Saturday, July 30, 2011

London Highlights and Photography Scavenger Hunt Items

We recently returned from a ten day trip to England, and I thought I'd share a few of the highlights (and photography scavenger hunt items) that I found along the way. Let's start with London.  We bookended our trip with weekends in London.
We started with a trip to the Tower of London - the Crown Jewels were spectacular, though we weren't allowed to photograph them.
After a quick nap to help adjust to the time change, we went to the Tate Modern Museum (check that one off the scavenger hunt list!):
The Miro exhibit was fantastic (more on that later), and we had a very romantic dinner in the restaurant at the top, watching the sun set and lights come up over London and the Thames:
The next day we shopped. My favorite find was a great jacket from Karen Millen. We had a great dinner at a fabulous, romantic Indian restaurant called The Red Fort:
Then we went back to the hotel and watched the Women's World Cup Final (so sad for the U.S.).
We then spent the weekdays in the Cotswolds and Cambridge (more on those later), before returning to London. I did a little sight-seeing:
When I was wandering about, I even came across a political protest (check that one off the scavenger hunt list):
The highlight of the second weekend was the London theater scene.  We saw a wonderful Harold Pinter play called "Betrayal" and walked out into the midst of Picadilly Circus.  Such a fun evening! We also saw a play called Anne Boleyn at Shakespeare's Globe Theater:
Before we knew it, it was time to head home. 
Thanks for sitting through my vacation photos (part I)! Got any favorites?

18 comments:

  1. what an awesome holiday! really love the 'rest of world passports' sign. I'd have had to giggle a lot!

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  2. Sigh ... such jetsetting blogging friends I have! Feel free to make your way down here at any time ;-)

    I really like the one of Big Ben as you have captured the sky really well and that is not always easy to do and I love the vibrancy of the second protest shot ... for no other reason than I like the colours - great shots Rinda!

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  3. I love the angles on your shots especially The Tower of London. My grandpa was a Coldstream Guard and he had to march up and down outside Buckingham Palace.
    Sounds like you packed loads into your time there, can't wait to here about Cambridge my old hometown,
    Jo xxxx

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  4. Great pictures. My favourite has to be the Big Ben as well. That is quite the sky in it. As for a chuckle - "The Rest of the World" one wins.

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  5. Fabulous photos Rinda. I am going into London for a little solo day trip next week and you have whetted my appetite. I love the 'Rest of the World' sign as that just about sums us Brits up - us against the world!

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  6. i love the night-time shot from the (fabulous, i'm sure!) restaurant. looks like an active and interesting trip. i'm looking forward to part 2.

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  7. I especially like the one of the lined up Guardsmen with their striking flashes of red. And I enjoyed looking at your Globe pictures because we were there last year.

    I picked up another couple of finds this morning - post to follow soon.

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  8. Glad you had a great time - love all your photos.

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  9. Sounds like you had a wonderful time - and you have taken some lovely photos. They make me want to be a London tourist myself!!!

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  10. Beautiful photos Rinda! Big Ben is my fav!

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  11. Wow, you lucky thing. I love London after living there for two years, so your photos really took me back.

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  12. Sounds like a busy vacation. Glad you made it across the pond safe.

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  13. Looks like you had a fabulous vacation. Your shots of Big Ben (the first one) and the guards lined up on horseback with the flashes of red make striking photos in my humble opinion. Thanks for sharing them.

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  14. My favorite definitely is "Mind the gap". Do they still announce that over loudspeakers/tape? I also remember "Stand clear of the doors", always gave me a good laugh. Ah, I love London - in the late 80's I used to go several times a year because my then-boyfriend lived there. Wonderful memories. I'm glad you had such a wonderful trip! I look forward to your photos of the Cotswolds - my favorite region in England (and Norfolk).

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  15. Wonderful photos! I love Big Ben & Mind the Gap!

    What a great vacation!

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  16. Love the 'London at Night' pic...have a couple more Scavenger Hunt pics to post...must get on to it!
    Alison xx

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  17. those are some beautiful pictures. You must have had so much fun out there. What a great vacation!!

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