Today, we decided to walk around our neighborhood and see some of the famous landmarks in Westminster and the Buckingham Palace area. We started in Trafalgar Square, London’s central square, which is just a few blocks from our hotel. A column topped by a statue of Lord Nelson marks the center, while the National Gallery and St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church surround the perimeter.
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| Trafalgar Square |
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| The National Gallery and St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church |
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| Sights Around Trafalgar Square |
From there, we walked through the Admiralty Arch to The Mall, which leads to Buckingham Palace. Before we could reach the palace, however, we encountered a peaceful demonstration by supporters of the Khalistan movement, a Sikh separatist movement seeking to create a homeland for Sikhs by establishing a sovereign state in the Punjab region.
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| Demonstration on The Mall |
We eventually reached the Victoria Memorial and Buckingham Palace. We had no intention of touring the palace, but Tim needed to see its famous façade. Deciding to escape the crowds, we wandered into St. James’s Park where we enjoyed the beautiful flowers and the much-loved pelicans.
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| Tim at Buckingham Palace |
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| Sarah at Buckingham Palace |
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| Scenes Around Buckingham Palace |
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| Lovely and Peaceful St. James's Park |
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| Flowers and Critters at St. James's Park |
As we exited the park, we found ourselves by the Horse Guards Parade. We didn’t see the parade, but we did see the mounted cavalry troopers of The Queen’s Life Guard, who guard the building.
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| The Horse Guards Parade |
We eventually made our way to Whitehall, the heart of British government. Here, we passed by #10 Downing Street, the traditional home of the prime minister, and the Monument to the Women of World War II.
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| Scenes Along Whitehall |
In just another few blocks, we were back at our hotel. We really did pick a great location, especially for a first-time visit.
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