The Ultimate London Day, Travels Less Known

The Ultimate London Day, Travels Less Known

Today was my day to putter around London. I ended up mashing together two of Rick Steve’s (Side note: His travel guides are fantastic!) London walking tours as I couldn’t resist going to see the Parliment buildings again (poor Big Ben was all covered up in scaffolding for renovation work until 2020), though I did not get to the Tower Bridge! Shocking, for me, I know!

I started near the Parliament buildings and continued my way into the City of London so I could see a lot of ground that I’d not covered in my previous visits to London. It was spitting on and off; this time I was prepared with my rain jacket. No getting stuck out in the rain unprepared again for this girl! As for the rest of this post, I’m about to try something new with my photos so, please don’t hate me if this doesn’t produce easy reading. I’m going to mix the photos in with the blog itself as I go along.

I then ventured past Whitehall, and got to see the tail end of the Changing of the Guard there (not to be confused with Buckingham Palace, another of which is of noticeable absence this trip around!). It’s so interesting to think this is done multiple times a day, exactly as it was from back when it first started. This horse was most definitely giving me the eye as I took the picture. 


He’s giving me the eye! 

After that I realized that I was running more behind schedule than I had originally anticipated, so I hopped on the tube to get to The Bank of England. Not simply for its architecture but because I had some of the old notes and needed to trade them in as the stores wouldn’t accept them! At almost $200 in Canadian I wasn’t going to let these old bills going to waste! 


Before heading back on the walking tour, I wanted to make a detour to Leadenhall Market as it’s supposed to be beautiful and partial inspiration for Diagon Alley. It dates back to the 14th century with the current structure built in the late 1800s. 


Beautiful, and Diagon Alley-esque

Back on the walking route, I got to see the Royal Courts of Justice, and its stunning Neo-Gothic architecture, but sadly no barristers in gowns and wigs! Across the street is the flagship store for Twinings Tea Shop, which has been in business since 1706. Some tea may have been purchased!

By this time I was feeling a little parched, and tea wasn’t the beverage I was hoping for. A little way down the road, I found the Old Bank of England, so naturally, since I’d been to the new one, I’d also have to go to the old one – and have a pint. Quite the stunning pub experience. I sat upstairs so I could take in the views from above as I sipped my London Pride. 

Filled with some tasty beer, I was on the trail of The Knights Templar. Now, I’ve only read about them in my adventure novels such as the Da Vinci Code, or heard Nicholas Cage discuss in a movie classic for me, National Treasure. I’ve always been fascinated by them so to see their Church, and headquarters was awesome. It was down a little alleyway, under one of the last surviving buildings from the fire of 1666. I couldn’t go inside as it seemed closed as I could hear the choir practicing, but seeing the outside was enough for me (sort of!).


Fleet Street also used to be home to lots of newspapers but many of them are no longer here but this building is testament to the many now defunct papers that reported on London news throughout the decades. In a mix of old, and new(er), this building is nestled directly beside the Church of St. Dunstan-in-the-West, which is where the Great Fire of London in 1666 finally stopped. 40 students fanned the flames and luckily the winds shifted and the fire was over; the church was saved.

When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.

Samuel Johnson

Dr. Johnson published one of the most influential English language dictionaries in the world in the mid 1700s, some 170 odd years before the Oxford English’s dictionary would be created. Below is his house and his favourite watering hole, of which was built in 1667, the year after the great fire! 


My tour ends with the magnificent St. Paul’s Cathedral. I decided not to go inside as it was late in the day and instead opted for a free view from above from one of the local shopping malls! Not a bad way to get sweeping views of the city – at no cost! You can even have a drink at their rooftop bar if you want. I had a lovely gentlemen offer to take my photo, as he saw me selfie struggling to get a good one. 

Whilst my “tour” was done, I still had the best part of the day ahead of me; going to meet Siobhan and Ryan for a lovely dinner at Brown’s! We had starters, mains AND dessert during our wonderful catch up (and introduction to Ryan)! I was so grateful they took the time out of their few days leading up to the wedding to meet me for dinner. After a long day and with a full belly, I headed back to the dorm for a much, much, much needed rest! 


Ended the day the BEST way possible! 


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