Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
London
Day 1
Well we woke up at 5:00 to catch our train.The metro started running at 5:30 and we caught the first train.We had plenty of time this time and were not rushed.The train ride was fast and smooth, but offered none of the amenities that a flight would offer, like beverages or snacks for free.For the price one of these trains cost, I would assume something would be offered.We arrived on time and hopped on the underground.Everyone had been telling us that London was sooo expensive, and they were right.A one way ticket is 4£, or $8.We were kind of isolated when we stayed in Greenwich, it not being the most touristy spot.Before we both got fish and chips for 5.5£ together, now they are charging 7£ a piece.So I can confirm what other people were telling us.
Once we got checked in it wasn't long before we had to leave to meet the free tour.We got started a little late and finished a little late.Our tour turned into a 5 hour tour.We started at a statue commemorating the great fire, that is now dwarfed by buildings and invisible unless you go looking for it.From there we headed over towards St. Paul's Cathedral, another old large church, except this one charges you 9.5£ to get in.From there we wound around the city north of the Thames River.We saw the Knights Templar's Church and London's version of Hollywood.We had lunch at a square with shops and fast food.Dale and I had Cornish pasties, which are a flaky pastry with a variety of different things on the inside.After lunch we went down to parliament and saw Buckingham Palace from a distance.We also saw where the prime minister lives and ended our tour at Westminster Abbey.
After the tour we went to the globe theater to see if there were any tickets left for the show that night.The new Globe was recreated exactly where Shakespeare's old Globe had been.The floor level tickets are a bargain at only 5£.Apparently you can even throw fruit at the villains when they come on stage.When we got to the ticket office they were sold out.We decided to go to the Tate Museum which was next door to The Globe.It is a modern art museum.We went there for two reasons.The first is that the museum's are free in London and the second is that we have been recommended a specific display by a few people.They were showing a study on urbanization comparing 10 different large cities around the world.Inter mixed they had some weird "art" videos.We were kicked out and decided it was time to head to the Jack the Ripper Tour.
The Jack the Ripper Tour is organized by the same company that does the free tours.This one is not free but is still cheap.The Jack the Ripper tour is apparently big business and about 1,000 people take a similar tour every night. Our guide explained the story, the people, the theories and places.We were shown were four of the five murders took place.Unfortunately the Germans bombed this area pretty heavily and the actually buildings aren't left anymore.Having been given all the facts and not able to crack the case we headed back to the hostel with our tails tucked between our legs.
Day 2
Having seen the main sites we decided to start off at a museum.Not too far from our hostel was the imperial war museum, a museum that explains the history of Britain's military.The museum itself is housed in a four storey building with a dome.We started off downstairs in World War I.They have a trench you can walk through that simulates the experience of trench warfare right down to the smell.The exhibits were vast and thorough and included tons of material on the war.Across from WWI is WWII.This was just as extensive as WWI and included its own experience.In the WWII exhibit you sit in a bunker while you are being bombed and the smell of burning wood pervades the room.After the "Germans" stop bombing you walk through the bombed out city.The WWII exhibit also includes a D-Day room.It explained what happened at each base and includes sound clips from different people involved in it.After you pass through the exhibits you end up in the Cold War, and conflicts ever since.Again it is very thorough and presented in a nice manner. We only got through the basement and missed the four floors above us, but it was after 12:00 and the day was wasting.
We decided to head to Buckingham Palace, even though we missed the changing of the guard, which was at 11:00.From the outside there isn't much to see.It is not nearly as large as Versailles, but what is?The guards with the funny hats were not outside, and you couldn't even get in the gate even if they were.We took some pictures and started heading towards Piccadilly Circus to scrounge up some food.No luck there.We were in the touristy area, where everything is overpriced, and we needed to get out.We decided to go to the area where we had lunch yesterday.On our way we turned onto a small road and found some reasonable places.We both had fish and chips because they didn't serve sausage and mash.
After lunch we headed over towards the Tower of London.This was quite a walk and we didn't get there until after three.The tour guide gave us a hint to get into the museum cheap.He told us that when groups go in they don't mark their ticket, and you can just buy it off them for a few quid.There were some boy scouts from the US that were coming out and I asked them if they stamped their ticket but they said no they had ripped it upon going in.So, this plan was not going to work, and we were not about to pay 14.50£ for two hours in the tower.Jut another thing to add to the list when I come back.We decided to head over to the Tate Museum and finish up the cities exhibit.
The Tate was no far from the tower and our hostel.We finished up the cities exhibit and had time to view the modern art collection.This was some weird stuff.The first piece I saw was two birds shot by two arrows against a canvas?lovely.There were also great works of art like a giant red canvas with an orange stripe going down it, really remarkable stuff.There was one I did recognize, which was Monet's Lillies.
Around 5:45 we headed over to Hostel to pick up our stuff and by 6:45 we were headed towards Gatwick airport.Our flight didn't leave until 9:15, but we wanted to give ourselves plenty of time.The check in took about 45 minutes and we were not charged for our bags being a kilo overweight.This is surprising considering it was Ryanair.I forgot to put my toiletry bag in the big bag and I had to throw out my shaving cream and deodorant.Dale had to throw away his deodorant.The passengers on British Airways on the way back may not be too happy with Ryanair.After we got checked in we had to wait for them to tell us what gate we were supposed to go to.This must be a London thing.We didn't mind too bad because we had time to get a free mohito from Bacardi.We also picked up another favourite with Londoner's, McDonalds.
We boarded the airplane and things were noticeably different than regular airlines.Well, first we boarded both the front and the rear of the airplane.When I sat down there was less leg room than normal.This was a 737 and usually they are spacious.Next they didn't have any reading materials.The safety card was stuck to the seat in front of you.There was also advertising on the baggage compartments.No free drinks, no free snacks, but what do you expect for a 15£ flight.Our train from London Bridge to Gatwick was 9£ by itself.We barely landed, but it was ahead of schedule.For the first time we got our backpack, yay!We had to catch a bus outside instead of the city bus so we didn't get dropped off exactly where we wanted too.We had about a 15 minute walk from Trinity College, where they dropped us off.We found the hostel ok and crashed for the night.
- comments