A Few Sights In London!

I first have to say, this post is especially for Amy and Kimberlee (since they've been asking numerous times for pictures)! So, here you are!

Here is my first view of London! Foggy and absolutely beautiful! The temperature was 55 degrees with a 70% chance of rain. Very typical of London, eh? Our rest on the plane was one I'd like to forget. But at least the food was good! We stayed in a Holiday Inn that was set in this large, empty field, out in the middle of nowhere, it was great!






Here are the streets of London! I was afraid the real thing wouldn't be like the books you read about or the movies you watch. But truly, the streets and side-buildings were perfect! Notice how everything is crammed together with unique old-style architecture? As our missionary friend in Rome said, "people in Europe get to drive like men in America only wish they could drive!"







Westminster Abbey was gorgeous! Sadly, we weren't able to enter. I was hoping to take some pictures of some famous gravestones such as, Darwin, Cotton Mather, John Gill, etc. But the outside was inspiring and I was thankful we had a stop there!









The Changing of the guards at Buckingham palace was incredible! To bring in the new guards a large marching band made it's way down the streets. Thousands of spectators crowded the sidewalks and the large fountain we stood on to get a better view. The crowds were so packed that the warning, "watch out for pickpockets," was more than serious! Once the guards changed places the marching band would then accompany the exiting guards back out and the crowd's cameras would go crazy once again.







Big Ben is placed at the North-Eastern end of the palace of Westminster. Big Ben is the largest four-faced chiming clock, and the third-tallest free-standing clock tower in the world. We weren't able to have a stop here so the pictures snapped fast as we passed it in the bus! It was really amazing, and the architecture along the the sides of it were very detailed!







Here I am standing on one of the large walkways of Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, or more commonly known as the Tower of London! The Tower (historically called) had more turrets, towers, and rooms than I knew! Here we also saw Her Majesty's Crown Jewels. Though no pictures were allowed I saw a young man standing in the corner of the room snapping pictures pretty obviously (bobbies were standing in the opposite corner conversing, paying the least amount of attention). In the background I am holding my hand out to the London Bridge!







For now the pictures of London will have to suffice, Amy and Kimberlee! Sorry, but maybe later on I'll post more pictures of some of the other countries we visited. (By clicking on the pictures the image will enlarge.)