On to more famous sights now (the previous entry in the series is here).
Trafalgar Square, in my view, is the center of London, where every first-time visitor to the city eventually finds himself – and, potentially, lingers for a while. It can be insufferable during staged public events and it is always too busy with tourists on a nice sunny day, but it is none the less majestic and impressive. And on a warm summer night, it can even be tranquil.
Nice sunny day it was.
Here is another angle, with the National Gallery prominently seen.
I love fountains. There are two identical ones in the square. The church of St Martin-in-the-Fields is one of the attractions around the square.
Big Ben, which we will see close up in a couple of chapters, fits into a nice composition when viewed from the center of the square. The sun positioned itself uncooperatively for a good shot, but I felt it was still worth taking.
I love London cabs. Very unmistakably British. BTW, it’s too bad we didn’t realize you could see Big Ben from the square, when we were in London. Cool stuff.
I am apparently the exception to your rule, Ilya… during the month I spent in England way back in ’93, I visited London two or three times and I don’t think I set foot in Trafalgar once.
You must have gone on some targeted exploration in other parts of London, Jason… I do find it strange that you never set foot in Trafalgar Square. Which areas of London have you seen?
Ilya, I’m somewhat ashamed to admit that I wasn’t a terribly sophisticated traveler when I visited England and I honestly don’t know which areas I’ve been in, at least not by name. These days, I would of course work out my travels on a map and keep careful notes, but when I was 23… not so much. I know I took a walking tour of the old City of London, and on my own I found my way to the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and the British Museum. I am quite certain, however, that I never walked through Trafalgar Square or Picadilly Circus, usual tourist stops I never realized I’d missed until much later…