The hour strikes... Heavy, resonating bells toll in that well-known sequence. At the center of London, the air is filled with their vibration. It is Big Ben. Then the hour is told. Bong. Bong. Bong. Bong. Time for tea. And some people really do still go to tea at 4PM in London.

BIG BEN has a special place in the English consciousness. It is the visible signal that all is well in the British Commonwealth. Each quarter hour when it chimes, it is mother's milk being poured out over the land, soothing, calming, regulating the times of life precisely.

It can be somewhat hard to find. That seems silly, but it is true. Big Ben is not a stand-alone spire. It is part of the building where the English Parliment holds session. So when you are looking at a London map, do not look for Big Ben, look for Parliment. It saves ever so much time.

A hint: There is an Underground station called Embankment. Go straight out of the station, and you find some of the most famous parts of London at every hand.
You are on the banks of the Thames River. To your right is Parliment and Big Ben. To your left is Cleopatra's Needle, further down the river a little is the Tower of London, and much further down the river is Tower Bridge.
Straight ahead is the Thames, stretching to the sea in all its glory. Also straight ahead, across the street, is the landing for the boats that ply the river and will take you as far as Greenwitch. These are highly recommended. Your Travelcard for the Underground should also get you a substantial discount.
Check current policies before you buy your ticket.

And while we are on the subject of discounts, I think that Carrentals.co.uk is the best source for inexpensive car rentals all over Europe.
They have over 4,000 Rental car hire locations worldwide,
including many in their native England.

One of my favorite sights from the river,
as the excursion boat heads down the Thames toward the sea, is St. Paul's.

Remember Mary Poppins? Here is where the children feed the birds, tuppence a bag, on the outside steps. I always hear that song when I see the dome peaking between the other buildings as the boat goes downriver.

It somehow makes an American feel at home in London. There is something familiar about that dome. Wonder what it is....

Bonus Pictues
These are so good, I can't help including them. Two more shots of Tower Bridge. One is taken from the entrance of the bridge, and one from the Tower of London, from the inside court. What century could it be....

By the way, The Tower of London is where the Crown Jewels are kept,
and where nobles were beheaded. Tower Bridge (often mistaken for London Bridge, which has no towers and is actually quite plain) spans the Thames, and opens to let ships pass through. The only time it did not open on cue was on its Grand Opening, June 30, 1894, as Queen Victoria threw the switch to raise the center sections as a large ship came down the river to pass through for the first time... and it did not work.
The ship hit the bridge, causing light damage to both.
Needless to say, the Queen was not amused.

Between the Tower and
Tower Bridge
is Blackfriars railroad station and Blackfriars Bridge (at far left) also dedicated by Queen Victoria on its first day of operaton, in 1869.
There was no damage to either.

There are quite a lot of sights left to see in London which, if not amusing, are at least quite interesting. Click Here to continue your journey through England.

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