London's Most Famous
London is known for many things—the queen, the guards, the phone booths, the theatre—but everybody can agree the two most famous London fads are Big Ben and the London Eye. On our first day exploring we had a chance to see both.
Located on the south banks of the River Thames, next to the
Queen’s Jubilee garden is the London Eye; a 443 foot tall Ferris wheel offering
the most fantastic view of the city. This giant Ferris wheel is London’s most
popular tourist attraction enticing more than 3.5 million people per year.
This of course, was our first destination.
As soon as we got on, we knew it was something special. The
funny thing about this ride is that it never stops. You have to enter it as it
is moving. A little scary at first but then you realize it’s not really going
fast so you have time to board safely. Each capsule fits about 15 people and the
ride is approximately 30 minutes. Even on a cloudy day, this ride gives you
an amazing London view—the most perfect place for taking pictures.
Across the river is Big Ben, London’s most prominent
feature. Now to clarify—Big Ben is not actually the clock tower, but rather the
bell inside of it. The whole clock tower’s official name is Elizabeth Tower,
named in honor of the queen’s Diamond Jubilee (the Queen’s 60th anniversary).
The name was officially changed in 2012.
This was a really cool thing to see. The tower looks so
grand in pictures and movies, but it is even grander in person.
These two tourist attractions are the heart and soul of
London--the most perfect sights for our first day.
