triumphgal

Didn’t love my alarm this morning but there was much to see and do so had to get on with it. Looked out to see a magpie (I learned after it flew away before I got a good picture) and that overstuffed pigeon once again

The mail came while I was having my bagel and coffee and I was thrilled to receive my ticket for my last nights plans. Even includes a ticket for a glass of bubbly!

We headed on foot to catch transit, stopping to buy me an Oyster card (transit pass). I found the mail carrier’s cart interesting and clever and there were some cute items for sale along the way.

We hopped on and off as we needed to get on the express bus. I loved the front seat view up top

The squiggly lines are no parking crosswalk areas and the dotted lines are yields, if double solid it would be a stop line. There are no proper stop signs, markings are on the road and I am going to guess they don’t get much snow as that system would never work at home!

At the train station I first noticed the artistic big barbed wired atop the fence. Would see more as the day went on.

Sackboy enjoyed our chat with our seat mate heading in to work. She pays over £500/month to commute over an hour each way into London to work as the wages are better but rent is very expensive

Linda managed to sit beside an actor, Dan who plays Basil in a touring Theatre production of Fawlty Tours! He was very nice. Nigel, well we are pretty sure he didn’t talk to anyone. Was strange to see a group of women open drinking in the seats in front of us. Apparently you can drink in the train, just not walking down the street and they do sell alcohol in the markets.

We arrived at Victoria Station and I was just in awe of everything I saw. It was like the movies all came to life.

We headed straight to the first stop for our Hop-On, Hop-Off Big Bus Tour. And I listened to the tour guide in the earbuds provided and just kept snapping pictures and soaking it up

Royal Artillery Memorial to 1st World War

This was the gate given to Queen Mother by her daughter for her 90th bday. It looks a bit kindergartener designed if you ask me.

I really do love these two human beings. Can’t imagine a place I’d rather be or any other two to spend this time with.

Speakers Corner where one can jump on their soapbox and say whatever they want within these guidelines:

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The Marble Arch and Art nearby

Bronze horse head drinking water – “Still Water” by Nic Fiddian-Green

The Duke of Wellington hated the statue of himself on top of this so he left money in his will demanding it be replaced

The architecture was just too much to take in. So many gorgeous details that I just snapped what moved me at the moment

I noticed Sir Paul McCartney was going to be doing a book signing but when we looked it up you had to have gotten tickets in advance and absolutely no photos!

Piccadilly Circus which simply means a round about

We hopped off for a bit and as I passed a couple I asked if they were Canadian. He was obviously surprised and said yes, from North Van. I’m not sure why I was sure they were but after I passed the tour guide with my backpack on she called out , “hey, I’m from BC too!”

As we headed towards a spot for lunch we passed Canada House and went through Trafalgar Square

What a cool place the Crypt is and the food was delicious!

I picked up a new pop-up type book for my collection, some Banksy Playing cards (functional art) and a gorgeous card to frame by the same artist I fell in love with out at Brighton

When we came out it had rained a bit but stopped already. Just made it fresh. I now was on a mission to capture all the different crossing symbols.

When I asked this guy where the maple leaf was he pointed over my shoulder to say “there’s plenty over there”

Canadian National Railway Building

Horse Guards Parade at the barracks

They are working round the clock to get Queen Elizabeth Tower ready on time (yes we heard that joke many times today) It is the home of Big Ben, which is the sound of chimes which ring 4 times a day although it is silenced for this 3 year project . This must be disconcerting for Londoners used to living by the clock’s schedule. Waterloo station is the busiest station in Britain for the 15th year in a row – approx. 750,000 people pass through it every day!

The National Theatre where I shall be on my last night in the UK

The Royal Courts of Justice

Dragons at every entrance to London

Facades being preserved… lovely

Our guide for the second part, Will, left a lot to be desired. He was more enamoured with himself than he was able to educate. Not sure how much he was making up as he ate his lunch and rambled on

The Monument at the top of Pudding Lane. It’s 202 feet tall and if you lay it down it will be at the site of the bakery where the 1666 London fire began that wiped out the Plague and remarkably only resulted in 6 known deaths

Chimneys and a Unicorn! I can’t take my eyes off the gorgeous horizons

Tower Bridge is the only bascule bridge in the world (both opening and suspension)

Tower of London (we shall be back to this another day)

Hopped off at this spot where an accident had recently occurred and headed down to cruise part of tour. First time I’ve had to pay for the loo in as long as I can remember.

Mailed postcards and got ready to board

The Shard – the tallest building in Western Europe

What an incredible journey down the Thames and our guide on the Millenium City was amazing

notice the name of the bargejust going to leave this here…..

Back on shore deciding if we had time to catch the last couple sites

We decided to head to meet Claire and go catch our dinner reservations. I grew up in New Westminster, the Royal City in Western Canada

.10 Downing Street – home of the Prime Minister

Another amazing meal, this time at Bill’s

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Now it was finally time to head to see Come From Away at the Phoenix!!!

I can’t even begin to explain how many tears I shed right from the get go. So proud to be Canadian and an honorary Newfoundlander!!

Home again on the train where Nigel, Linda and daughter Claire joined me in a toast with the Iceberg Beer I’d brought from Quidi Vidi, Newfoundland. What an extraordinary day.