Hi to all PMC members,
Arrived in London to a wet and cold summer day – with temps of 18 – 19. Almost like a Sydney’s winter day. View from our Hotel room of London Eye in distance. We also have other terms for some of the high rise buildings – Gerkin, (cucumber), Shard (of glass) and walkie talkie. You can see them in the far distance but with the clouds almost at ground level it is hard to see them.
From past overseas trips to London, I am finding at the moment, a very crowded London, in fact due to all that is happening with Brexit it is very difficult to move around the city with police everywhere and traffic almost at a stand still.
In the afternoon of our arrival we spent our time at the British Museum to see an extensive array of items the British had “permission” to take home from all over the world. We saw the Rosetta Stone with its 3 languages, to allow archaeologists to translate all the Egyptian hieroglyphics. Picture shows my husband Andris, standing outside the Museum, as I am the photographer.
Friday we had booked a new tour with our expert driver of her Mini Cooper to drive us right around London. Andris was in the front seat and his foot was on the brake and eyes closed tight some times as our most capable driver, Samantha squeezed through some unbelievable spaces.
For some photo opportunities it was good to be able to stick your head out of the car sunroof and get a good shot.
We really had a a good photo shot when the police stopped us, first in line at a crossing, as the guards were coming out of Buckingham Palace with the changing of the guard, this happens every day at 11:00 am – 12:00 pm.
What a position for a photo of the guards leaving the Palace and then marching back to St James Palace where the horses are stabled. They headed off down the Mall with a collection of cleaners picking up after the horses.
Our mini driver Sam took us to many of the known London spots – like Abbey Road and the famous crossing, Paul McCartney’s home, just close by and a local cider bar. We also went into very small alley ways to see some unknown sites such as the underpass of the railway line that took mourners to the grave yards outside London. The rail line is now not used but the walls have become places of street art. Some art can be worth up to 10,000 pounds for a wall (the walls are sold as well.)
For our afternoon travels, we passed and then had to stop at the Twinings Tea Rooms established in 1706. This was just opposite the Church of St Clements. As you may recall …. Oranges and Lemons ring the bells of St Clements.
Before heading back to the City of London we stopped to check out the Golden Hind, the boat of Sir France Drake when he defeated the Spanish Armada for Queen Elizabeth 1. Not the size I would like to sail in, across the English Channel or around the world as Sir Francis did.
After a wiz around the main streets of the London City (1 square mile for the City) we made our way across the Westminster bridge past Big Ben and houses of Parliament. By now the rain that had held off during the day was starting to come down in bucket loads, but then as I had put my head out of the sunroof for a photo I saw we were being followed by the local police who seemed to be everywhere now the vote on Thursday for Brexit was being made. Which as been decided to Leave.
We said a warm thanks to our driver Sam and then headed inside to freshen up before heading off to the Lion King that night. This show was just as good as Sydney production.
Yesterday was our ‘Hop on Hop off’ bus ride round central London. It took us 4 hours to do 3/4 of the trip which would normally be 2 hours in total, which in the end after passing Harrods we gave up as the traffic was just too dense and slow. Every road was clogged and seemed every car was out in London to keep calm after the Leave vote was announced. We needed to get back to the Hotel, go to the loo and get ready for our next show – Wizard that night.
Interesting being here with the Brexit vote. It is a most unexpected outcome and many are talking about the very disaster for UK. Scotland is now talking of requiring a vote to leave UK and rejoin EU and Northern Island is talking about joining the Irish Republic. Many car manufactures are considering not making cars here in Britain but moving back to France, Germany, Holland or lower priced regions – with 100,000’s jobs to be lost.
The financial sector in the City of London is considering moving to Dublin to other EU centres to remain in the EU to be able to continue without financial controls for non member states. Even a comment by Malcolm Turnbull about Leaving the EU was made in the London papers yesterday.
Hope you all are well and enjoying warmer Sydney winter weather. Weather here today sunny and dry – for a change.
More photos and info to follow later.
Regards
Wendy
