I have good memories of both St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tate Modern from our last trip of London, and I wanted to have a look at these two landmarks again, even if we didn’t have the time to spend a day at the museum.
If Tower Bridge is one of the most iconic symbols of London if you love towers, the Millennium Bridge offers one of the best scenic walks across the River Thames between two landmarks.
We started off at St. Paul’s subway station and crossed Paternoster Square to get to the cathedral and its famous dome. The seat of the Bishop of London is where the Jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria took place; as well as the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady Di; and the 80th Birthday and the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II.
On a side note, it made me chuckle to see that Paul, the French bakery chain, had opened a store… right in front of St. Paul’s!
As we walked around the building, we learned that we could visit the cathedral for free, a special offer during the Olympics—and a great one considering we had never been inside and that regular tickets are £15.00! Taking pictures was frowned upon and I respected the rule but trust me, the inside of the cathedral is simply magnificent.
We then took the footbridge across the River Thames, walking towards the Tate Modern. The sun was setting and the clouds were amazing, adding some depth to the skyline. Water levels seemed very low and we could see the sandy and rocky banks of the river—I did not remember that last time we were there.
On Bankside, we paused in front of Shakespeare’s Globe, a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, an Elizabethan Theatre. This “new” new Globe Theatre was built according to a design based on the research of historical advisor John Orrell and has the first and only thatched roof permitted in London since the Great Fire of 1666. It’s an interesting sight right beside the aptly named Tate Modern that looks straight off a Pink Floyd album cover!
I did not know you were in London again this year 🙂 Still haven’t been there but I’d still love to visit !
We didn’t know we were going to London either, until the last minute! 😉
mmmm great pics there Zhu, I miss London, its my home town (city) but we live in Phuket – Thailand now and that also has its benefits, and some negatives….
I can understand that, knowing both Phuket and London. I’m not a huge fan of Thailand though, I don’t think I could live there despite the seemingly paradise setting.
Great pics! I’ll be back in London next week. Can’t wait!
It’s such a great city, isn’t it!