United Kingdom Trip (Part 6) -London

London- Day 1

After visiting southwest part of England on the weekend with our friend and his family, we went to my brother-in-laws place, who eventually lives very near to London. We planned stay at his place so that ,we could travel around London easily. Monday evening we reached his place. We were fatigued, on the top of that we had no time to visit any places in that evening, we decided to have rest. However, we had enough time to chalk out our plan for visiting London. My sister-in-law knows every nooks and corners of London, even every unknown places. She is a very good planning person.She asked us, what actually we wanted to see. After knowing our desire, she chalked put the whole plan, we just put little brain in that, rather Mr. Man, not me. Mr. Man  told her about the English afternoon tea. Promptly she booked table at Wolsey in London, one of the upscale restaurant famous for afternoon tea. We were lucky enough to get table there, as most of the time it remains overbooked. 

Buckingham Palace from St. James Park

First the plan was that, we three will travel around London, but my sister-in-law changed her mind, and wanter to visit London with us with her family. That was a great plan, we three, and my brother-in-law, his wife, and two little ones , it was going to be adventurous.  
We took the tube train and got down at West Minister station. Crossing the 10 Downing Street, where the journalists were flocking around we reached the Horse Guard Parade. In fact, from where the horse guards go and come back during the change of guards at Buckingham palace. We took photographs with one of the horses along with the guard on its back. Then we again started again walking towards St. James’s Park. Our next destination was to watch Change of guards at Buckingham Palace. The century old grandeur palace stood with pride overlooking from the park. Queen Victoria was the first monarch resided at Buckingham Palace, after it was it was completed in 1837.

Victoria Memorial

Change of guards

We spent some time in the huge park, beautifully decorated with different plants. The park was actually a marshland, before it was elaborately converted into a beautiful royal garden centuries ago. We visit around the park admiring the landscape with color-coordinated flower garden. The plants and the flowers were so vibrant and so lively, it was clear that, they got plenty of water.  Once I heard from my friend who lives in UK told me that,  few years ago, it was not raining at all , and government declared draught. As soon as draught was declared it started raining so heavily, that every where flooded with water. 

Big Ben

Westminister Abbey

Piccadilly circus

Anyway, we were just waiting to go to Buckingham Palace to watch the Change of guards. When we reached the Palace, it was already over crowded, we literally ran around to find a place from where we could see it. However, our all effort almost went in vein though we could reach the fence of the palace. I could find a little spot where I could stand side wise, but I could see only back of the red dressed guards with huge black gear on their heads. Then we decided to go back, as we couldn’t see properly. We walked around and crossed the street and came to the Victoria Memorial. What a timing!!! When we reached the memorial from where we could see the front of the palace. At that very moment, the gate was opened and the guards marched out from the palace. We could watch the retreat of the guards very clearly. 
From there we decided to walk to Westminster abbey, through St. James’s park again. So many spires, so many grand building, old and new we could on both sides of the streets. 
 

1000 years old West Minister Abbey was standing just west to the West minister Palace. The Abbey had more than 1000 years old paintings, stained glasses, textiles, and many more treasures. The present abbey was the spectacular example of Gothic Architecture. The Abbey was a living church, where worship still takes place. The last wedding took place there was the Royal wedding of Prince William and Miss Kate Middleton (now Duchess of Cambridge) It was the coronation site as well as the burial ground of the royals. We even saw the age old coronation chair when we were coming out from the abbey. The Abbey is so huge, it is divided between parts.

London eye

The Duke of York's column

Trafalgar Square

 We couldn’t cover the whole abbey. Inside many royal effigies were kept well preserved. So, many years ago those effigies were created, but all of them were still in good shape. I really couldn’t remember any of them royal figure who were buried there. I tried to read the all details written, but it was impossible task to do within an hour. On the top of the photography was prohibited inside, so I couldn’t even take a picture. The worship hall was very large and meticulously decorated with fine arts and painstakingly chose colors. 

Our next stop was Wolsey restaurant for afternoon tea. We wanted to enjoy the every bit of English afternoon tea. So, we didn’t even had our lunch.  After Wolsey afternoon tea, my brother-in-law and his family decided to go back home.  
We were not done till then. My sister-in-law suggested going to Piccadilly circus, and Trafalgar Square. Piccadilly circus lied in the intersection of five main roads. We reached there in the evening when the people were going home from office. The streets were extremely busy. People like us or the youngsters sitting near the famous Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain. The fountain was built in the memory of Lord Shaftesbury, a philanthropist. The statue on the fountain depicted the Angel of Christian Charity. Later it was  renamed Eros after the Greek god of love and beauty.

 We spend some time there,then we crossed the street, and started walking towards Trafalgar Square. We didn’t know anything about London, moreover we didn’t have any map. My husband tried to find out the map in the phone. Some time he could, some times not. Anyway, we manage to reach there, thanks to Mr. Man’s Road sense.The Square was originally called Charing. Later it became known as Charing Cross, after a memorial cross on the square. To me the image was lots of pigeons flying around there. When we reached there we couldn’t see any pigeon. We thought as it was already evening. Then I found that, city council stopped feeding pigeon there. Then I understood why there were no pigeon.  The square was built to commemorate the victory of Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson over the French fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar, a naval battle that took place on the 21st of October 1805 near Cape Trafalgar, just off the Spanish coast.On the four comers of there squares there were four huge lions. Those lions were known as Landseer lion in the name of Sir Edwin Landsee, who modeled them. I was extremely tired, and just wanted to go back, but my husband was adamant , he wanted to go to Regnet’s park. After walking a long we reached nothing but a market square, I asked my husband we were done for the day its better to go back. We walked to West Minister station from there we broaded the train and went back to my brother-in-law’s place.