London 2014 - Part 6 / Cruising the Thames

We'll begin with a bit of maritime travel: an afternoon tea cruise along the Thames.

We did not use his services, but the cabbies were in abundance.

Note the build of this vessel; low and long. Most vessels on the Thames have this same characteristic.

Previews of coming attractions. We'll take a ride on the Eye in the next post.

Interested in infrastructure? Here's your infrastructure.

The Wellington. Not familiar with John S. Burnett's Dangerous Waters, Modern Piracy & Terror on the High Seas? Even though she is moored as a tourist attraction, there is an office inside one of those port holes. From that office, former military have been dispatched across the globe to guard maritime shipping, combat an assortment of modern pirates and keep sea based shipping moving between ports.

The reason for the previously mentioned low & long vessel structure. Not a lot of headroom going under.

The Tower. We were just there.

About to go under Tower Bridge.

Along the waterfront, former warehouses & rough neighborhoods have become condos and yuppie playgrounds.

Now for a few random photos.
Horseguards parade ground. We came upon this quite by accident while taking a stroll.

Picadilly Circus. Much like Times Square.

The Rosetta Stone, located in the British Museum. Centerpiece for understanding Egyptian hieroglyphs.

Wall carving in the British Museum. The British literally cut out sections of temples and walls to bring back to the museum.