Charming London

I think I've fallen in love with London. It really is a pretty nice place to stay in. The biggest draw -- the crisp, cool air. Really one of the nicest things to wake up to. Okay, it is really pretty cold, but that's what the fanciful winter clothes are for right.

London as a city, does not have as many grand monuments as Paris or Rome, but you can still feel the regal, cultured air about it. At the same time, it's an advanced city with all the comforts and convenience that modernisation brings.

The main attraction of the trip was Italy, but I think London left the deepest impression in me, and I would love to return to the city, just to stay there. I guess not having much of a language barrier helps. The sterling pounds exchange rate doesn't help though. How expensive are the things? Think local prices, keep the number, just change it to sterling pounds....that's how much things cost there.

Here are the pictures.

(1) We went to Greenwich and experienced the DLR (Dockland Light Rails). We made a quick visit to the (Free) National Maritime Museum and nearly left after that. It was only later at a cafe, where we sat to rest and read brochures did we realise that there's the Royal Observatory and Greenwich line behind the National Maritime Museum. We scrambled there and managed to take some photos with the Greenwich Meridien line.

(2) The next 4 photos are taken at Cambridge. Yup, the place where they set our "O" levels, "A" levels exam. We visited, or rather, stood outside, Kings College and Trinity College. It was the weekend before school starts, so the Colleges were not opened to public. We also went punting...which was a very difficult experience. I was so scared we might not back it back to shore. But thanks to the hard work of hubby and sis-in-law, we made it!

(3) Pub food is the definitive English food to try. There's also the Traditional English Breakfast, and Sunday Roast. I missed the tea and scones thing though. And also Brickland's Indian Curry. Sad...I must return.

(4) We visited Holy Trinity Brompton one Sunday. Btw, that's the same church that Tim Hughes from. I decided I wanted to visit because our hosts told us they have a worship band that plays like a rockband. And I am a sucker for rockbands. What they told us was true. The music was great. I also liked that they used drama to tell Bible stories. The drama replaced a sermon. Children were very involved because of the drama and action songs sung. But what I didn't appreciate was that not a word of Scripture was read. References were made, but the Bible wasn't read.

(5) We also visited the Science Museum. It was a quickie. We wrongly queued in front of the Natural History Museum...which was a very grand building (grandest I've seen in London..i.m.o.).

(6) We visited Harrods. Which is an institution by itself. It's abit too high-end a place to shop. Though I think the Food Hall is an interesting place to explore.

(7) Picadilly Circus. Nothing special. Just to say there is this good sporting goods store there - Lilywhites. Other shopping areas are Bond Street and Oxford Street.

(8) London Eye. Didn't go up. Still it was one of those places a tourist must visit. I mean, how to report that I've been to London without at least one shot of this icon.

(9) Big Ben Tower. It could rival that Natural History Musuem building. The gold on this grand tower makes it look so attractive.

(10) Westminister Abbey. That's where the royal family people get married.

(11) Chelsea Football Stadium at Stanford Bridge. I was a fan...when Jose was there. Now, still quite like them la, but won't call myself a fan, 'cuz Shevy also not there already. We went on a match day, close to 6 pm. It was a sea of BLUE from the tube station to the football club. People were cheering and smiley, so we figured they won. Too bad the megastore wasn't open anymore. But, we took pictures with the players...I mean posters of the players.

(12) London Tube. It's the most complicated train map I've ever seen. But it is wonderfully connected, and together with the bus system, we could go anywhere. The essential web-reference - Transport For London.

(13) Buckingham Palace. Change of guards. I always thought we could walk up to the guards with their funny hats, and disturb them. But, actually we can only watch from behind the fence, which is a distant, and there is a huge crowd. I loved the band though. It was very cool to see them break out into the tune of "That's the way (I like it)". Can you imagine, serious looking soldiers breaking out into a funky groove like that. Changed my impression of the boring, stiff, English people totally.