TODAY'S TOP STORIES
It's time for ZZZippy to take you on a little tour across the pond for a brief visit of the historic London, England. London still rates high on our list of one of the top places in the world to visit. Rich with history and alive with culture, it’s a city that you truly must experience to be able to appreciate it. The photos below give you a brief peek at a few of the many highlights in store for you if you visit jolly old England in person. So sit back and enjoy the picturesque city of London, England
(Pictured above : Buckingham Palace and her Queen's Royal Guard)
(Pictured above :The Victoria Memorial Statue)
The Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace comprises the Dominion Gates (Canada Gate, Australia Gate and South and West Africa Gates), the Memorial Gardens and a enormous central monument which commemorates the death of Queen Victoria in 1901.
The monument stands and impressive 82 feet high (25 meters) and weighs an incredible 2,500 tons. It was made from white Carrara marble. There are other statues surrounding Victoria representing courage, constancy, victory, charity, truth and motherhood.
Sir Thomas Brock began creating the central monument 1906, but the entire design, including the Memorial Gardens, was conceived by Sir Aston Webb. The Memorial was formally unveiled by King George V in 1911 even though the central monument was not finished until 1924.
(Pictured : The Houses of Parliament, otherwise known as the Palace of Westminster, symbolizes Great Britain. The many decisions made in its corridors of power have shaped Britain over countless decades)
(London's notable architecture is timeless and is seen everywhere in the city)
(Horse-drawn carriages are still an everyday part of the London scenery)
(Pictured above: The most popular clock in the world, London's "Big Ben")
Built and 1702 by the Duke of Buckingham, Buckingham palace was his London home. The Palace has undergone countless renovations and improvement. The “front” has kept the same design for over 300 years.
Today, Buckingham Palace has the dual purpose of being a home for the Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the location for administrative work relating to the monarchy. An easy way to tell if the Queen is home is to look at the flagpole. When the flag is flying, the Queen is at home.
The famous guards at Buckingham palace consist of some of the most elite soldiers in the British Army. While they may uphold tried and true traditions of the past, they also travel throughout the world as professional soldiers. When visiting the palace, be sure to stop by the guard’s museum where you can try on one of the bearskin caps they wear.
One of the most famous landmarks in London is the Palace of Westminster, or as most tourists and non- residents refer to it, Parliament, which houses the English government.
(Pictured : A very friendly English doorman at the Rubens 41, a popular four-star hotel located on Buckingham Road directly across from the Palace)
(A London apartment building another example of London's remarkable architecture)
(The London Eye, or Millennium Wheel, is ghosted in the above photo which is a beautiful photo overlooking the river Thames at dusk)
The Gothic structure on view today was built around 1937. Its unique ornamental design is truly something to behold. Westminster Abbey, of course, is another well-known landmark and a definite “must see.” It has a gift shop for tourists, which is typical, but something not so typical is the area where one can make brass rubbings. If you wish to capture the Westminster Abbey on film, the outside is fine, but tourists are not allowed to take any photos inside Westminster Abbey since it is still an active house of worship.
Another popular site within walking distance is known as the Clock Tower, or as every non-London resident calls it, Big Ben. In fact, Big Ben is actually the name of the 13-ton bell inside the clock tower. World famous in its own rite, it is not a single structure but one of two towers that flank the Palace of Westminster. How did it get the name of Big Ben? That’s a bit of an enigma, some claim it was named after a boxer by the name of Ben Caunt, others say it was named after a portly Westminster commissioner named Sir Benjamin Hall. Whatever the case may be, it’s Big, it’s Ben, it’s a must see.
(Pictured above: Grounds at Leeds Castle)
(Pictured above : Modern buildings have become a common sight among London's Renaissance and Gothic architecture)
(Also pictured : One of London's "Bobbies". This guy was photographed as he pulled a security shift at the Palace)
The Tower Bridge is a very popular tourist attraction, ironically enough it is often mistaken for being the famous London Bridge. London Bridge was purchased many years ago, dismantled and reassembled at Lake Havasu City, Arizona. The Tower Bridge, famous in its own right, got its name because it’s located adjacent to the Tower of London, another famous landmark. An estimated 40,000 motorists and pedestrians a day cross the Tower Bridge, which stretches over the river Thames. This spring marked the beginning of a major face-lift for the structure, which will take at least four years.
Architecture throughout the city of London makes it one of the most unique places on the planet. In many instances, particularly when speaking about the Palace of Westminster, the architecture is a mixture of Renaissance and Gothic influences.
At the western end of Jubilee Gardens on the south bank of the river Thames, stands the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe, the London Eye. Also known as the Millennium Wheel, the London Eye is 443 feet tall. 32 air -conditioned capsules adorn the wheel accommodating 25 passengers, when seen from a distance it resembles a huge bicycle wheel. The “Eye” moves at the rate of 10 inches per second and takes a half an hour for a full revolution. Since opening to the public in 2000, the London Eye is visited by at least 3 million tourists a year, making it one of the most popular landmarks in London. The panoramic view provided by the “Eye” is breathtaking to behold during the day and is indescribable at night.
London truly has something for everyone, we have only shown you a smidgen of what you can see and enjoy. A trip to London should be on everyone’s “to do” list.
By the way, if you happen to see the Queen make sure that you tell her ZZZippy sent you!
