# My trip to London, part 1



## atlan (Dec 30, 2004)

Hi!

The last week, I visited London. It was the first time I was there, and I have to say it's one of the most exciting cities I have seen.
I liked much the mixture of people from all around the world. Also there are a big mixture of buildings styles, the street, squares, etc.

I have done more than 800 photos... but, here, I have posted about 250.. They are too many, so I have had to divide them in three posts. This is the first one..

I begin with the most important square in London: Trafalgar square. I think it is here the 0 kilometer of Great Britain. In the middle of the place, it's Nelson's column. The main building of the square is the National Gallery:










Nelson's column:























































This church is St. Martin in the fields:










In one of the corners of the square, it is the arch of the admiralty. This arch opens Mall avenue towards Backingham palace:










The Sudafrica House:










Whitehall avenue. The most important ministries have theirs seats here. This avenue communicates Trafalgar sq. with Wetsminster:

This smart and big building is the Old-war ministry:






































Here, we can see the change of guards in the Horse-guards house:



















Backingham palace is at the background:




















On the left, it is the ministry of defense:




























Another ministry:





































This arch links the building of the treasury (left) with the foreign office (right):










It's Downing street. The brown bricked house is the house of the premier. In my opinion, it is a very austere building if we compare it with the enormous buildings around it.











Another palace in Whitehall:










The foreign office:



















I think this is the building of the treasury:










At the end of Whitehall, we arrive to Westminster. Near the abbey, they are the houses of parliament:

The famous big-ben:





































From the other border of Thames river, we can see this wonderful sight:





























In the night, it is even more spectacular:




























This is Richard "heart of lion":










The burgues from Calais:



















The Victoria tower, the other tower of the houses of parliament:



















And this building is the old abbey. This gothic monument lodges the tombs of the kings of England. Also, the english kings and queens are crowned here.





































Near the abbey, it is the Dean's yard:



















Near the abbey, this old district. In concreto, Lawerence of Arabia lived in this brown building:










This is Millbank street, together the Thames river:




























At the other border of the Thames river:










Beyond Westminster, it is Victoria station. The trains from south England arrive here. People from London say this is the gate of Europe:



















This is the catholic cathedral of Westminster, in Victoria st.:










If we return again to Trafalgar sq, we can see the other side of admiralty's arch:










These white and classical buildings or terraces in the Mall were built by John Nash. The center of London is plenty of buildings made by Nash:










On the left of the Mall, it is St. James park:




























Parks and gardens of London are incredibly well adorned:










This is the queen Victoria memorial, in front of Backingham palace:





































And this is the entrance to Green park from Backingham palace:




























A palace with sights to Green park:










A change of guard in St. James palace:










The next buildings are seat of the typical clubs of London. Most of them are in St. James street:














































This is Waterloo place, and in the middle it is the memorial of Crimea war:





































This post continues in http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=211751


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## gohcan (May 31, 2004)

Thanks!! Great thread, and now waiting for part 2


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## eddyk (Mar 26, 2005)

Amazing....these are the pics I want to see!


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## Arthur Dent (Apr 24, 2005)

Great Pics, you really capture the beauty and history of London :applause:


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## Arpels (Aug 9, 2004)

cool pics!!


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## Ashok (Jul 17, 2004)

Awesome tour!


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## Rainier Meadows (Sep 12, 2002)

ah man what a great fix.....thanks!  Awesome ......London is supreme & cozy!


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## Skybean (Jun 16, 2004)

Nice set of pictures. :drool:


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## chronicsurfer (Sep 10, 2004)

:nocrook: I LOVE those old buildings!!!


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## Urban Dave (Apr 18, 2004)

Thanks for sharing the pictures with us!


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## LSyd (Aug 31, 2003)

i can't wait to get back there. those night shots are amazing.

-


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## Overground (Apr 11, 2005)

I sure miss London. Great pics you took with buildings people don't normally get to see. I wanted to add that the photos of the golden gate entering Green Park next to Buckingham Palace is called Canada Gate. There is some detailed engravings of Canadian Provinces on it. There is also a South Africa Gate and an Australian Gate on the other entrances to the roundabout. Although, I must say Canada Gate is the grandest of them all. And the photo just down from that with the kid standing on a slanted water feature is the Canadian War Memorial. I thought after all this time that they would have put a chain or something around it. It clearly states it is a War Memorial but some people have absolutely no respect for these things. We used to have to tell people to stay off of it but I guess until they put something around it, it will never stop. 

I look forward to part 2 and 3!


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## sts (Dec 9, 2002)

Stunning pix and wonderful city!


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## Peyre (Nov 22, 2003)

fantastic photos dude. Stunning


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## Monkey (Oct 1, 2002)

Excellent pics. :yes:


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## eddyk (Mar 26, 2005)

^^^^


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## eddyk (Mar 26, 2005)

Hmmm...many of those pics now have a logo saying 'Bandwith exceeded'


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## Patachou (Dec 1, 2007)

Awesome tour


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

I'll move this thread to the Urban Showcase for original photographs.


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## CrazyMac (Apr 23, 2006)

So, having looked at these, why do alot of people in these forums say that compared to Paris, London is 'ugly'..?

Yes, London has its rough parts, but so does Paris, go into some of the surrounding 'ghettos' of Paris, and you will see areas far worse than anything you will see in London.

Is it because Paris has succeded in moving these areas outside of central Paris?, so that to tourists who dont go there, so never see the rougher side to Paris,its 'out of sight,out of mind'?.

Londons parks and green spaces are far more numerous and nicer than anything in Paris.

Yet some idiots still have this view that London isnt as 'pretty' as Paris.....


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## Shukie (Mar 29, 2007)

I think generally the weather in London is just worse, which makes it look grittier.


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## Minato ku (Aug 9, 2005)

Paris is far to be sourounded by ghetto, most of suburbs are middle class because the suburbs represent 80% of Paris Population.
The inner city is far to be a white wealthy place exepted in the 7th and 16th arrondissement 
Infact the suburbs have a lower poverty rate than inner Paris. :yes:

Most people don't know anything about Paris ghettoes (especially when they think that Paris is surounded by ghetto and saying suburban when these place are denser and more urban than most inner cities). 

Most tourists visit only a smal part of central Paris where the average parisian never go (7eme arrondissement, 16th arrondissment Louvre...)
The only places were toursit go and you can see Parisian are the subway, Les Halles and the Champs Elysees. (it weird in these place how the toursits are astonished by Paris ethnical diversity)
Tourists never also see the rough parts of London, that's comparable. 

Crazymac I don't know what is your problem with Paris. hno:

I agree that Paris is far to be the tourist depend and romantic white city that people imagine.
*London is a very beautiful city, as pretty than Paris.* kay:

Nice picture but too touristy for me.


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## Mr Bricks (May 6, 2005)

Fantastic pictures! Beatiful.


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## CrazyMac (Apr 23, 2006)

Minato ku said:


> Crazymac I don't know what is your problem with Paris. hno:
> 
> I agree that Paris is far to be the tourist depend and romantic white city that people imagine.
> *London is a very beautiful city, as pretty than Paris.* kay:
> ...


I dont have a 'problem' with Paris, its a wonderful, beautiful city....its just i dont understand why people have this perception that Paris is so much more beautiful than London.


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## Bond James Bond (Aug 23, 2002)

Loverly!


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## NothingBetterToDo (Sep 11, 2002)

Shukie said:


> I think generally the weather in London is just worse, which makes it look grittier.


Nah, common misconception - Paris and London have comparably similar weather.

Total sunlight hours for Paris is 60, total for London is 48. 

But, London has less average precipitation: 593mm to Paris's 619mm. And less Wet Days: 153 to Paris's 162. 

Its a myth that its always raining, foggy and grey in London town 

Averages for Paris -









Averages for London -


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## Patachou (Dec 1, 2007)

Awesome tour!


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Awesome London photo-tour


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