Day 5 of our Christmas trip. Today our group split up and headed different
ways. Ann, Ashley and Andrew caught the train back to Windsor to make
up the Castle tour they missed while Jim and James' family continued sightseeing
in London.
IMG_0623.JPG_12/20/2018_9:02 AM: This is the proper way to start the day
in England, scrambled eggs, a bland sausage, English bacon, beans, fried
tomatoes, toast and stiff coffee.
Jim and James' family went to St. Paul's Cathedral where they climbed to
the top of the second highest church dome in the world.
IMG_7933.JPG_12/20/2018_9:53 AM: The front of St. Paul's with a Christmas
tree dwarfed among the huge columns in the front of the church. St. Paul's
was designed by Christopher Wren, England's famous baroque architect.
It was consecrated in 1697. Its size ranks with the largest of the Roman
Catholic cathedrals that we saw in Italy but its decor is almost extremely
conservative in keeping with the early Protestant thinking.
IMG_7934.JPG_12/20/2018_9:54 AM: The JADIII Fam kids on the front steps
of St. Paul's in front of the big wooden entry doors.
IMG_7937.JPG_12/20/2018_12:33 PM: We climbed to the top of the dome and
outside we could look out over much of London. The dome is 365 feet tall
and the church stands on the highest point in the City of London. Therefore,
from the top you have a pretty good view of the city. This is looking
west toward the Embankment and up the Thames River.
20181220_122153.jpg_12/20/2018_12:21 PM: Sitting at the top of St. Paul's
dome.
IMG_7938.JPG_12/20/2018_12:33 PM: High above London looking down on Ludgate
Hill Street.
IMG_7939.JPG_12/20/2018_12:34 PM: Looking down on Paternoster Square with
its Flaming Orb Monument. There used to be a medieval street called Paternoster
Row running through this square. After the Great Fire, stationers returned
to this area making it the heart of London's publishing trade. The monument
has an urn with a golden flame at its top to commemorate the Great Fire.
IMG_7940.JPG_12/20/2018_12:37 PM: Looking back to the east into the City
of London you can see how dramatically architecture styles have changed
in the last decade. Most of the older 6 - 10 story buildings were constructed
in the decades after WWII. St. Paul's was the tallest structure in London
from 1810 to 1967. No more.
20181220_123831.jpg_12/20/2018_12:38 PM: Heading back down the narrow
steps back to the interior ring around the base of the dome. The ring
is called the Whispering Ring because if two people stand on opposite sides
and one whispers against the wall, the other can usually hear the whisper.
Success depends on the number of people testing this theory simultaneously.
Meanwhile Ann, Ashley and Andrew had arrived at Windsor and started their
tour of the castle and its grounds. Unfortunately, most of the photos
that Ashley took during their tour were lost in due to a disc failure.
Of those that survived, I have tried to show scenes different from those
shown earlier when we were there a day earlier.
11.jpg_12/20/2018_2:34 PM: Now in Windsor. Ann is trying to find their
tickets.
07.jpg_12/20/2018_2:35 PM: Tickets found, on their way to the Castle.
02.jpg_12/20/2018_2:35 PM:
03.jpg_12/20/2018_2:35 PM:
05.jpg_12/20/2018_2:35 PM: The St. George's Gate is decorated for the
season.
IMG-20181220-WA0000.jpg_: Apparently Andrew snapped this reflection of
him and Ashley while touring the royal apartments.
08.jpg_12/20/2018_2:36 PM: Ashley standing with the greens of the Upper
Ward behind her.
09.jpg_12/20/2018_2:35 PM: Back outside in the Lower Ward
10.jpg_12/20/2018_2:35 PM: Inspection before changing of the guard.
IMG_6511.jpg_12/20/2018_2:44 PM: Ann, Ashley and Andrew next to St. George's
Chapel.
We managed to recover some of the pictures you see here but most of her
videos were lost, specifically changing the guard was lost.
trooping.mp4: This is not specifically a video but a sequence of photos
Ashley took of the guard marching down Castle Hill Road.
Back in London, Jim and James' family have crossed town for a leisurely
walk along the Embankment.
20181220_144423.mp4: Except for Genevieve who would rather dance her way.
IMG_7941.JPG_12/20/2018_2:52 PM: This is called Cleopatra's Needle, an
Egyptian obelisk that stands on the Victoria Embankment along the Thames
River. It was originally erected in Heliopolis in 1450BC with inscriptions
by Ramesses II. It was presented to England in 1819 by the Egyptian ruler
Muhammad Ali to commemorate Nelson's victory in the Battle of the Nile.
It was transported to London from Alexandria in a large iron cylinder
equipped with sails and a rudder much like an iron boat. During the trip
the crew encountered a bad storm and the cylinder was abandon, seemingly
sunk. But it didn't sink, was recovered, and towed to England where it
now stands.
IMG_7942.JPG_12/20/2018_2:52 PM: Either side of the obelisk are two large
bronze Egyptian sphinxes. Genevieve is resting on the paw of one of those
large beasts. During WWI a bomb exploded nearby and shrapnel blasted holes
in the beasts, one of which is visible at the right side of this photo.
Jim went back to the hotel to wait for Ann while James and his family continued
sightseeing on their own before dinner.
20181220_163034.jpg_12/20/2018_4:30 PM: Westminster Abbey
20181220_164054.jpg_12/20/2018_4:40 PM:
20181220_165812.jpg_12/20/2018_4:58 PM: The circle in front of Buckingham
Palace with its Queen Victoria memorial.
20181220_181956.jpg_12/20/2018_6:19 PM: The famous Ritz Hotel on Piccadilly
next to the Green Park Tube Station.
20181220_182855.jpg_12/20/2018_6:28 PM: Walking through the Piccadilly
Arcade.
20181220_182937.jpg_12/20/2018_6:29 PM: Here are the kids on Jermyn Street
across from the Piccadilly Archade poking a little fun at the statue of
Beau Brummell, the man who made wearing pants fashionable.
20181220_183234.jpg_12/20/2018_6:32 PM: This is Jermyn Street, a block
from Piccadilly. Our dinner restaurant was just behind James when he toot
this picture.
20181220_182740.jpg_12/20/2018_6:27 PM: This was our last night in London
and Ann wanted us to have a nice family dinner. She tried to get reservations
at Rules but it was all booked up so she settled on dinner at Wilton's,
another classic and famous London restaurant.
IMG-20181220-WA0005.jpg_: Jim and Ann with Andrew and Ashley
IMG_0389.jpg_12/20/2018_6:24 PM: Nice glass of wine with dinner.
20181220_194816.jpg_12/20/2018_7:48 PM:
20181220_194827.jpg_12/20/2018_7:48 PM:
20181220_182544.jpg_12/20/2018_6:25 PM: After dinner we walked up Piccadilly
Street. It was busy with shoppers.
IMG-20181220-WA0006.jpg_: Fortnum and Mason was still open. It is one
of our favorite stores in London so we stopped to enjoy their decorations.
IMG-20181220-WA0007.jpg_:
IMG-20181220-WA0008.jpg_:
IMG-20181220-WA0009.jpg_:
20181220_220809.jpg_12/20/2018_10:08 PM: James and his family continued
their evening walking tour of London sights. They were at Piccadilly Circus
looking up Regents Street.
20181220_220817.jpg_12/20/2018_10:08 PM: Looking up Shaftsbury where many
of the west end theaters are located.
IMG-20181220-WA0011.jpg_: Panorama at Piccadilly Circus.
20181220_222426.jpg_12/20/2018_10:24 PM: Between Piccadilly Circus and
Leicester Square they found the Lego Store, a place not possible for the
JAD Fam to pass without going in.
20181220_222553.jpg_12/20/2018_6:27 PM: Who ever dreamed of riding on
a Lego tube and sit next to that famous English block Shakespeare? 20181220_222747.jpg_12/20/2018_10:27
PM: And to get around you need a proper map for that special subway car.
20181220_224204.jpg_12/20/2018_10:42 PM: The entrance to London's famous
China Town
20181220_224359.jpg_12/20/2018_10:43 PM: View into London's China Town,
Wardour Street.
20181220_230748.jpg_12/20/2018_11:07 PM: Back at our local tube station
after a long day.