Travel to the UK - 9-16 August 2024 (Part 1)

preface

Her daughter, Dian Dian, made a plan to accompany her parents to travel to the UK before she started her graduate studies at Columbia University Business School, and completed the visa for us to travel to the UK online. From August 9 to 16, 2024, we traveled to the UK with three people, realizing the desire to travel to Europe several years ago. Unexpectedly, on August 3, I saw reports of the largest riots in 13 years in several cities outside London, causing injuries to police and property damage. In some places, people threw bricks, looted shops and even attacked police. More than 100 protesters have been arrested in London after thousands of protesters clashed violently with police near the prime minister's residence. This news made us hesitate to travel, and Dian Dian contacted her classmates in the UK to verify that the matter was not so serious and continued to travel as planned.

Friday August 9 Light rain from New York to London

At 21:45 p.m. on August 9, I took Delta Airlines Flight DL62 at JFK Airport in New York, covering a distance of 5554 kilometers and flying for 7 hours. It arrived at London Gatwick Airport at 6am US time the next day（Gatwick Airport）

Fly from New York JFK Airport to London Gatwick Airport, United Kingdom on Delta Air Lines Flight DL62.

This is a memorable flight we took from New York to London on August 9, 2024.

Fly Delta Air Lines Flight DL62 to London, England

Saturday, August 10 Cloudy to clear London temperatures 20-25 degrees Celsius London is 7 hours behind Beijing and 5 hours ahead of New York

The plane landed at Gatwick Airport, London's second largest airport, in the northern suburb of Crawley, West Sussex, England, at 11am local time, and took the Gatwick Airport Express. Gatwick Express, 30 minutes to London victoria station (victoria station), and then take a taxi to check into the five-star Sheraton hotel booked by Dian Dian.

Gatwick Airport (Gatwick; IATA: LGW, ICAO: EGKK), located in the northern suburbs of Crawley, West Sussex, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, about 5 kilometers south of the center of Crawley, built in 1958, is a 4F international airport and gateway international aviation hub

Victoria station is located in the City of Westminster, London, England, is the London Underground and National Rail station and London's premier transport hub, is also known as the most representative station in London. It is the second busiest railway station in the UK,

A Gatwick Express train at London Victoria Station

London Twick Airport to Victoria Station on the Tube

Staying at Sheraton London Hotel

In the evening, take the subway to the Thames River tour, out of the subway to see the famous "Big Ben" in the UK, Elizabeth Tower (the Elizabeth Tower), the old Clock Tower (The Clock Tower), commonly known as Big Ben (Big Ben), is located on the Thames River in London, England, It is the clock tower attached to the Palace of Westminster, the British Parliament, and is a landmark building in London. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. Designed in the Victorian Gothic style, it is installed on the 95-metre clock tower on the west side of Parliament House, South of Westminster Bridge. The clock's dial is set in an iron frame 23 feet (7 meters) in diameter, supporting 312 opals that look like colored Windows. The perimeter of the dial is decorated with gold. The tower was designed by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin and built by Edward Dent and his son Frederick, It is one of the most famous Gothic buildings in the world (the most obvious architectural style of Gothic architecture is the soaring spires and the large colorful glass paintings on the Windows). The time is chimed every 1 hour according to Greenwich Time. Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey (also translated: Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church are located on the River Thames in London, the capital of the United Kingdom, and the Palace of Westminster (also known as the Houses of Parliament) is the seat of the British Parliament (including the House of Lords and the House of Commons). The clock tower in its northwest corner is the famous Big Ben (renamed "Elizabeth Tower" on June 2, 2012, in honor of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee). The Palace of Westminster is opposite Westminster Abbey.

Since it is already the sunset moment, can only be backlight to take photos of this tour.

Big Ben is a clock tower attached to the Palace of Westminster, the Parliament building of the United Kingdom, in the northwest corner of the Palace of Westminster.

The building consists of approximately 1,100 individual rooms,100 staircases and 4.8 kilometres of corridors. Although the palace today was largely rebuilt in the 19th century, many of the original monuments, such as Westminster Hall (dating back to 1097), remain and are used today for major public ceremonies, such as displays before state funerals.

Britain's famous "Big Ben" (Big Ben), the Elizabeth Tower, formerly known as the Clock Tower (the Clock Tower), is a bell tower attached to the Palace of Westminster, the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

The tower was designed by Augustus Pugin in a Gothic Revival architecture. The Big Ben was completed in 1859 and is about 316 feet (96.3 meters) tall. The clock face is 180 feet (54.9 m) above the ground. The entire building is made of brick, with the exterior covered in sand-coloured Anston limestone from South Yorkshire and topped with a spire of hundreds of cast-iron roof tiles. Inside the building there is a spiral staircase with 290 stone steps leading up to the bell tower, 44 steps leading up to the bell tower and 59 steps leading up to the spire. The shield on the tower represents all four regions of the United Kingdom, the rose for England, the thistle for Scotland, the clover for Northern Ireland, and the leek for Wales, and there is a 16 by 8 foot (4.9 by 2.4 m) ventilation shaft from ground level to the clock tower, which was fitted with an elevator during renovation works between 2017 and 2021. On 31 May 2009, a celebration was held to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the clock tower.

Big Ben is the largest of the five bells in the tower of the Palace of Westminster, weighing 13.5 tons, each clock dial is made of cast iron parts, the diameter of the entire dial is 22.5 feet (6.9 meters), the structure of the clock dial is made up of 324 special opaque, opal glass. Big Ben turns on its lights from dusk to dawn every day. The clock dial is surrounded by ornate gold-plated decoration. The clock dial and hour hand are in Prussian blue,

The metal hour and copper minute hands on the clock dial are 8.75 feet (2.7 m) long and 14 feet (4.3 m) long, respectively. The cleaning of Big Ben on 11 August 2007

Big Ben Main Clock: Cast at Whitechapel Clock Foundry on April 10, 1858, as a clock 7 feet 6 inches (2.29 m) high, 9 feet (2.74 m) in diameter and weighing about 13.5 tons (13.76 t).

Big Ben's installation contains not only the main bell, but also four quarter bells, played every hour to the tune of the Westminster bells. The four quarters play the notes G #, F #, E and B respectively. The crescent bell was cast in 1857.

Tian Tian takes a photo of Big Ben (poor backlight)

Bao Yun and Tian Dian take a photo of Big Ben (poor backlight shooting effect)

Evergreen takes a picture of Big Ben (poor backlight)

In The evening, we walked across the Thames Bridge, came to the "London Eye", took the London Eye (The London Eye), the full name of British Airways London Eye, located in the south bank of the Thames River in London, England, is the world's first, and as of 2005, the largest viewing wheel, one of London's landmarks and famous tourist attractions.

The London Eye was opened in late 1999 and has a total height of 135 m (443 ft). The London Eye has 32 passenger pods, each of which can carry about 25 passengers and rotate at a speed of 0.26 meters per second, or 30 minutes. The "London Eye" was built to celebrate the new millennium, and passengers can ride the "London Eye" in the sky to get a bird's eye view of London. The "London Eye" turns into a huge blue halo at night, which greatly adds to the dreamlike quality of the Thames. The London Eye also lights up the 2015 UK general election, with red for the UK Labour Party, blue for the Conservative Party, purple for the UK Independence Party and yellow for the Liberal Democrats.

General view of The London Eye

Ride The London Eye

The pod is held up at the top of The London Eye

A fellow passenger on The London Eye

Father and daughter in The cockpit of The London Eye

Mother-of-pearl in The rotating London Eye with a view of the South Bank behind her

Treasure Cloud is in The rotating London Eye

Ride The London Eye

She takes a selfie while riding The London Eye

Take a ride on The London Eye and take a photo with the structure

Ride The London Eye (The London Eye) to the finish line is still attached

Take a ride on The London Eye to see the evening view on both sides of the River Thames in London, England.

The London Eye descends to its starting point and takes 30 minutes to complete one rotation.

The London Eye descends to its starting point

Take a photo with The London Eye in the background

The London Eye open-air bar

View of The London Eye

Amateur artists play on The bridge adjacent to The London Eye

Boyun and Doan are on The bridge adjacent to The London Eye

Father and daughter are on The north bank of The London Eye in England

Take pictures on The bridge next to The London Eye

After taking the London Eye, walking to visit the night scenery on both sides of the Thames, walking nearly four kilometers back to the hotel is already more than 11 p.m.

After riding the London Eye, we took a walking tour of the night scenery on both sides of the River Thames

Old buildings everywhere. Leave a shadow.

After riding the London Eye, we took a walking tour of the night scenery on both sides of the River Thames

Sunday 11 August Cloudy to clear London temperatures 16 to 28 degrees Celsius

Getting up at 7:30 in the morning, Dian Dian and Bao Yun were still resting, writing diaries in the lobby of the hotel.

Today from 1 PM, take the top open top city tour bus tour of the city of London (although the climate is pleasant, London temperature is only 16 to 28 degrees Celsius, but in the top of the bus tour of the city scenery, coupled with a few days in the outdoor cruise, I did not feel, the sun still sunburned my arm after coming back). .

London has set up a red, green and blue lines, around the central area of London 51 attractions, 48 hours unlimited number of sightseeing buses, a ticket per person 54 pounds。

London (English: London), also known as "Greater London" (Greater London), belongs to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in England, the capital of the United Kingdom, the United Kingdom's largest city, for the United Kingdom's political, economic, financial, cultural and educational center. It is located in the southeast of England, with a total area of 1572 square kilometers. London consists of 32 separate urban areas and one "City". The population is 8.83 million. The City of London is the central city of the British metropolitan area and has the largest number of museums, libraries, cinemas, theatres and sports venues in the world. There are 19 Fortune 500 headquarters and 7 top 100 universities in the world. In 1801 London was the largest city in the world.

London is home to the headquarters of the British royal family, government, Parliament and political parties. The Palace of Westminster is the activity place of the upper and lower houses of the British Parliament, so it is also called the Hall of Parliament. Westminster Abbey, south of Parliament Square, has been the place where British Kings and queens have been crowned and royal family members have been married since its completion in 1065. Buckingham Palace is the British Royal Palace, located in the central area of west London, east of St. James Park, west of Hyde Park, is the British royal family members live and work, but also the site of major state events. Whitehall is the seat of the British government, the Prime Minister's Office, the Privy Council, the Home Office, the Foreign Office, the Treasury, the Ministry of Defense and other major government agencies are located there. The heart of Whitehall is the Prime Minister's House at 10 Downing Street, which has been the official residence of successive British prime ministers. London is not only the political center of the United Kingdom, but also the headquarters of many international organizations, including the International Maritime Organization, the International Cooperative Alliance, PEN International, the International Women's League, the Socialist International, Amnesty International, and others.

London is the world's largest financial center, and the financial industry is the most important pillar of London's economy. The City of London (City of London) or "Square Mile" (Square Mile) is the largest financial center in London, controlling 45% of the world's foreign exchange trading and gold, silver, crude oil and other commodities pricing power, so the international gold is called London gold, international silver is called London silver. There are many banks, insurance companies and financial institutions. There are more than 500 banks in London, the largest number of banks in the world, including 480 foreign banks.

The London Stock Exchange is one of the four largest exchanges in the world. It is also the world's largest banking, insurance, futures and shipping center.

Total household wealth ranks second in the world.

London is one of the largest economic centers in the world and the largest city in Europe. London and New York rank among the world's top cosmopolitan cities.

Nineteen of the World's top 500 companies are headquartered in London, 75% of the World's top 500 companies have companies or offices in the City of London, about half of the UK's top 100 companies and more than 100 European top 500 companies have headquarters in London. In addition, multinational companies and financial institutions from all over the world have branches in London.

Capital held in London amounts to more than £200 billion. London is the largest international foreign exchange market in the world, with an average daily foreign exchange turnover of 2.7 trillion US dollars and a total annual foreign exchange turnover of 3 trillion pounds, ranking first in the world. London is also the world's largest US dollar trading market, and the oil income turnover of petroleum exporting countries can reach more than 50 billion US dollars a day. It accounts for more than one-third of the world's dollar turnover. London has the largest capital of any city in the world.

London is the world's largest international insurance center, with more than 800 insurance companies, of which more than 170 are branches of foreign insurance companies.

The City of London is one of the world's largest financial centres

London's air transport is very developed, there are two airports Heathrow airport and Gatwick airport. Located on the western outskirts of London, Heathrow Airport is Europe's largest airport by passenger traffic, sometimes taking off and landing nearly 1,000 aircraft a day, with an average of one aircraft taking off and landing every minute during peak air traffic.

The city of London is convenient, the subway is the main means of transport in the city. On January 10, 1863, the London Underground, the world's first underground railway, opened to traffic. By 1991, there were nine main lines in London, with a total length of 414 km. London Underground has advanced technology and management equipment, and all dispatching and signaling systems are automatically controlled.

London began bus service in 1897 and was one of the first cities in the world to have buses. By 1991, there were more than 350 bus routes in the Greater London Metropolitan area, with a total length of 2,800 km and more than 6,600 buses, all of which were double-decker buses. In addition, there are about 13,000 rental cars in London

Although there is a well-developed public transport system in central London, the outer parts of the city are still dominated by cars. The London Inner Ring Road (around the city centre), the northern (A406) and southern (A205) ring roads (in the suburbs), and a motorway (M25 on the outskirts of the city) encircling the city and intersect with several busy roads. Because the streets are generally small and the number of cars in London has nearly tripled since 1960, the city's traffic jams are severe.

The Port of London is the largest port in the UK and one of the world's most famous ports. The territory includes the Royal Docklands, India and Millwall Docklands, Tilbury Docklands, and has established links with ports in more than 70 countries, with an annual throughput of about 45 million tons. The Port of London is the busiest port in the UK, and the water traffic and related facilities such as docks are mainly concentrated along the Thames. However, because the Thames is too narrow, larger ships cannot enter the city of London, and instead stop on the lower Thames, although the city of London is still very busy.

London has the largest number of students in the UK, with a large number of universities, colleges, schools and academic research institutions. University of London, Imperial College London, University of Greenwich, City University The Royal Academy of Music, the Royal College of Art and the Royal School of Dance are famous institutions in the United Kingdom. The University of London (University of London) was founded in 1836, now has more than 60 colleges, is the largest university in the UK and Europe, with 125,000 students, and consists of more than 50 colleges. Notable among them are: London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) University College London (LSE) UCL, King's College London (KCL), London Business School (LBS), Queen Mary, University of London School of Oriental and African Studies, Royal Holloway, University of London, London Other famous universities of SOAS include: University of the Arts London, University of Westminster and so on.

The University of London (University of London) was founded in 1836, now has more than 60 colleges, is the largest university in the UK and Europe, with 125,000 students, and consists of more than 50 colleges.

London has successfully hosted the Olympic Games three times, in 1908, 1948 and 2012.

London has five professional symphony orchestras: the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonic Orchestra and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. There are dozens of theatres in London, mainly in the West End. These include the National Theatre, the London Pallas Theatre, the Almedia Theatre and the Globe Theatre, which specialises in Shakespeare's plays.

Museums London is a world cultural city. The British Museum (officially known as the National Museum of the United Kingdom) was founded in the 18th century and is the largest museum in the world, focusing on many ancient artifacts in Britain and around the world. In addition to the British Museum, there are many galleries in London, such as the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, the Tate Gallery and the Dowitz Gallery. And the Sherlock Holmes Museum, the world's greatest detective attraction.

London is one of the four most famous fashion cities in the world (along with Paris, New York, Milan), the world famous Harrods department store is located in the city.

London is a major global media centre. Fleet Street in the City of London is the concentration of British newspapers, the famous newspapers and periodicals are The Times, The Financial Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Observer, The Weekly and so on. London is the world's most important centre for culture, education, sport and science.

London has the highest number of museums, libraries, cinemas and sports stadiums in the world.

Reuters Square in Canary Wharf financial district at night

Four World Heritage sites are located in London: the Tower of London; Kew Gardens; The Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St Margaret's Church; And the Greenwich Historic District (where the Royal Observatory passes the Prime Meridian, 0° Longitude, and Greenwich Mean Time). Other famous attractions include Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Piccadilly Circle, St Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square and the Shard. London is also home to a number of museums, galleries, libraries, sports and other cultural institutions, including the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Tate Modern, the British Library and 40 West End theatres. The London Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world.

The main attractions in London are:

The River Thames, Tower Bridge, Swiss Re Tower, Palace of Westminster, Big Ben Tower, Millennium Bridge Bridge), the London Eye, Greenwich Observatory, Canary Wharf, the Millennium Dome and St Paul's Cathedral), etc.

This is a beautiful city that combines ancient and modern, and our hotel is located in the center of the city near the Embassy district, next to the Japanese Embassy, opposite Buckingham Palace Park, from which to get on the bus. Driving in the beautiful old buildings scattered on the winding road, many streets in the city are relatively narrow, have to admire the bus driver's driving technology, in the narrow road.

Came to London to give me the first impression of the bus and taxi, is really a beautiful scenery of the city, the city of London has the world famous three red today also appreciate: red double-decker bus, red public telephone box, red post box.

Today I saw the real British red post box, which is popular all over the world.

I saw the red phone box today

Very modern red double-decker bus, the overall design of the upper and lower floors are very smooth mixed into one, the design of the space inside the box, the flow of spacious and bright space, comfortable and compact seats, are very good, this is the best bus I have ever seen.

Mixed as one of the streamlined design, very beautiful and humanized practical

A proud view of the city's public transport

Open-top London city tour bus

London's convenient and comfortable taxi

London's buses and the comfort and convenience of taxis make up an unrivalled urban public transport system in the world

Road directions around the world: The red countries drive on the right (left wheel cars), 66% of countries drive on the right (including China). Blue countries drive on the left (right wheel cars) 34% of countries drive on the left (Commonwealth countries)

Because the steering wheel of the British car is on the right side of the car, the car is driving on the left, so the pedestrian crossing in the United Kingdom is very eye-catching to remind pedestrians to look at the right side before passing, becoming a scene. (In the United States, you drive on the right side of the road, look on the left side first)

Riding in an open car, I began a quick tour of London, and was immediately shocked by different styles of architecture and magnificent city sculptures. Regardless of the swing of the car, I kept pressing the shutter of the camera to capture the beautiful scenery that quickly passed before and after. Enjoy British history and culture, from ancient Gothic architecture to modern skyscrapers, from exquisite city sculptures to historic monuments along the River Thames, and enjoy the unique charm and freshness of London.

Gothic architecture is characterized by high spires, pointed arches, large Windows, and flowered glass painted with biblical stories. In the design, the pointed ribbed vault, flying buttress and slender beam column are used to create a light and slender flying sense. Gothic architecture with excellent architectural skills to express the mystery, pathos, lofty strong emotion, has a great impact on other later art. France is the birthplace of Gothic architecture. The first Gothic church was the Church of Saint Denis built in Paris, France in 1143, and Gothic architecture is represented by the Cathedral of Our Lady in Russia, the Cathedral of Milan in Italy, the Cathedral of Cologne in Germany, the Westminster Cathedral in Britain, and the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris in France.

Gothic architectural style

In the design, the pointed ribbed vault, flying buttress and slender beam column are used to create a light and slender flying sense.

London is full of urban sculptures, striking. How many urban sculptures are there in London? Really I am afraid that the locals themselves can not tell, in the big city of London, "city sculpture" in the streets dotted, absolutely too much. It is said that London has the most street sculptures in the world. Walking through the streets of London, walking on both sides of the Thames, historical figures, important events, ordinary soldiers, national heroes, outstanding politicians, famous scientists, successful artists, trendy creative works, various urban sculptures of different eras and different styles are all over the streets, and from time to time, you stop to listen to its history and allusions, and offer your respect and respect. Just share what you've captured.

The Arch of Wellington was built in 1826 to commemorate the Duke of Wellington's victory at the Battle of Waterloo.

Crimean War Memorial, Waterloo Square, London

Distorted Phone Booth: Surrealistic and playful works of public art by British artist Alex Chinneck, Wring ring takes the form of a traditional British phone booth with its main body rotated 720 degrees.

Street Sculpture: Karen Tang's Synapsid, 2014

Bronze sculpture of Genghis Khan in Mongolia. The 16-foot-tall (5-meter) statue depicts the legendary leader riding a steed and wearing Mongolian armor.

Sculpture in front of Big Ben: Boudicca Chariot Statue, depicting Boudicca and her daughters in a chariot (fitted with a Persian-style scythe), was completed in 1905 and stands next to Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament.

Couple Sculpture: "Couple in a Seat" by Lynn Chadwick

Statue of Newton

Mandela statue

Statues of Belgians thanking the British for their aid

Churchill statue

Bronze statue of Achilles in Hyde Park, London, England.

A sculpture of former King Richard I of England in the Houses of Parliament

Oliver Cromwell's sculpture of the first protector of the English Republic

British Financial Street historical celebrity sculpture: George Kinloch Monument

Sculpture of a window cleaner, Church Street, Marylebone, London

Sculptures in British parks: Regent's Park, London Daniel Arsham's Roman bust "Merpomene, Eroded in Bronze, Unearthed."

The Girl and the Dolphin statue was created by David Wynne in 1973

power of nature

rafalgar Square Memorial Statue

A statue of Sherlock Holmes

Statue of His Royal Highness Marshal George, Duke of Cambridge (1819-1904)

Sculpture of the 8th Duke of Spencer Compton

Statue of British Field Marshal Douglas Haig during the First World War in Whitehall (1861-1928)

British Field Marshal Viscount Slim, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the 14th Army of Burma

Peace monument

The World War II Women's Memorial is located on Whitehall Road. The black memorial body is like a "hanger" hanging military uniforms, helmets, bags, hats, aprons, representing the different roles of British women during the Second World War, and their outstanding contributions to these positions. The monument was dedicated in 2005.

The lion in front of the building

Hyde Park. The statue of Achilles

The horse's head sculpture stands in the middle of the lawn in front of Hyde Park Square, which looks very spiritual and lifelike.

Artillery monument

Mother-of-pearl looks at the Queen Elizabeth II Monument

Take an open-top sightseeing bus to explore the city, and a 48-hour pass allows you to hop on and off at scenic stops along the way. Many streets in the city are relatively narrow, have to admire the bus driver's driving technology, on the narrow road.

In the bustling urban area, narrow streets and wide sidewalks are lined with buildings of different styles that are at least 100 years old.

Mother and daughter on a tour bus

In the bustling urban area, narrow streets and wide sidewalks are lined with buildings of different styles that are at least 100 years old.

In the bustling urban area, narrow streets and wide sidewalks stand on both sides of different styles of buildings with at least 100 years of history and the residences of the rich.

On the sightseeing bus

In the bustling urban area, narrow streets and wide sidewalks are lined with buildings of different styles that are at least 100 years old.

Never tired of seeing the world

n China, everyone knows No. 10 Downing Street, came here today, and also knows that WhiteHall is a street in the city of London. It connects the Houses of Parliament to Downing Street. In and around this street are the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign Office, the Home Office, the Admiralty and other British government agencies, so people use Whitehall as a proxy for the British administrative department.

The first stop of the tour bus is to get off at Downing Street, watch the Prime Minister's residence at No. 10 Downing Street, see the street sign, the street entrance is installed with a large fence and iron gate suitable for the architectural style, and the door is under the surveillance of the police (the recent riot has strengthened the security, usually no police). Today, tourists cannot enter the street, so they cannot see the Prime Minister's residence at No. 10. 10 Downing Street is a Georgian style building located next to Whitehall in Westminster, London, United Kingdom. Traditionally, 10 Downing Street was the official residence of the First Lord of the Exchequer, but since the office has been occupied by the Prime Minister, it has become the official residence of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Its simple design of black wooden doors, decorated with the white Arabic number "10", has become a well-known symbol. Although Number 10 Downing Street is commonly regarded as the official residence of the Prime Minister, the fact is that the Prime Minister still lives there in the name of First Lord of the Treasury and therefore it is not really the official residence of the Prime Minister.

WhiteHall is a street in the city of London, England. It connects the Houses of Parliament to Downing Street. In the northwest corner of the Thames, in Whitehall Street and its vicinity there are some British government agencies such as the Ministry of Defense, the Foreign Office, the Home Office, and the Admiralty, so people use Whitehall as a proxy for the British administrative department.

Gated by iron bars, Downing Street was a private residential street developed by Sir Downing in the late 17th century and has since retained four residences. In 1733, the King of England opened number 10 as the Prime Minister's residence, number 11 is now the Chancellor of the Exchequer's residence, and number 12 is the Chancellor's office.

She is pictured at the entrance to Downing Street, with 10 Downing Street behind her to the right

Bao Yun poses for a picture at the Downing Street gate

Nagao-mother-of-pearl poses for a picture at the entrance to Downing Street

Horse Guards

In Cavalry Avenue, London, England

Buildings near Whitehall

The building opposite Downing Street. Along the road there were signs for demonstrators

Buildings near Whitehall

Office building of Ministry of Finance

The old Admiralty Building

Horse Guards

Our second stop today is St Paul's Cathedral,

St. Paul's Cathedral: Located in the heart of London, it is the religious center of London and the second largest domed church in the world. The church is famous for its spectacular circular roof, built in the 17th century and designed by the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren. St. Paul's Cathedral is not only the heart of the Church of England, St. Paul's Cathedral has hosted many important religious and non-religious events, including the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, the funeral of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1981. All this makes the church an important symbol of British history and culture. We came here to admire the magnificent Baroque style church. Covered with a huge dome, about 111 meters high, about 74 meters wide, about 157 meters deep, the dome diameter of 34 meters. This magnificent building is beautifully designed and has a quiet interior. The top of the tower offers a great view of downtown London.

Baroque art has the following characteristics: First, it has the characteristics of luxury, it has both religious characteristics and hedonistic color; Second, it is a kind of passionate art, which breaks the peace and harmony of reason, has a strong romantic color, and attaches great importance to the rich imagination of artists; Third, it strongly emphasizes movement, movement and change can be said to be the soul of Baroque art; Fourth, it pays much attention to the sense of space and three-dimensional sense of the work; Fifth, it is comprehensive. Baroque art emphasizes the comprehensive means of art forms, such as the integration of architecture, sculpture and painting in architecture. In addition, Baroque art also absorbed some factors and imagination in literature, drama, music and other fields. Sixth, it has a strong religious color, religious themes occupy a dominant position in Baroque art; Seventh, most Baroque artists have a tendency to distance themselves from life and times. For example, in some zenith paintings, the human image becomes insignificant, just like some

St. Paul's Cathedral (St. Paul's Cathedral)

The third stop to visit the famous London Tower Bridge over the Thames River (Tower Bridge), the bridge was built in 1886, opened to the public on June 30, 1894, Tower Bridge is an open suspension bridge, a total length of about 245 meters, the bridge tower and bridge body a total of 11,000 tons of steel. Connecting North and South London as a whole. It has a history of 138 years. We took the sightseeing bus over the bridge, got off on the north side of the bridge, and then walked onto the bridge, just in time to watch the process of opening and closing the bridge on the bridge, and enjoyed the magnificent appearance of the bridge.

The famous Tower Bridge over the Thames

The famous bridge over the River Thames

Bao Yun poses with Tower Bridge on the north bank of the Thames

See Tower Bridge on the north bank of the Thames

Looking up at Tower Bridge from the water

The majestic tower tower on London's Tower Bridge

The opening of the bridge deck that can be opened and closed in the middle of Tower Bridge

实拍伦敦塔桥中间可以开合的桥面张开

The bridge floor in the middle of London Tower Bridge can be opened and closed

Baoyun takes a photo on Tower Bridge in London

Dian Dian are at the south end of Tower Bridge

Bao Yun and Chang Qing pose on Tower Bridge in London

Bao Yun and Dian Dian are at the south end of Tower Bridge

Dian Dian poses at the arch of Tower Bridge in London

Baoyun poses for a photo at the arch of Tower Bridge in London

Chang Qing poses for a photo at the arch of Tower Bridge in London

Chang Qing poses on Tower Bridge in London with the modern urban architecture of London behind her

Bao Yun and Dian Dian pose at the gate of Tower Bridge in London

Take a picture at Tower Bridge

Dian Dian poses under Tower Bridge in London

hang Qing and Tian Dian pose for a photo at Tower Bridge in London

The wide passage under Tower Bridge in London

Plans for London Bridge

The fourth stop on the tour is the Tower of London, a castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, whose official name is "His Majesty's Palace and Tower of London Fortress" so although the last ruler to live in it as a palace was James I centuries ago (1566-1625), But it is still nominally a British royal palace. It is located in the London borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern part of the city of London by an open area known as "Tower Hill". The Tower of London was built at the end of 1066 as a result of the Norman conquest of England. The White Tower (named not for its architectural style or material, but for the time it was built, painted white) is actually a combination of several towers on the Thames River in London; The Tower of London served as a fortress, armory, Treasury, mint, palace, execution ground, public records office, observatory, refuge and prison, especially for upper class prisoners. This last use gave rise to the phrase "sent to the Tower," meaning "sent to prison." The Tower of London was last used as a prison during the Second World War to house Rudolf Hess. It was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1988.

The Tower of London and Tower Bridge, built over the River Thames 800 years later

The Tower group of London includes several rebuilt defenses and the King's Palace, many towers such as Wickfield Tower and St. Thomas Tower, as well as the core defensive measures - the White Tower, and the "Traitor's Gate" and other buildings. The Tower of London is the crystallization of British wisdom of all ages.

General view of the Tower of London

Tower of London

With a sightseeing coach ticket, you can take a sightseeing cruise from Tower Bridge Pier to Westminster Bridge and enjoy the views along the Thames.

Thames River Cruise, starting at Tower Bridge Ferry Pier

The opening of London's Tower Bridge, pictured from a cruise ship

View the Thames on a cruise ship

HMS Belfast was a town-class light cruiser built for the Royal Navy. It is now permanently moored on the Thames in London as a museum ship, managed by the Imperial War Museum.

View the Thames on a cruise ship

The Cannon Street Railway Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames in central London, England, between Southwark Bridge and London Bridge. It carries the railway to Cannon Street Station on the North Shore. The Bridge was opened in 1866 and subsequently widened, and was originally named "Alexandra Bridge" in honour of Alexandra of Denmark. In 1989, the Marchioness sank in waters near the bridge.

Southwark Bridge is an arched bridge over the River Thames in London, England, between the Millennium Bridge and Cannon Street Railway Bridge. The bridge connects Southwark with the city of London. It was built in 1921 and became a Grade II protected building in 1995.

Blackfriars Bridge is a road and foot bridge over the River Thames in London, England, between Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars Railway Bridge, with the A201 passing over it and the inlet of the Fleet River under it. The bridge was opened by Queen Victoria in 1869 and became Grade II listed in London in 1972.

View the London Eye on the Thames on a cruise ship

Westminster Bridge is an arched bridge over the River Thames in London, England, connecting the city of Westminster on the west Bank with Lambeth on the east bank. Places of interest such as the British Parliament, Big Ben and the London Eye are located at both ends of the bridge. It was opened in 1862 to replace the old bridge, which had been in use since 1750. English Heritage listed the bridge as a Grade II listed building in 1981.

First generation Westminster Bridge, 1740s

View the scenery of the River Thames on a cruise boat with the London Eye in the background

The London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, was erected in Lambeth, south of the River Thames in London, England, and was once the world's largest Ferris wheel. Opened in late 1999, it stands at a total height of 135 metres (443 ft) and faces the city of Westminster, home to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.

Take a view of the Thames on a boat cruise between the city of Westminster on the west bank and Lambeth on the east bank. Places of interest such as the British Parliament, Big Ben and the London Eye are located at both ends of the bridge.

Take a view of the Thames River on a cruise boat with the London Eye in the background

Tian tian takes a selfie on a cruise ship

London Bridge, built between 1179-1209, is a bridge over the River Thames in London, England, which has been rebuilt several times, and is one of the 28 Bridges on the river downstream, near the Tower of London, connecting High Street in the borough of Southwark with King William Street in the City of London. London Bridge is one of the symbols of London, also known as the main gate of London. The current bridge was built between 1967 and 1972, and the new bridge is a rather boring concrete bridge with three spans. It may be sturdier and more practical, but apart from that, it doesn't compare to the old London Bridge.

London Bridge, completed in 1209, is one of the strangest Bridges ever built in the Middle Ages. It is completely asymmetrical, with 19 arches, none of which are identical. In addition to the 19 arches, there is also a suspension bridge. Houses and shops were soon built on the deck, and even a small church was built in the middle of the bridge. There is another gatehouse at the south end of the bridge. The arch of the bridge is narrow and the current is fast. London Bridge before the Great Fire of 1666

The modern London Bridge (Rennie London Bridge) was rebuilt in 1971 in the United States and became another tourist hotspot outside of the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

Cruise the Victoria Embankment at Westminster Pier, the terminus of the Thames River

One bridge after another crosses the Thames River in bustling London

At the end of the cruise, Westminster Pier will come out of the street to see many colorful tricycles, which are human-powered tricycles to carry passengers.

Monday 12 August temperatures in London ranged from 18C to 32C and today was the hottest day ever in the UK

Today, continue the tour bus to the palace in Kensington, London, England.

Kensington Palace (Kensington Palace), located in the west side of Kensington Gardens in the Kensington and Chelsea district of London, is a royal palace, which is also the former residence of Princess Diana and Prince William and his wife. Queen Victoria was born and spent her childhood in Kensington Palace, so there is a statue of Queen Victoria in front of Kensington Palace as a memorial. In addition, there is a statue of King William II, which shows that Kensington Palace and the surrounding area are not only a historic site of British royalty, but also a memorial site for important figures in British history.

Today is a hot day, take a sightseeing bus from the hotel to Kensington Palace Park, walk nearly one kilometer under the scorching sun to Kensington Palace, which was once the former residence of Princess Diana. In front of the palace, a Princess Diana Memorial Park was built for Diana after her death, and then Kensington Palace State Apartments are open to the public. Includes the room where Queen Victoria was baptised and an exhibition of royal court dress from 1760.

Visit the Palace in Kensington, London, England

Kensington Palace is a royal palace located on the west side of Kensington Gardens in the Kensington and Chelsea district of London, England. Kensington Palace is Diana's former home

Kensington Palace Since the 17th century, Kensington Palace has been the residence of the British royal family. Originally a private estate, the building was remodeled by the Duke of Nottingham in 1661, and was purchased by William III and Queen Mary in 1689 as the royal palace for more than 300 years. Over the centuries, seven queens, princesses, queens, and princesses have lived at Kensington Palace. Once the home of Queen Victoria and Princess Diana, Kensington Palace became the new home of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2013.

There is a statue of Queen Victoria in front of Kensington Palace. On the 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession to the throne, her daughter Princess Louise created a sitting statue of Queen Victoria as a young woman on the east lawn of Kensington Palace, erected in 1837. Queen Victoria and Albert gave birth to nine children, it can be said that the royal family of Europe at that time is almost her offspring, she has become a veritable European grandmother.

Statue of King William III of England. He became king of England with his wife Mary in 1689, accepted the Bill of Rights, signed the Treaty of Vienna with the Holy Roman Empire and declared war on France. William III carried out financial and military reforms in England, laying the foundation for a powerful empire on which the sun never sets. He was also one of the few Kings in history who contributed to constitutional government.

Tian-Tian poses for a portrait at the Queen Victoria Statue at Kensington Palace

Bao Yun and Chang Qing pose for a photo in front of the Queen Victoria Statue at Kensington Palace

Princess Diana Memorial Park

On July 1, 2021, Diana, Princess of Wales would have been 60 years old, and to commemorate her, Kensington Palace has erected a statue of Princess Diana and her three children in the Sunken Garden. There is a deep meaning behind the design of this statue. Princess Diana had two biological sons,

The three children in the statue do not refer to her biological children, but symbolize the charity work she has done and the children she has helped in her life. These children represent Princess Diana's greatness beyond maternal love, her care and help for children in underprivileged areas of the world, and her achievements as an ambassador for humanitarian causes dedicated to global charity.

Princess Diana's sons William and Harry opened the memorial

Tian-Tian poses for a picture in Princess Diana Memorial Park

These outfits, worn by Princess Diana during her lifetime, broke the royal dress code and were a vivid display of fashion and princess elegance.

Walking into the place where Queen Victoria lived, this is the Queen's oil painting

Victoria's husband Albert, 17 years old Victoria first met Albert on the stairs in Kensington, the two were Cousins. In their memoirs, both wrote of falling in love with each other at first sight. She married Albert two years after taking the throne, having lost her husband at the age of 42.

The emerald necklace, earrings, bracelets and crown worn by Queen Victoria were all designed by her husband Albert.

The Queen Victoria Treasure House

At the age of 18, Victoria ascended the throne and was crowned in Westminster Cathedral

Victoria's coronation dress

Queen Victoria's wedding dress

Queen Victoria addressed the first Privy Council meeting in this room in 1837, (oil painting)

On the table is a miniature statue of Queen Victoria summoning her ministers

This is the room where Victoria was born on May 24, 1819, and spent a happy childhood in Kensington

Queen Victoria's mother, The Duchess of Kent (Marie Louise Victoria MarieLuise Victoire, 1786-1861), was a princess from Germany. This is an 1821 painting of Victoria and her mother

The Dome Room, where George II and his Queen held their parties, is the most richly decorated room in the palace. The winning bidder, Charles Clay, made the clock, which was purchased by Princess Augusta in 1743 and placed in this room shortly after.

The dome where Victoria was baptized

Victoria and the Duke of Kent

Objects on display in Queen Victoria's room

Victoria's Toys

A portrait of Queen Isabella Clara Eugenia of the Netherlands and a porcelain gift from Qianlong of China

Baoyun and Tian-Tian pose for a group photo in front of the king's throne in the audience hall

Kensington Palace is simple and elegant on the outside, but inside it is full of grace.

The King's Gallery has a great collection of fine art

Roof painting

The King's Gallery has a great collection of fine art: Diligence, 1530 (Oil on canvas)

The King's Gallery has a great collection of fine art

Kensington Palace is so large that only a part of the second floor is open for visitors to visit and take photos.

Above the King's staircase is a 16th century court fresco depicting King George I.

Sir John Ponsonby Conroy, 1st Baronet (1786-1854) was a British military officer who served as comptroller to the Duchess of Kent and her young daughter, Princess Victoria, the future Queen of England.

A bust of Queen Caroline from the Kensington Palace collection.

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