"London" a London Travel Page by Lyndra

I have just come back from a really exciting visit to London. Exciting because I got to see inside the Houses of Parliament - something I have wanted to do for a long time. The magic of standing in the lobby (that I have seen on television so many times!!), the wonder at sitting in the galleries of both Chambers and listening to people who have such a great deal of power (apparently!!) and then taking in the history of the place was just spectacular. An added bonus was that as it was a visit I organised through my work, I was able to share my excitement with the children that I teach.

It was much smaller on the inside than I had imagined but it is amazing! We met the local MP for the Constiuency where my school is based and saw some famous MP's as we had our guided tour.

There has been a Royal Palace on this exact site for over 1000 years and the correct name for the Houses of Parliament is the Palace of Westminster (a title it kept even after the last King left this site (Henry VIII vacated after a terrible fire). The Palace would originally have been made of stone and wood and the oldest remaining area is Westminster Hall which was built by the son of William the Conqueror - the super wooden beamed roof was not built until the reign of Richard II). After another fire in 1834 a competition was held to design a new building and the result was what we see today (designed by Charles Barry).

The architecture of this building is truly awe inspiring and not because it is an attractive building but because it is iconic and world recognised. Inside you know which parts of the building belong and are used by different people by the colour scheme, usually indicated by chair colour. Red for the members of the House of Lords, Green for the House of Commons (and the Lobby area is also a Commons area)mand Gold for Royalty (Did you know that the Queen is forbidden from entering the Chamber of the House of Commons!!). The only room where all three parts of Parliament are allowed to come together is the Chamber of teh House of Lords (Queen, Lords and MP's get together for the State Opening of Parliament).

The London Eye is apparently the tallest observational wheel in the world (it's over 130metres tall). The wheel is a great experience as the views of London's landmarks are brilliant. The eye is itself visible from many parts of the central area. It is a good attraction during the day and also in the evening when London looks very different.
The ride lasts for quite a while but it's not a as cheap as it's smaller fairground cousins, it might be a good idea to look for the deals that some London attractions have where you can buy entry to a few at the same time and get a discount. It currently costs £14.50 for adults and £7.25 for children (with other discounts for senior citizens etc).

This is a World Heritage site and for good reason! The history of this building is fascinating. Famous for the Yeomen of the Guard who protect the site, the Crown Jewels (over 20,000 pieces) and the prisoners who have been held there such as Guy Fawkes and Anne Boleyn (who is also buried there).