On Sunday, August 29, 2004, the Amsterdam Hotel in Earl's Court became my London home, at least for 8 days. www.amsterdam-hotel.com/
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The view from the room was the garden of the hotel
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My room and later in the week, Terry's and my room.
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I started off my first day on the Big Bus going all over London, trying to make sure I wasn't dreaming, that I truly was IN London.
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As we started driving across the Waterloo Bridge, the "cute" Big Bus guide told us to make sure to have our cameras ready since there would be a great picture of the new London and the old London.
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One of the first pubs with the great flowers over the name signs.
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I was surprised to see so many palm trees around London
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At this point, I'd already been up almost 24 hours, but I was loving every minute.
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As the guide said, though many people call this bridge the "London Bridge", it is actually the "Tower Bridge"
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One of the first few times I saw Big Ben, and hear the 1pm chimes.
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London Eye, the Thames River and the London Aquarium, and just a 'few' clouds.
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More flowers in hanging baskets
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The obligatory Buckingham Palace photo
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A Memorial to Queen Victoria in front of Buckingham Palace
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The very top of Queen Victoria Memorial
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Close up of large bronze statues around the Queen Victoria Memorial
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A Fountain around Queen Victoria Memorial
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Flowers in front Buckingham Palace, next to the Queen Victoria Memorial.
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On Monday, August 30th, I took the tube for the first time and went to the Tower of London. At first, I was a little nervous about taking the tube, but soon got over it and grew to love its convenience!
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This square is where Anne Boleyn got her head chopped off.
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Of course, the colors on these canons automatically drew my attention.
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I couldn't pass up a closer look.
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The first sign I saw in the Toilets/bathrooms at the Tower of London....ummm...I found it rather humorous.
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And then another sign, these people are very proud of their bathroom.
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Yet, another sign...boy, no wonder their bathrooms are clean, you're so busy reading the signs, you don't have time to do anything else...
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As I hung my camera on the hook in the back of the bathroom, I thought how easy it would be to take a picture of myself since I was traveling alone at that point. And since there were so many signs in that bathroom, I thought it might be important enough to actually take a picture of myself in that "loo". At that time, I didn't realize what I had started for myself.....
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One of the many windows at the Tower of London
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The first cat I see in London and he lives at the Tower of London.
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The old and the new -- what great and unusual architecture.
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I was happy that finally I was getting some blue skies in the background...little did I know how different the weather would get.
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Tower of London
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More of the Tower of London
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Another new and unusual building in the background, if I remember correctly, it's City Hall.
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Another of the many interesting windows at the Tower of London
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I just kept walking around and saw more viewpoints that attracted me.
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Lovely shady paths
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The "Yeo Man" who give a great dramatic and funny account of the days and events at the Tower of London
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A little detail .....what could have been attached to this hook in the 1100's?
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A few last look around....
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The last look and I left my wonderful tour of the Tower of London.
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I then walked next to the River Thames toward the Tower Bridge. That boat was worrying me a little as it turned, it certainly leaned to the left a lot!
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I had every intention of walking across the bridge.....
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But as I got closer and the wind kept keeping things a little chilly, I decided not to. How I would have loved that chill later in the week.
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Arriving at Trafalgar Square, I loved the energy from the crowd and the wonderful sun that was taking over from the clouds.
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Looking around some more at Trafalgar Square.
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I was drawn to these bronze statues, as you will see in the following pictures.
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A close-up here....
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A close-up there....
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One more close-up....
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and another...yes, I admit it, I went kind of crazy around the fountain and all these statues.
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