being a tourist!.

today i took myself off to photograph the statues in Westminster Abbey, and decided to hop off and take some photos of the ANZAC memorial at Hyde Park Corner.

**picture heavy post**

i had thought there was one monument to honour the ANZACs, but i discovered there are separate New Zealand and Australian ones. so here are a few photos of the NZ memorial….

i fell in love with this wee fanfail below and took loads of piccies of her!.

 

 

 

then i jumped back on the bus and headed to Westminster Abbey.

i’m afraid i dont have positive reviews of the abbey itself – yes, its full of history and amazing things, but…..you cant take photos inside the abbey itself!. this i did not find out until i had paid £18!! to enter, after queuing for about 20mins!. to say i was unimpressed is an understatement – the whole reason for the trip was to take photos of the amazing effigies and statues inside. after i had walked round, i spoke to someone offical about this and was told it was for H&S blah blah blah and you’ll fall and sue us!. i said that’s fine, but i hadn’t seen any signs until after i had paid my money. i was told its on my ticket – errr…. no its not, i checked my ticket on bus later and there is nothing on it to say you cant take photos. i said i had researched on the website to check the abbey was open today and nowhere on there was there anything about no photos. i was offered my money back and leave now (nicely), but i said no, i will finish the outside cloister areas.

so, i have some photos of the carvings on the outside of the abbey, one from inside before i got told off and informed you cant take photos inside!, and then from the Chapter House and cloisters.

the West Front – this was cleaned a few years back which is why it looks so fresh.

detail above the West Door

and on either side of the door

 

detail above the North Door

the one and only photo from inside, just before i was told you cant take photos!.

Original 1400’s paintings on the walls of the Chapter House.

detail above the door as you leave the Chapter House

original medieval floor tiles.

a stunning portrait of the Queen painted inside the Abbey

billed as Britains oldest door – said to have been made in the 1050s for Edward the Confessors Westminster Abbey. its just outside the Chapter House.

i was lucky enough to go on one of the 3 days a week the gardens are open to the public. this idea appealed to me – an apple has been espaliered a few feet above the ground and used as an edge for this garden bed.

a view across the Cloisters to the back of the West front.

 

there ends todays tour!.