Tag: big ben

Travels

London 2019 (Day 4-5)

Day 4

My friend Alex and I spent the day touring the Imperial War Museum and the districts with Big Ben, Parliament and Buckingham Palace.

What I saw

Began the day with a trip to the Imperial War Museum
Obligatory shot with the naval guns in front.
Large displays included the V2 rocket and the Harrier jet.
Lawrence of Arabia’s Arab headdress accessory (agal).
The British flag carried by the British party when they went to surrender to the Japanese at the Old Ford Factory in Feb 1942. It was then hidden by POWs at Changi. The flag was again raised in Singapore after the Japanese surrendered to Lord Mountbatten on 12 Sep 1945.
A Nazi eagle emblem recovered from the Reich Chancellery in Berlin after the German surrender.
The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben from Westminster Bridge.
The Elizabeth Tower and Big Ben (the bell inside) were undergoing refurbishment.
Buckingham Palace. The Queen wasn’t at home though.
A happy guy who just happened to wander into my shot.
The British flag was flying above Buckingham Palace. If the Queen was present, the Royal Standard would be flying instead.
Climate Change protesters outside the British Library. It was surreal to see street demonstrations.
The strikingly beautiful St Pancras station at night. Strong Gothic vibes.

What I ate

Had breakfast in this delightful little coffee house at Tavistock Place.
Had the full English Breakfast which was extremely filling so we skipped lunch.
Dinner was this lamb souvlaki. It was too chewy though.
This warm chocolate brownie topped with vanilla ice cream was superb.

Day 5

On Day 5, Alex and I hung out at the Victoria & Albert Museum and Harrod’s before we bid farewell to each other. I then ended my last day in London with a play at the Duchess Theatre.

What I saw

The ornate entrance to the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A).
An extremely detailed lacquer table from the Ming dynasty.
A Japanese lacquer chest inlaid with gold, silver and mother of pearl. It was exported to Europe by the Dutch East India Company in 1640-43.
A gallery full of Victorian era reproductions of classical artefacts.
Among the casts include one of Michaelangelo’s Statue of David. The original is in Florence.
The Tippu Sultan’s famous tiger automaton, depicting a tiger mauling a British soldier. It was looted from India after the Sultan’s defeat.
Ended the day by watching “The Play That Goes Wrong”, a comedy that features a play within a play.
It’s a small but cosy theatre and the murder mystery plot was very entertaining. Well worth the 22 pound ticket.

What I ate

Had delicious butternut squash pancakes with egg and maple syrup for breakfast.
The hot chocolate was a great way to warm the body on that cold day.
Decided to pop by Five Guys for my first taste after the play. The shake was so thick.
The Five Guys was just a stone’s throw from King’s Cross.

Click HERE for Day Six and Day Seven