London Calling (Day 3)

Our third day in London started once again with breakfast and Bananas in Pajamas.  This time we had a better sense of how much we could do in one day.  Our first stop was St. Paul's Cathedral.  Unlike churches in Paris, you had to pay to get in.  The benefit was getting an audio guide.  The kids version had fun facts and kid quizzes that helped keep them interested.  It is a really beautiful cathedral with an interesting history (i.e. it is where Charles and Diana were married).  

Outside St. Paul's Cathedral.

  

Going through the gate of heaven.

Our one picture inside the cathedral before we
realized you aren't allowed to take pictures.

After visiting the main floor of the cathedral and the crypt, we climbed 259 steps to the Whispering Gallery (no pictures allowed).  It is a circular walkway on the inside of the dome.  If you whisper on one side you are supposed to be able to hear it on the other side 100 feet away.   Then we climbed another 120 steps to the Stone Gallery which encircles the outside of the dome.  Finally, we climbed an additional 149 steps (for a grand total of 528) to get to the Golden Gallery.

Getting wind blown on the Stone Gallery.

The Golden Gallery 280 feet up.
We could all feel the burn.

Panoramic view of London.

Making our way back down.

We came out of the cathedral to a rainy London day.  We walked across the Millennium  Bridge to the Tate Modern museum.

I don't get modern art, but I like it.

Mannequins wrapped in brown packing tape.

Picasso's The Three Dancers

Monet's Water Lilies 

After some good, and some confusing art we headed to the inner Temple.   In the medieval period it belonged to the Knights Templar.  You've seen it in the movie The Da Vinci Code.  Now the buildings are law offices and law schools.

In front of the Temple Church.

Heading back towards the apartment in the dark at 5pm.

Heading Home (Day 4)

The way home was a little more direct than the way there (only 6 trains and no buses).

We had a great trip to London but it was nice to get back to Paris.  On our final metro we were in the same car as two male stripping street performers and a homeless woman who had peed herself.  Home Sweet Home.