One of my favorite photos from our trip: Big Ben and a red double-decker bus which I took while riding on the top of a double-decker bus.  A must-see at least once in your lifetime!

I am finally continuing with my London posts. It has been a very busy time for us as we were moving to a little bigger place the last couple of days. Mia has her own bedroom now, so she was very happy to unpack her toys that have been in storage. She also started her first day of 1st grade today and had a great day which was a big relief for us! I couldn’t sleep last night and was so nervous for her, but it all turned out fine and we are very happy with her new teacher!

This is post number two in a three-part series from our recent adventure in London, England. In this post, I will feature Big Ben, the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, & the London Eye. All but Westminster Abbey have an amazing view along the Thames River and were a short walk from our hotel.

Continuing from my last post, this is London Tip #5: The Golden Jubilee Bridge that is right next to Big Ben and the one you cross over to get to the London Eye gets unbelievably crowded! However, you can get some of the best photos in this area, so you may want to visit it earlier in the day or right before sunset to avoid a million people in your photos with you!

Big Ben has to be one of the most recognizable structures in the world. It was so impressive to see in person and reminded me of one of my favorite movies, Hook. It is one of those places when you see it for the first time in real life, you just say “Wow, that is amazing!” Here are a few photos of Big Ben & The Palace of Westminster (click on photos for a larger image):

Big Ben at night.

Mia and I in front of the Thames River with Big Ben and The Palace of Westminster in the background.

The beautiful Big Ben Clock Tower.

Me in front of the Thames River with Big Ben in the background.

Mia in front of the Thames River with Big Ben in the background.

Mia and Danny in front of the Thames River with Big Ben in the background.

For more information about touring the Houses of Parliament, please visit: Houses of Parliament Please note: Only permanent UK residents are allowed to tour Elizabeth Tower and Big Ben.

Westminster Abbey was my favorite place that we toured while in London. This is certainly worth the price of admission and has many surprises inside! It is not just an old gothic church, but a place filled with rich history (founded in 960) and also has an impressive collection of artwork.  It is the coronation church and also the final resting place and memorial site of many significant people.  King Edward’s Chair, the throne which is used for coronations is also housed here.

London Tip #6:  Do not pass up touring the inside of Westminster Abbey! If you only have one day, I would suggest taking the time to tour this church.  Also, do not be intimidated by the line to get it.  It moved very quickly for us and was worth the 20-30 minutes we waited in line. I would also recommend the Cellarium Cafe which is perfect for a nice break with afternoon tea and light snacks.

Here are a few photos from Westminster Abbey (please note: photography and filming are not allowed while you are touring the inside of the Abbey):

The beautiful entrance to Westminster Abbey.

Mia enjoying the view at Westminster Abbey.

Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. Celebrating 60 years!

The beautiful view at Westminster Abbey.

One of the beautiful windows at Westminster Abbey.

The Cellarium Cafe located at Westminster Abbey.

Enjoying afternoon tea at Cellarium Cafe.

Mia and I at Westminster Abbey.

Front View of Westminster Abbey

St. Margaret’s Church

For more information about touring Westminster Abbey, please visit:  Westminster Abbey

The London Eye was within walking distance to where we stayed and was of course one of those things in London that you just have to do! It is located in the South Bank right along the Thames River. We were able to see so much of London from the top and you get to see out for a distance of about 25 miles from the top. The views from the London Eye are absolutely breathtaking and was definitely something that we are glad that we were able to experience. I would love to experience it at night the next time we visit as I am sure it would be very beautiful with all of the city lights on.

Here are a few photos from our experience on the London Eye:

The London Eye and the Thames River.

Mia and I having fun on the London Eye!

The amazing view from the London Eye!

Mia enjoying the London Eye!

For more information about the London Eye, please visit: London Eye

You can read part 1 of this series at the following link: London Part 1