Today we used the second day of our bus tour to take a long boat tour from Westminster to Greenwich on the Thames. After our long traffic-delayed experience yesterday we were leery of the outcome of this decision. However, we ventured forth and were pleasantly surprised.
First, the long tour to Greenwich is 12 GBP each! We had it included in our tour price from yesterday, so that felt good. The clincher was that the trip itself was great. All of the historic and architectural sites look far different (and in most cases better) from the water than any perspective you get from dry land. The boatman’s commentary added spice to the viewing. We stopped for 30 minutes in Greenwich, enough time for us to eat our carried lunch in the sun atop the boat’s sundeck. Our view during lunch – the marker for the prime meridian! Not to be discounted was the fact that the river provides a constant cooling breeze on these hot days. It was a wonderful 3 1/2 hours.
Aboard the boat we befriended a family from Mold Flintshire, Wales. Conversation drifted into Welsh music via our disclosure of our honeymoon in Wales 25 years ago and my subsequent direction of Cor Cymraeg Seattle for several years. We had a wonderful time sharing talks of Welsh singing, traveling (they were just returning from Paris), and our enjoyment of London. Simon, Dawn, and Callum will remain in our memories…well met!]
Unfortunately I suffered a catastrophic camera failure before the boat departed, leaving me with only my smart phone for a camera. That’s one happens when one doesn’t read the screen telling you that the battery is failing. Anyway the only photos I got were with my trusty Samsung phone. Jean will have to provide more substantial photo coverage. Here are a few photos of the day, ending with a brief walk around the Houses of Parliament where the boat docked and our tube station was located.
Paul
The Shard, a very controversial building. Apartments (condos for us Yanks) are 45 million GBP!
Tower Bridge
Officially called Elizabeth Tower since last year, this is better known as the home of Big Ben. Big Ben cannot be seen in the photo. Rather than the clock, it is the bell that sounds the hour.
A London Bobby guards one of the doors of the Houses of Parliament.
Jean and Paul at Parliament
Paul’s Sketch Interpretation of The Shard with Dockland Warehouses for Contrast
Travels With Picasso 
love you guys and your adventures!
Hi to both, I now begin to expect your comments and look forward to reading more and more. On the camera failure issue, am I wrong? I understand your batteries went down and thus it will be necessary and hopefully sufficient to change them little batteries. If that is so, the catastrophe is limited to today. I am sure you can recover.
On a completely different matter, temps in Paris are high but the good news is that they will begin to drop on and after July 26.
Your Thames cruise seemed wonderful. A hug to both of you.
Yes it was the battery, but I didn’t get the usual warning that it was low. Now I will carry a spare.