This week's pictures will take a few posts...for example, on Day 1, between us, Dave & I took 754 pictures; after removing the "just heraldry" (e.g., you couldn't tell where it was since it was only a coat of arms), that brought it down to 368. After going through those and choosing the best of duplicates and then sorting them into appropriate sections, it came down to 128 good enough to post. And that is just for Day 1... (but I won't bore anyone by posting them all...maybe)
First up - the hotel...it was small, efficient and directly across the street from St. Pancras Underground Station and King's Cross Railway Station.
This is the corner to turn to our hotel (which is off to the left and nothing to take a picture of...)...
The outside of the hotel was very plain, townhouse style, very box-like. Inside was pleasant with great light fixtures...
And the only true complaint was that the lift was on the blink (even trapping us in it one day) and since our room was on the 5th floor, I occasionally waited in the lobby while Dave went up to the room for something...
 |
| self-portrait from leather couch in lobby - reflection in brass light fixture... |
But that's okay - we really chose this place for the location and was very pleased to find it highly rated on Trip Advisor (well after we had already booked it...) - the staff was extremely nice and I would stay there again (but on a lower floor in case of lift issues again...).
After breakfast, we headed over to the station...
and headed for Underground Stop: Westminster
The Westminster stop puts you directly at Parliament...we had no desire for the tour, but just walking around outside took some time...and there was a lot of stuff to see...
 |
| When we came up to street level and looked right, this was the view...The statue of Boadicea, the English Queen who resisted the Romans and a great view of the London Eye Ferris Wheel |
 |
| this was the view on our side of the street... |
 |
| the Clock from across the street...on the Abbey side...since none of the clock faces had the same time, we made the assumption that part or all of the mechanisms were being worked on... |
 |
| there was heraldry and statues on all sides of the Parliament building - I'm surprised we were able to move on and see anything else! the is one sample out of many... |
Just as fascinating was the iron fence and lamp post ornaments that surround the Palace ...
 |
| Statue of Cromwell, along with some architectural features... |
 |
| Memorial to Robert Lowe, 1st Viscount Sherbrooke (4 December 1811 – 27 July 1892), British and Australian statesman, was a pivotal but often forgotten figure who shaped British politics in the latter half of the 19th century (I had to look him up...); again something to make both of us happy - heraldry for Himself, and look at that detail behind Lowe and on his clothing for me! |
And, as always, heads at the end of arches...
I have dozens of photos of these types of architectural details!
 |
| looking up has it's rewards, too...note the dog on the left and the critter and dog on the right... |
 |
| the lion that lays at Cromwell's feet... |
 |
| King Richard the Lion-Hearted... |
 |
| We met a young couple who collect pictures of other people using their camera to take pictures, and while he was taking a picture of us, she was kind enough to take a picture using my camera... |
 |
| look closer...doesn't he look like he's saying "throw the ball, throw the ball, throw the ball!!!!"? |
 |
| and, for a second, I thought this one was Alf! |
