We stayed at the Premier Inn near Borough Market, on the southbank. This was a great location for access to tourist sites, the River Thames, and many dining options. Sadly, we only had one day when the sun came out, so most of the photos will have blank grey skies.
We could start our day with a sausage bap, or roast pork and apple sauce in a bun, or many other delectable foods, and follow this with some delicious strong coffee. The food smells in the market were nothing like the smells of Malaysian food markets, and we enjoyed the pleasure of eating pork again!
I had a new camera and lens on this trip, so took lots of photos to test out what it could do. My trusty model Lawrence was always willing to pose:
We have always loved walking along the River Thames and it was nice to see so many others taking advantage of the pathway from London Bridge to Westminster.
A trip to London is not complete without a visit to the Tate Modern. We were enthralled by the exhibition ‘The Radical Eye: modernist photography’ which were photos from a massive collection belonging to Sir Elton John. These were pre-digital age photos and remarkable in their technique. Below the photos of us, is one of the underside of the Millenium Bridge which links the Tate Modern with St Paul’s Cathedral across the river, then several nighttime shots of the river itself.
Although the Christmas lights make London quite special, the regular use of lights on the all the bridges and tall buildings makes nighttime London a pleasure to walk around. Even the underpass between Kings Cross and St Pancras station was enhanced by a light show; indeed this whole area of previously rundown London has been revitalised by thoughtful restoration and new buildings.
Just around the corner from Borough Market is the specatular Southwark Cathedral which is the oldest cathedral church building in London.
Then, walk across London Bridge and you can see Tower Bridge to the right. This was our one sunny day!
We continued our walk in the City around Leadenhall Market, and marvelled at the way English men and women would stand outside in the freezing cold to enjoy an afternoon drink!
There is no mistaking the architecture of London; everywhere you look there is something of interest. Below left is the ‘Gerkin’ building in the heart of the City, and below right is the Natural History Museum. We visited this museum to view an exhibition of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Apparently, the day we visited the museum was the last day that Dippy the Diplodocus (dinosaur) would be on display there as it was heading off for a regional outing.
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