Europe Trip- United Kingdom; London (Day 1)

Some people are used to say that we need to work hard yet play hard as well. My annual holidays had begun with a trip together with the seniors to Europe. We departed around 8pm from KLIA Malaysia and transited in Dubai International Airport, finally arrived at Heathrow Airport, United Kingdom at 7am on the next day. 

11th November 2014 

Dubai International Airport

12th November 2014 

Heathrow Airport- A quick glimpse of the airport of this advanced city and you could be amazed with many vending machines, facilities such as post box with stamps to be purchased, souvenirs shops and so on. The weather of United Kingdom was unexpectedly cold and everyone of us started to occupied ourselves with the heat-tech clothes, long-sleeves, jackets, lotions and etc.

Sight-seeing tour had begun with Westminster Abbey. Along the journey, we passed by Victoria and Albert Museum, Parliament Street, Horse Guards, National Gallery London and Trafalgar Square.

A mounted trooper of the Household Cavalry on duty at Horse Guards.

Nelson's Column is a monument in Trafalgar Square in central London built to commemorate Admiral Horatio Nelson, who died at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

National Gallery which I hoped I had spent some splendid time there.

Westminster Abbey

We were over-excited with the signature red telephone booth with the fascia was emblazoned with a prominent crown. The another British icon (double-decker bus)was also spotted around Westminster Abbey.Westminster Abbey is formerly entitled as the Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster. It's a large Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London.It's usually being the location of royal weddings including the recent wedding of Prince William and his wife, coronations and funerals.

Super-dad and I

Crosses decorated with poppies in the lawn outside Westminster Abbey to commemorate World War I

Flying Buttresses at Westminster Abbey

Big Ben- the Great Bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London. We just managed to get some photos captured and rushed back to bus as given time for photo-shooting was just a mere 45 minutes. I wished to have more time spending to enter Westminster Abbey.

Tower Bridge is a suspension bridge in London which crosses the River Thames. It's an iconic symbol of London. The weather turned bad out of sudden and we did not managed to get some nice photos over the tower bridge.  Yet, the heavy downpour stopped once our bus left Tower Bridge.

The only best photo of Tower Bridge in my camera.

Thousands of ceramic poppies surround the Tower of London to mark the centenary of the first world war. Each poppy – 888,246 in all – represent a British life lost in "The Great War." To see these thousands of blazing red flowers – the free exhibit is titled "Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red" – was as impressive as it was emotionally jarring. (The flowers, which have all been sold for charity, began coming down on November 11th – Armistice Day).

Chinatown was our next stop for our lunch. It looked similar to Petaling Street in KL, but we were impressed with the architecture design and well-kept buildings. We had 6 dishes and 1 soup as lunch at Gerrard's Corner | 好年華大酒樓 . 

Buckingham Palace- London residence and principal workplace of the monarchy of the United Kingdom. We missed the changing of guards ceremony which was held in the morning. Just noticed that £75.00 per person to visit the State's room of Buckingham Palace.

A photo was captured in front of a building before walking to Buckingham Palace. Well, I just liked the number 11 which could remind me that I stepped on the land of UK in November 2014.

We ended the sight-seeing tour and headed to Oxfort Street to have some shopping before checking in Novotel London West.

Novotel London West

First dinner in United Kingdom- Pizzas at Kings Mall;Hammersmith

The first impression of stepping on the land of United Kingdom was beyond words to describe. A golden opportunity to have a tour to London. I gaped in aww for the architecture in London and impressed with them whom appreciate the culture and the historical places. By the way, it was really cold and I was upset for not having a good photo of me with Tower Bridge.