We toured the iconic Tower Bridge which is still in operation as a drawbridge today. London is an incredibly walkable city, so we made a day of it, meandering along the Thames and visiting several other landmarks.
Besides touring the towers and engine room, visitors can also take their picture lying down on the Tower Bridge's surface, which has a glass floor. Undoubtedly the floor is cleanest where Darcie's hair mopped the glass!
Since it was nearby, we also walked to the London Bridge which was disappointing. Remembering the famous nursery rhyme "London Bridge Is Falling Down," we assumed the London Bridge would be the most famous and therefore scenic of London's 35 bridges. Nope. This modern version opened in 1973 and looks like any pedestrian (pun intended) concrete bridge. Its predecessor, the "New London Bridge," actually relocated to Arizona (Lake Havasu) like so many other retirees.
Whilst we're in history lesson mode, we also vaguely remembered hearing about some big fire in London's history. We visited the monument: the Great Fire of London happened in 1666, in a bakery on Pudding Lane (British and their food references!). The 5-day fire destroyed the inner city. The 200-foot tall monument is located 200 feet from where the fire started.
Meanwhile, along the Thames, we saw a building that reminded us of the State Capitol in St. Paul, MN. :-)
Speaking of the Thames, it's pretty cool that you can catch an Uber there!
We also saw, but did not enter, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Actually, this is a replica, but plays are currently staged here, including the night we visited. Although it may be much ado about nothing, we did not feel comfortable attending indoor theatre during times of Covid.
We also walked by The Shard, a skyscraper that is the tallest building in the UK. We did not visit the observation deck, which supposedly has stunning views.
Lastly and at the recommendation of Dale's co-instructor David, we headed to Borough Market, famous for its food stalls and restaurants. The food choices were overwhelming so we selected a place based on whether we could grab outdoor seating. By serendipity, we ended up at 26 Grains to enjoy their 7-course sampler dinner and, you guessed it, people-watch. Good thing we walked all day!
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