Thursday 31 December 2009

9th - 12th October 2009
Friday 9th we took a walk into Regent's Park - I think that this park is the most disappointing of all the others we've visited - it looked very poor by comparison, not a lot to see at all.


I think this strange creature is a Pochard duck(?)
We passed the other side of this house from the Regents Canal



the Post Office Tower from Regent's Park
We met up with our friends from Chester over the weekend and took them to see Camden Market on the Sunday - the weather wasn't too good and the market not so busy but we had a great time with them.
On Monday 12th our 7 days of mooring was up for Paddington Basin so we wended our way back to Little Venice for the remainder of our stay in the centre of London
looking back at the moorings

we've enjoyed our stay here


heading towards Little Venice
across the junctions
that's the Regent's canal junction

and moored again by Halfpenny Bridge where we
met up with Ian and Pat on Portceri. They are planning their return trip north on Wednesday and we agreed to accompany them.

Tuesday 15 December 2009

8th October continued ....!!
we walked back to Paddington via
St James's Park, Green Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens
St James's Park:-

Horse Guards Parade and the London skyline
London Eye from St James's Park Lake
Green Park:-
Buckingham Palace
Victoria Memorial
Wellington Arch at the end of Constitution Hill
and a close up of the Arch
Hyde Park:-
The Serpentine bridge and skyline
Princess Diana Memorial Fountain
Kensington Gardens:-
Albert Memorial
Royal Albert Hall
Albert
a wider view of the Albert Memorial
this monument was so, so beautiful, it was magnificent!
Molly in the still warm sunshine taken at just after 5pm
Kensington Palace

Kensington Palace Gardens (and below)


nearly back at Paddington Basin - walking past very elegant houses
the end of a perfect day!

Monday 7 December 2009

Thursday 8th October 2009


Another warm sunny day - it's difficult to believe we're into October!

Off on our tourist trail again today -

starting at the Old Bailey


the inscription reads 'Defend the Children of the Poor and Punish the Wrongdoer"

which is a paraphrase of Psalm 82: 3-4 - New King James version -

3: Defend the poor and fatherless, Do justice to the afflicted and needy.

4: Deliver the poor and needy, Free them from the hand of the wicked.


we walked down Ave Maria Lane near Temple Bar - the camera has caught the reflected light as there was no colour evident when I took the picture.



and saw St Paul's above the archway to Paternoster Square

that's me and molly on the steps of St Paul's; we were unable to look around inside as it was closed to the public for some schools event


St Paul's from the road

the Millennium Bridge

St Paul's from the Millennium Bridge

London Bridge and Tower Bridge taken from the Millennium Bridge

'that' tower - also taken from the Millennium Bridge -

those that know me well know that I don't like heights so for me to even walk across this bridge is amazing - George was holding me tight whilst I took the pictures, just in case I fell off!! another view of St Paul's from the Millennium Bridge


and the Globe Theatre from the same bridge!

real river traffic taken from Southwark Bridge - we watched the tug moor these two huge container barges - it was mind blowing! - at a steep angle he headed directly for the barges already moored (see under London/Tower bridge photo above) and when he got to a few feet away he slipped the ropes attaching him to the barges and veered away back into the channel and men on the already moored boats threw lines onto them to bring them neatly alongside - it really did look a very dangerous manoeuvre.



We then caught a bus to Wesminster -

Westminster Hall

Westminster Bridge, London Eye and County Hall taken from Victoria Tower Gardens

we've got this picture as our screensaver - a great photo even if I do say so myself!


the rear of Westminster Abbey

above and 2 pictures below - views of Westminster Hall









taken from Parliament Squre - HM Treasury on the left of the picture Portcullis House with London Eye and Big Ben in the background

- the offces for members of parliament are in Portcullis House, there is an underground walkway leading from this building through to the Palace of Westminster. Westminster Abbey


unfortunately we couldn't go inside as we had arrived 15 minutes too late for last entry!


we decided that we would walk back to the mooring at Paddington basin where we were moored via the royal parks