: "It's just a normal London pigeon. The kind that craps on Lord Nelson." Spoils the grandeur a bit. *eg*
Day three, we took a boat trip--up? down?--west along the Thames. While everyone else was busy snapping pictures of the Houses of Parliament, I was busy squeeing over this:
It's the hospital Jim wakes up in in 28 Days Later! Isn't that cool? ...Hello? Anyone with me here?
We sailed away from Westminster. And the bridge that a newly awakened Jim crosses. *cough*
We passed under the pair of bridges at Blackfriars, which produced another Neverwhere-related squee from me.
This area was especially cool because you could see the pilings from where an older bridge had been taken down.
We also passed under the Millennium Bridge...which was being stormed by small children! OH NOES!
Here beith Tower Bridge and the H.M.S. Belfast, producing Neverwhere!squee part the 87 millionth.
We landed in Greenwich, resting place of the Cutty Sark. Unsurprisingly, vague, Patrick O'Brian-related squee ensued.
After hiking up to the Observatory, I planted a foot on either side of the Meridian line. Lots of tourists take variations of this photo, but I think I'm the only one who managed to make it look like the effort of straddling two times zones was really about to make me topple over.
Instead of going straight back on the Tube, my little group decided to cross the Thames via an underground tunnel I hadn't even known existed. It was cold and damp and badly lit and very, very creepy. The result? The biggest Neverwhere!squee yet! Whee!
That's all for now, folks! More updates to come...and maybe I'll even get around to talking about Dublin, hmm?