Friday, January 5, 2024. I already have my Oyster Card in hand, I go on a bus trip from Forbach with the association “ID Evasion”, to London.
Passport mandatory now, a few questions (purpose and duration of stay) we are asked at Customs (in Coquelles / Calais), then we board the Eurostar Shuttle (Eurotunnel under the English Channel).
From the moment I arrived in the UK, at a motorway station, I tried a “Jerky Beef”, then headed to our Wembley International Park Hotel.
Luggage dropped off, head to Buckingham Palace with the London Underground (Jubilee Line) to see the Relief of the Guard of King Charles III.
A royal day in London.
On Friday, January 5, 2024, I had the chance to attend the changing of the guard in front of the majestic Buckingham Palace.
Magnificent palace, golden statues, equestrian parades, green parks, squirrels and geese, and the elegance of the equestrian parades…
If you are passing through London, do not miss the changing of the guard! (Definitely check the days and times on the internet before going).
After admiring the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, I visit the Westminster District.
I discover the most emblematic monument of the British capital: Big Ben with its imposing Gothic architecture and its famous carillon.
Right next door, there is the classic red telephone box, very popular with tourists with its retro style.
I continue the walking tour of the district and I pass in front of the traditional Pub “The Red Lion”, in front of a Horse Guard in traditional uniform in front of the Palladian-style official building “Horse Guards” (located is a listed Palladian-style building between Whitehall and the “Horse Guards Parade”).
I also discover the monument “The Women of World War II” which pays tribute to the women who participated in the war effort during the Second World War by taking jobs from their men, designed by John W. Mills.
After Westminster, lunch break. It’s hard to find a place, there are five of us and we don’t have a reservation. Luckily, we find a place in the traditional British pub The Old Shades, in the emblematic Whitehall district.
It’s a place full of charm and history, in a typically British atmosphere.
For my part, I had the classic English dish, a delicious Fish and chips, fried fish and crispy fries, accompanied by three sauces: tartare, ketchup and malt vinegar, and a pint of draft beer (Warning, alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health).
I then visit the shops around Trafalgar Square, there are shops on the theme of Harry Potter: Dobby the Elf in the window, a replica of the famous train 5972.
Not far from there, another shop displays a red Mini Car decorated with the Union Jack Flag and a Paddington Teddy Bear, a true celebration of the London spirit.
Then, head to the Grand Place “Trafalgar Square” with its historical monuments, with in its center the majestic column of Admiral Horatio Nelson, symbol of the British victory during the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21, 1805, a naval battle between the British Fleet and the Franco-Spanish Fleet.
