Today we bid London good-bye. As I sit at the breakfast table I feel a tinge of sadness to leave this town, which I had not loved much in previous visits and to which I have warmed up considerably in this one.
We have hardly done any touristy things but thought it necessary to at least visit Buckingham Palace before we leave. Our aim is to get there for the Changing of the Guard. We take the bus. Another sunny, beautiful day. We take a pathway in the Mall (not the shopping kind) towards it.
The Victoria Memorial in front of the Palace is swarming with tourists.
We’ll come back to it. Let’s see the Changing of the Guard…
or not. Today, there is no Changing of the Guard ceremony, but that doesn’t stop them from marching.
Back to The Victoria Memorial dedicated to Queen Victoria, of course.
The monument has a nautical theme with mermaids included and did you know there were mermen?
I think the statues on the sides were donated by New Zealand. From here I see the London Eye (does it see me?)
After I catch some rays,
we say farewell to Buckingham Palace
and since we are in the tourist mode, head out to Westminster Abbey where Big Ben and the London Eye get closer.
First a visit to the inner courtyard.
But since we are running out of time (we have a train to catch) we must content ourselves with an outside view of the Abbey itself.
I realize, as well, that I have not photographed one iconic London phone booth, so I do so
before going into the very industrial-feel of the Westminster tube (aka: metro, subway).
We return to the back alley of The Royal Albert Hall and take a last walk through the side street of the hotel,
have a last cuppa (cup of tea) in the Green Room
and go to the train station where we are taking the Eurostar
to Paris!