My London, the way I saw it ( part two)

First chance I get, I'm going back.  

Go ahead and scroll through the page for some of my very favorite spots in London. 












We emerged from the tube at Notting Hill Gate station

and browsed and bought at Waterstones.

For a while we walked aimlessly through the streets of Notting Hill, just taking in the charm.

Wouldn't it be lovely to live here?

Clever parking strip in the middle of the road

Amazing use of space

Bringing summer into the streets

Kensington Gardens (adjacent to Hyde Park) covers 275 acres (111 ha) of lawn and paths. It has three playgrounds, one of which is themed around Peter Pan. 
We rented bikes for a change of pace and peddled around for 30 minutes. (Self-serve stations are all over the city and it's inexpensive.)

Kensington Palace is a former home of Princess Diana. And Queen Victoria was born here.

The tube is utterly convenient and we certainly made use of our passes. 
I was impressed with people's polite manner, as they scurried on their minute-schedule to catch the trains.  Once in their seats, everyone zoomed in on their books and newspapers.
I snapped this shot because I found the shoe lineup humorous and telling. 

At night, the banks of the Thames draw a crowd. We enjoyed the lit-up evening as we crossed from one side to the other.

London Eye on the South Bank
443 ft (135 m) high, you have a nice view of the city -on a clear day 25 miles out (40 km), and spectacular lights at night. (If you want to go for this 30-minute ride, it's best to get tickets in advance to avoid standing in line for a long time.) 

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament (Palace of Westminster)
This clock tower may well be my favorite. It's got something.
The name Big Ben actually refers to the largest of the five bells, which is used as the hour bell. We heard its majestic chime. The tower was built in 1843-58 and it's 316 ft (96 m) high. It's topped by a cast-iron framed spire.

This monumental structure captured my heart and I convinced my friend that we should come back the next morning (before heading to the airport) to take a look at it in daylight.

The world's largest clock when it was installed in the mid-19th century, it is still Great Britain's largest.
The clock faces are nearly 25 ft (7,5 m) in diameter.
The hour hand is 9 ft (2,7 m) and the minute hand 14 ft (4,25 m).
The clock is known for its reliability in keeping time.

I'm keeping Go to London on my bucket list for another visit. :)