LONDON

Another short blog following a quick trip down to London last weekend to catch up with Tanya, her husband James and to see Corinne before she packed her things and headed back to Oz. As it was also Evan's first (and only Carly's second) time in London we also had a quick look around the city by walking along the north bank of the Thames on a sunny Saturday afternoon..

The view from Tanya and James balcony in Aldgate, east London. As we arrived the sun was setting over the financial district and the building commonly referred to as 'The Gherkin.' The next morning we woke to a beautiful day in London, albeit with sore heads, thanks to a pub crawl through Aldgate, the highlights of which involved a quick drink in an ex-public-urinal-turned-nightclub and a late night pint (or two?) in the Ten Bells, a pub Jack the Ripper used as a hunting ground for 2 of his victims..

Tower Bridge on the Thames, as seen from the Tower of London..

A cruise ship was the last thing we expected to see in the Thames?..

St Paul's Cathedral on the walk up from the river..

The western facade of St Paul's..

Further east we came to the Millenium Bridge and the London Eye..

The 'eye' - 165 metres high making it the tallest in Europe..

Big Ben at Westminster with the 'eye' in the background..

Westminster Abbey, there has been an abbey on this site since the 7th Century..

"Look kids, Big Ben - Parliament! I can't seem to get over!"
Sorry, but we (read; Evan) couldn't help the National Lampoons European Vacation quote. Haven't seen it? Be ashamed!..
And that is all from our very brief trip to the capital of the UK, possibly should have taken some more pics but a pub crawl in Aldgate the night before will do that!! We'll be heading back there in January to do the proper tourist thing so expect more pics (and more National Lampoons quotes) then!
Thanks to Tanya and James for the hospitality, accommodation, good times and sore heads..