England #7 (London #4) 5-13

June 13, 2013

Our time to see London was running short so we hit the pavement. Turns out walking is perhaps the best way to see many of London’s most famous attractions. Of the hundreds of monuments scattered around the city, the obelisk presented to the British Nation in 1819 by Mohammed Ali, Viceroy of Egypt, is the oldest. Nearby, who could resist a tourist shot in one of London old phone booths?

The obelisk presented to the British Nation in 1819 by Mohammed Ali, Viceroy of Egypt, is the oldest monument on the city.

Two of these bronze sphinxes watch over the Egyptian obelisk, which had laid prostrate for centuries in the sands of Alexandria before being presented to the British Nation in 1819.

Cell phones have replaced the classic red phone booths on the streets of London, but they still beg for photos.

St. Paul’s Cathedral was clearly one of London’s gems. This magnificent building has stood on this site for over 1400 years. It is considered architect Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpiece. Both its design and decor are absolutely amazing.

St. Paul’s Cathedral has stood on this site for over 1400 years.

The architecture of Sir Christopher Wren’s building is truly amazing.

The paintings and mosaics in St. Paul’s Cathedral are some of the most beautiful we have ever seen. They contain hundreds of thousands of bits of glass and stone.

It was heart warming to see the chapel behind the main altar is dedicated to the American and British service men who sacrificed their lives during World War II.

The chapel behind the main alter is dedicated to the American and British service men who sacrificed their lives during World War II.

Just around the corner was a monument honoring Capt. George Blagdon Westcott who fell gloriously in the victory over the French fleet in the Battle of the Nile off Aboukir, Egypt, in the year MDCCXCVIII (1798). Capt. Westcott is actually a distant relative of Gary.

Capt. George Blagdon Westcott who fell gloriously in the victory over the French fleet off Aboukir in the year MDCCXCVIII (1798). Capt. Westcott is actually a distant relative of Gary.

Looking straight up into the multil-leveled dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral can make you dizzy. Yes, you can climb to the top. It’s only 1,161 steps. (A mere 257 to the Whispering Gallery, 376 to the Stone Gallery, and a steep 528 more to the Golden Gallery) The view of all of London is impressive.

Looking straight up into the multi-leveled dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral can make you dizzy.

Yes, you can climb to the top. It’s only 1,161 steps to the top. Are we there yet?

It’s a real climb to the top of St Paul’s Cathedral, but the view is worth it.

Catch your breath. It’s only 1,161 steps back to the bottom.

Our last stop on this day was to stand with 1 foot on each side on the Greenwich Meridian timeline. It sort of reminded us of when we stood with 1 foot on each side of the equator in Ecuador.