I have been fortunate enough to visit many countries in Europe and the list has a new entrant - London. Well, first of all there was no plan to go to London as 2019 started. However, my husband's company decided to send him to London for official purpose in March 2019 for 2 weeks. I was very happy for him but the excitement got doubled when he told I can accompany him. Applying for a London Visa is a bit different than applying for a Schengen visa but we made sure all the criteria were fulfilled. I and my daughter (Shravya) got the visa within 10 working days from the date of applying and we were all set for our much awaited trip.
After a 12 hour long flight, we reached London around 9PM and went directly to Saco - The Canon apartment where our booking was made. It was a fantastic apartment located at Canon Street near St Paul Cathedral and Mansion House Metro Station. The apartment was fully furnished and equipped with all modern amenities. It took us a while to settle down and completely soak in the environment. Due to jet lag we all dozed off early.
Next morning we woke up pretty early, still adjusting to the London clock, and decided to take a stroll nearby. I must say it was mid March but the temperature was hovering around 8-9 degrees with strong winds passing though our ears. Shravya usually does not feel much cold but the chilly winds even made her speak Cool Cool, despite the sun slowly getting to its peak. The sky was so blue and clear that I was not able to recall when was the last time I saw this in Delhi.
Being a Sunday early morning, there were hardly any people seen on the streets and we all were enjoying the calmness of the city which is very rare in a busy city like London. That particular day we just roam around the key areas such as Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey and Piccadilly Circus.
The next 5 days my husband went to work and I and Shravya started exploring the city at our own pace. We had taken the Oyester Card, which can be used in most of the transport options of London. The Red coloured bus was used majority of the times since strollers are easy to carry on them. Some of the key attractions we covered were:
These are the 2 main Royal Parks of London located in central part of the city near to Buckingham Palace. Both parks are so huge that it was impossible for me to cover them in a single day. The parks boast of lush green spaces, beautiful flower beds, different types of fauna particularly birds, lakes, etc. Undoubtedly millions of tourists flock to these beautiful parks to sit and relax and the government has done an excellent job in maintaining their beauty. Shravya loved coming to these parks as she got such a big space to run freely, plus she enjoyed playing with ducks near the lake. There is no entry fee to enter the parks.Being a Sunday early morning, there were hardly any people seen on the streets and we all were enjoying the calmness of the city which is very rare in a busy city like London. That particular day we just roam around the key areas such as Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey and Piccadilly Circus.
The next 5 days my husband went to work and I and Shravya started exploring the city at our own pace. We had taken the Oyester Card, which can be used in most of the transport options of London. The Red coloured bus was used majority of the times since strollers are easy to carry on them. Some of the key attractions we covered were:
St James's Park & Hyde Park
National History Museum and Museum of Childhood
I am not much of a museum going person but one of my friend insisted to go to a couple of them. From human skeletons to dinosaur fossils and even exotic plants, National History Museum has a vast collection of specimens to display. There is no entry fee and I was quite impressed with the way the museum was divided into zones, each zone exhibiting specific categories. The dinosaur fossil was very large and Shravya was afraid going near him. We spent an hour and a half here and did not feel stretched.
As the name suggests, Museum of Childhood is exclusively dedicated to the children and is home to one of the world's richest collection of toys, dolls, costumes, etc. The museum also harbours an interactive play zone where children can showcase their creativity while playing with different array of toys. While Shravya was busy in the sandpit with other kids, I took a stroll around the museum checking vintage toys and games, which reminded me of my childhood days. It is a must visit place even if you don't have kids.
London Sea Life Aquarium and London Eye
One of the key attractions which is suitable for all age groups is the Sea Life Aquarium. Based right next to the famous London Eye, the underwater world has one of the largest aquatic collections in the world. It is better if you book the tickets in advance or else you will end up waiting in long queues, especially on weekends which can take upto an hour to enter. We got to witness a number of species such as jellyfish, sharks, penguins and some which we had seen for the first time. Majority of the sea life is behind the glass doors and it is easy to see all the creatures. Shravya enjoyed a lot in seeing them as it was a whole new setup for her. It took an hour to complete the tour and it is surely not to be missed whoever comes to London.
London Eye is another famous landmark of this historic city based on the south bank of the river Thames and opposite the House of Parliament and Big Ben. It is a giant revolving wheel with glass capsules to enable people get a 360 degree view of the city. One complete round takes about 30 minutes and it is better if you book tickets in advance to avoid long queues.
Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square
Buckingham Palace is one of the several palaces owned by the British Royal Family. It has over 600 rooms and some of the rooms can be visited during summer months when not in use by the Royal Family. Queen Victoria Memorial can be seen right in front of the palace. One can also the see the Changing of Guard ceremony daily at 11 AM in front of the palace.
Often considered as the heart of the city, Trafalgar Square is the largest and the most popular square in London. From historic statues, to fountains, to church, to eating outlets and shopping, this place has everything and that is why it is always bustling with people. There is a unique tall column placed on the middle of the square with 4 lion statues sitting at the base of the column.
There were several other key attractions I visited - St Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Covent Garden, Westminster Abbey and Sky Garden and enjoyed my time there.
Since there is so much left to talk about, I have divided the post into 2 parts. In Part-2, I will be mentioning on the eating places, shopping areas and my day trip to Bath.
