"How Much Can You See in London in 24... " a London Travel Page by JJBlondie

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The London Eye at Night

Arriving in Great Britain - Day 1

It has the making of a Rick Steve’s chapter in his book on Great Britain. How many attractions can you possibly see in a large European city in 48 hours? Gillian and I found out when we stopped in London, our first city in a 3 country tour of Europe. We arrived in London at Noon on August 2nd, experienced the Tube for the first time from Heathrow to our hotel on the River Thames and checked into the Park Plaza Riverfront (a new and very nice/modern hotel). By the time we got settled into our first of many hotel rooms, we were hungry, thirsty, and ready to start our London Tour.

So what can you really see in such a little time in London? A lot we soon found out! It just depends on the amount of time you want to put into all of the choices. We started our first evening at a little Italian Restaurant near our hotel called The Vineyard. Three hours, two bottles of Chianti, and two pasta dishes later we stumbled outside to explore the night life of London. What caught our eye, however, wasn’t a roaring night life but the London Eye.

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Janet and Gillie

The London Eye

We wandered down the River Thames along a well-lit path and found ourselves staring at the British Airways London Eye (http://www.londoneye.com ), also known as the Millennium Wheel. A leftover from the Millennium Celebration in December 1999, the observation wheel (an enclosed Ferris Wheel) is 443 feet high on the South Bank of the River Thames and has a spectacular view of London during the 30 plus minute turn. After paying an exorbitant amount (13 pounds a ticket, or $26 US dollars) we quickly went through the line and boarded our 32-person capsule (fortunately there were less then 20 of us put together) for a beautiful scenic view of London at night. It was not conducive to photos outside the capsule, but our capsule mates were friendly and humorous and one even asked Gillie some questions about London (totally unaware that her “English” accent was not a “British” accent but an “American” one).

After the night tour we headed to a local pub (The Rose) near our hotel to have a few cocktails before calling it a night. We ended up making friends with the bartenders and some locals and a few drinks became many, including shots and trying a local drink made with Pimm’s, strawberries, and sugar (made much like a Mojito), and gin and tonics. Around 1 am we decided to call it a night, but once back at our hotel we had a few more drinks and soaked up the scenery in our very posh and very happening hotel bar (Chino Latino Brasserie, Bar, and Lounge).

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House of Parliament

The Sights of London - Day 2

After sleeping in and fighting jetlag, Gillie and I headed out for Fish and Chips. The locals at our pub the night before gave us directions to the “Best” Fish and Chips in the area and so we made our way. However, the best fish and chips were never to be found, and after an exhaustive 30 minute search these two hung over and hungry girls decided Indian food would suffice. And so Gillie had her first taste of Indian tandori and curry, which was hot, fresh, and not too expensive (only $26 pounds - $52 US dollars).

With the day ahead of us, and really our only full day in London, Gillie and I set our sights on the buildings closest to our hotel, Westminster Abbey, the House of Parliament, and Big Ben. We walked across the Westminster Bridge a block from our hotel and wandered through a quaint little park before coming upon our destination. The House of Parliament (also known as the Palace of Westminster) and Big Ben are London’s most famous symbols and we were not surprised to be among hundreds of other tourists making their way around these monuments.