Sunday, September 03, 2006

Windsor Castle








Me with Two Babies...




















The Center Tower at Windsor Castle















My Niece































Friday, September 01, 2006

Greenwich Means Time

If you are visiting London, I highly recommend a visit to Greenwich. It has history coming out it's ears and a number of good museums to look at. It was probably my favourite place I visited in London, so that is saying something. Ok, yes I know I am a geek :)
If you want to make the trip, I recommend taking the boat ride rather than the under/over ground, the driver gives a voluntary not official commentary as you go up the river which is highly cynical and very funny.

The inevitable "London Eye" photo

"Big Ben" which is actually part of the houses of Parliament, something I didn't quite click to until I visited it myself...

This building houses the London Aquarium, I walked past it many times but didn't actually go in.

Another photo of the London eye


On of the supports on the millennium bridge



A monument made out of some priceless artifact from Egypt or some such place.


A Train Station


The HMS Belfast, I visited her later on during my time in London. Stay tuned for more photos...




The Tower Bridge


I think this is the royal observatory college or something.


The Cutty Sark (an old ship in dry dock in Greenwich)


The Millennium Dome, Apparently it is the biggest building of its type in the world. According to the boat driver that is mostly because no one else is stupid enough to build one...

I think this is supposed to be some kind of art work?

The Thames Barrier, Cost some colossal sum to build but apparently has already paid for itself many times over by saving London from flooding.


It is hard to see in these photos how big these things are. I'm thinking at least 3 stories high.





The Maritime Museum Entrance (Can't take photo's inside)


The "Queens house"


The Royal Observatory, Greenwich


The Royal Observatory, Greenwich (again)


The Royal Observatory's time ball thing, apparently that ball drops at 1pm on the dot. An ancient custom to help ships synchronise their clocks.

I just couldn't resist another photo of it :)

London looking down from the Observatory. It's a pretty good view from up there.

The Famous Clock at the royal observatory

The Entrance to the Thames walking tunnel

Inside the tunnel on the way back home, I lost my boat ticket. Which is not something I recommend doing (Losing you ticket that is :)

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Changing of the Guards

If you are in london for a bit of time it probably worth going to see the Changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, expect it to be very crowded and to be stuck in the crowd for a long time...




People Waiting to see the Place Guards arrive










A police horse keeping an eye on the crowd









The Band marching towards the gates








The Gates at Buckingham Palace








The Band walking past us









On of the soldiers










A close up of part of the band








Entering the gates

Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and the London Eye








Westminster Abbey















Me Carrying "Big Ben"

















The London Eye, the worlds largest ferris wheel. Apparently it only make 16,000 british pounds an hour! I haven't been on it yet, but it is on the todo list.
















This chalk drawing was apparently 6 weeks work! It isn't actually drawn on the side walk, it is a black sheet of paper taped down. Amazing detail though...










A Tame Squrriel in St James Park London





A Tame Squrriel in St James Park London

Monday, August 28, 2006

Bury St Edmond

The most interesting part of Bury St Edmond is the abbey complex. According to the dictionary an abbey is a complex that contains or once contained a convent or monastry.







A plaque with some information about they Abbey

















One of the two Abbey Gates, which would have once controlled access to the Abbey













A view of the main church building at the abbey. This was once dwarfed by a larger building which not is little more than a bunch of ruins.















A view of the church's spire, which was a suprising recent addition added in year 2000, just in time to usher in the new millenium.










A 3d model of what the orignal abbey complex would have looked like. Having seen this I understand much better the concept of an abbey as portrayed in books such as redwall. The complex has large protective walls (almost like a castle) and many buildings supplying all different services.

(note: there is a large spire missing from the model).








Some ruins from the orignal abbey complex.