June brings two trips to London -- one with my cousin Donald and his wife, Frances, and one with my sister and her family.
One of the best ways to get to know the city is to take a double-decker bus tour. Another is to just walk around the city. With Donald and Frances, we later went back to tour Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, the Sherlock Holmes Museum, Kensington Palace, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Along the way we took in a silent film complete with live pianist at the National Film Theatre.
 Wellington Arch |
 London Eye from the boat |
 House of Parliament |
 Tower Bridge |
 Big Ben |
 Swiss Ra Building (The Gerkin) |
 Winston Churchill Statue |
 St. Paul's Cathedral |
 Promotion for "Stomp" in front of art museum |
 Barge on the Thames |
 Westminster Abbey |
 Albert Memorial |
 Royal Albert Hall |
The Queen's official 80th birthday is in mid-June. On the bus tour we saw a 41-gun salute to the Queen. Then we went to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guards and found a rehearsal for the presenting of the colours.
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 Buckingham Palace from St. James Park |
 Victoria Monument in front of Buckingham Palace |
 White Tower |
 King's bedroom |
 King's bedroom |
 Ravens (Legend is that if Ravens leave the Tower, the kingdom will fall) |
 Henry VIII's armour |
 Soldier's armour |
 Weapon display in the White Tower |
 Room where Sir Walter Raleigh and family were imprisoned |
 Soldiers guarding the Crown Jewels |
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 Study with violin |
 Makeup kit |
 Villans |
 Tools of deduction |
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Kensington Palace has an exhibit of men's and women's clothing, dresses of Princess Diana, and the apartment of Princess Margaret. |