On our last day in London way back in 2019, we visited more sights and attractions, starting off with Harry Potter’s Platform 9 3/4 at King’s Cross station. Then, we checked out the intricately designed Westminster Abbey, the Westminster Palace and the Big Ben (which was under renovation). We crossed the river Thames and spent time in a museum dedicated to the life and works of Florence Nightingale – the mother of nursing. By the London Eye, we had delicious ice cream, and then walked along St. James’ Park. Lastly, we found ourselves by the Buckingham Palace.

I read the Harry Potter’s books more than a decade ago, in the College of Education library in UP Diliman, during my breaks. Watching the movies came much later. It’s a good series, although I’m not very much of a fan. I do like visiting filming locations though, so we took the train to King’s Cross to.. well, catch a glimpse of the platform where the witches and wizards magically transports themselves into Hogwarts. I probably underestimated the popularity of H.P. The spot was restricted and visitors had to line up and pay to have a photo taken. I didn’t think it was worth it, so I just took some photos from afar.

Then, we traveled back to the city center to get to know London more. Beautiful churches and modern and traditional building dot the streets, and we saw some funny Donald Trump toys:

The Westminster Abbey was an eye-candy – it’s magnificent! Formally named as the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, this Gothic church has served as a coronation site of many British monarchs, and burial site to some, since the 1060s. Due to its historical and cultural importance, it was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

Adjacent to the abbey was the Westminster Palace with the famous Big Ben standing on its side. Built in 1016 in a perpendicular Gothic style, the palace functions as the official meeting place of the country’s Parliament. Sadly, the Big Ben clock tower was under renovation during our visit. We crossed the nearby Westminster bridge to get a full picture of the site. There was an ongoing canoe marathon that day, and I was also lucky to have a picture taken with a street performer in traditional costume. He called me to stand by his side. Then, he started playing some music.

I was midway in nursing school in 2019, so I was eager to visit the Florence Nightingale Museum, located by the St.Thomas’ Hospital. As it was Easter, they’ve hidden eggs for visitors to look for. Successful finders got a chocolate egg. haha Anyway, Nightingale is considered the mother of nursing. She wrote a book entitled “Notes on nursing”, which I purchased from the museum shop. It was a bit outdated, but the basic principles still apply. An online copy of the book can be found here: https://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/nightingale/nursing/nursing.html. Nightingale is also considered to be revolutionary in laying the foundation to nursing as a science and as a profession.

We thought that it would be amazing to see London from above, so we went to the giant London Eye ferris wheel. But unlike the Budapest Eye, which only took a few minutes to get to ride, we spent a long time lining up. In the end, we gave up and just enjoyed some ice cream instead. The promenade was very busy!

Afterwards, we decided to start heading back to the hotel. We walked along the green and blooming St.James’ Park, where we also saw some ducks and black swans!

The park led us to the gated Buckingham Palace, the official residence and headquarters of the British royal family since 1705. This is where our walking tour ended on our last day.

Our eyes feasted on the sites and attractions of London (and Salisbury) during our stay. On the last day, we went out for an English breakfast, and I enjoyed some fish n’ chips in the airport, before flying back home to Norway. It was the first and last time I saw Carl drink tea. haha

All in all, we enjoyed our visit in the U.K. I’d love to visit again, but maybe, exploring more of Scotland or the northern parts. We’ll see. 🙂 🙂 ALL PHOTOS AND VIDEOS ON THIS BLOG ARE MINE. Cheers! 🙂 #spreadloveandpositivevibes