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.

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!

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