Day 8

Today was the first day we attempted anything a tourist would do. We left our hotel and caught a 189 towards Oxford Circus. The bus ride took about 45 minutes. Next we entered Baker Street tube station and boarded a southbound Bakerloo train towards Elephant and Castle. We left the train at Piccadilly Circus to go souvenir shopping. Next we grabbed some lunch and got back on the same train. We got off the Bakerloo train at The Embankment. After walking across the River Thames on the Golden Jubilee bridge, we queued for a river cruise. The first leg of the journey we spent on the lower deck, as the upper was full. When the vessel docked at The Tower of London, we went upstairs for better pictures. In the process we were able to witness a rarity; the tower bridge opening for a tall ship. The tower bridge used to open hundreds of times a week, since the downturn of the shipping industry and the London Harbour now being located between the bridge and the sea, the bridge only needs to lift ten times a week. Our vessel was short enough to go under the closed bridge. We continued on down the river, following tide. Our crew was very informative in describing local landmarks. The end of the line was Greenwich Pier. We got off here, grabbed a drink and headed over to the National Maritime Museum. It was a well laid out, free museum. After completing the museum we boarded our cruise again back to the city centre. Once we docked were we started, Millenium Pier, we made our way over to the free London Eye 4D Cinema. The cinema was home to a four minute film including bubbles, fog, snow and mist. Feeling quite tired after our journey thus far, we decided to head back. This time we took a slightly different route back to our hotel in North West London. We boarded the Bakerloo train northbound and got off at Baker Street. Next we transferred to the Jubilee Line and took it a number of stations to Kilburn. To end the journey we took a 189 towards Brent Cross to the hotel. Today we plan on visiting the Tower of London, HMS Belfast and maybe St. Paul's Cathedral.

Where we plan to visit today. As shot from our cruise yesterday.