Not far from the former US naval base of Subic Bay, is SM Development Corp's premium resort-themed condo-tel, Pico De Loro. Thanks to the fiancee's family, I was able to join them in experiencing the relaxing and steady vibe of this place.
Located on Hamilo Coast, Pico De Loro prides itself in being an environment-friendly refuge for people living in Metro Manila; which is only fitting since this area around the complex is protected as a wildlife sanctuary for various species of land-based and sea animals.
* The scene outside our condo-tel. I was hoping that there would be activities on this lagoon/lake such as fishing, kayaking, stone-throwing, ANYTHING!
* Another view of the whole complex. Imagine, with me, the missed opportunity for the lagoon/lake.
* The beach with its surprisingly fine sand. I read somewhere that a lot of turtles historically go to this area to plant their eggs; guess they must have moved further down the coast!
* On the other hand, this area would be AWESOME for bikers and joggers with the many winding paths and walkways.
* The pool area, which was kinda disappointing since a deep / lap area was glaringly missing.
* This robust lady seemed to enjoy this particular activity too much.....
* One more view of the lagoon from our condo-tel's balcony.
* The fiancee enjoying her morning cup of coffee with a view.
When Deal Grocer announced an all-inclusive tour of Corregidor (including boat ride, island tour and lunch buffet) for just $25 a person, I knew that this was too good a deal to miss!
Not only had I never been to this famous key WWII battleground, but this was also to be an excitingly different weekend excursion with my fiancee, Monicca, and our friends, Aaron and Cole.
* The tour is operated by Sun Cruises Philippines, whose terminal is located near the Cultural Center of the Philippines. To get to the island, we took an hour long, comfortable, catamaran ride. Â
* First view of Corregidor upon setting foot on the island. Located on the entrance of Manila Bay, Corregidor served as the largest among a group of islands forming a natural harbor defense around the bay. Fortified with several coastal artillery and ammunition magazines, the island served to safeguard the City of Manila against any naval attack.
* Since it is a rather large island, various Trams (open-air mini-buses) took as around to various places of interest in the island where we were given ample time to explore each one. Arguably, one of the most famous stops in the tour was the statue of Gen. Douglas MacArthur, the very well-regarded American general and field marshall of the Philippine Army during World War II.
* The Philippine Heroes Memorial is a complex containing 14 murals depicting heroic battles fought by Filipinos from the 15th Century up to the present day.Â
* Within the Memorial is a room containing a collection of paintings and photographs showing the Japanese atrocities during the war. Atrocities include the mindless torture of innocents (upper left), the raping of the Philippine women (known as comfort women, lower left), mass genocide (upper and middle right) and the Bataan Death March (lower right) wherein 80,000 Filipino and American prisoners of war marched 128km, most of whom to their deaths.Â
* Of course we all know how that ended for Japan. Understandably, most tour guides don't recommend that the Japanese tourists check out this room, as to this day the war is a very sensitive topic back there.
* The Japanese Garden of Peace was built as a memorial to the Japanese soldiers who served and died in the island during WWII. Along with various photographs and memorabilia (including the actual flag raised by the Japanese to celebrate the capture of Corregidor), the complex contains a couple of shrines, markers and a praying area. Conversely, most American/Philippine veteran guests get aggravated upon seeing that the Japanese have a memorial here dedicated to their dead. This has lead to several acts of vandalism by these heroic servicemen throughout the years.Â
* Rather than focus on the memorials at the Garden of Peace, I think most of the tourists today just go for the various artillery located right beside!Â
* The Malinta Tunnel is a sprawling tunnel complex built by the Americans to serve as their bomb-proof headquarters which proved to be useful when the Japanese started bombarding the island, leveling all the buildings. During the Battle of Corregidor, Malinta became the HQ of Gen. MacArthur and the USAFFE, the seat of government for the Commonwealth of the Philippines under Manuel Quezon, and later a hospital for the soldiers defending the island.
* Today, Malinta is a light-and-sound interactive show, showcasing highlights from the Battle of Corregidor and the ordinary lives of servicemen stationed here during the War. For a fee, the tunnels are open to the public at night for "Ghost Hunting" activities.
* Battery Way is an artillery battery containing four 12-inch mortars. An artillery battery is a group of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles grouped together to make battlefield communication, reloading and targeting so much more effective and efficient.
* Pictures of the various ruined buildings all over the island. Previously, these would have been barracks, administration buildings, cinemas, mess halls or even recreation centers.
* At its peak, Corregidor had 23 batteries consisting of 56 coastal guns, 13 anti-aircraft artillery and 10 Sperry searchlights. The island's longest-ranged coastal piece was this 12-inch (305mm) artillery gun located at Battery Hearn, which could hit a target 27km away!
* Some guns stand "limp", others stand "erect" (and supported by various people). I wonder what that chap on the right is doing?
* The Pacific War Memorial was completed by the US Government in 1968 to honor the American and Filipino soldiers who served in WWII. One of the more tranquil parts of the tour, this area is ripe for reflection, meditation and remembrance of the sacrifices of our war veterans.Â
* Of course, Aaron and I also decided to "cup and pinch" the moment.. respectfully of course.
* Another shot of the War Memorial, this time featuring the interior of the Corregidor museum (lower left), the actual American flag of Corregidor (lower right) and statue showcasing the bond and friendship formed by the US and Philippines back in the war.
* No Trolls allowed!
* Aaron and I appreciating the various guns sprawled across the lawn in front of the War Memorial. I don't know what the hell we're supposed to be doing on the right.
* Our last stop was the Corregidor lighthouse, built in 1853. While we did make it up to the top of the structure, I was too scared of the height to draw out my camera!
* Finally a shot of the explorers with their significant others, who were game enough to accompany these two WWII and history buffs to the island and actually put up with their shenanigans!
While Metro Manila may be world class when it comes to shopping malls, entertainment facilities, restaurants, bars, clubs and bargain shopping, its choices of cultural attractions is, unfortunately, very limited. Partly its because of the national government's limited support for our historical sites or maybe its because our people themselves do not really value our cultural and historical heritage, preferring instead Western influences.
Nonetheless, I am extremely proud that we more or less have the ancient walled city of Intramuros to get our nationalistic fix in, as well as to showcase to our balikbayans and foreign guests who want to catch a glimpse of our history. And at the center of this walled city is my favorite church in the country, the San Agustin Church.
* Built in 1571 by members of the Order of St. Augustine, the San Agustin Church was the first religious structure built by the Spaniards in the island of Luzon.Â
* The current structure is actually the third Augustinian church erected on the site. The first two structures, made of bamboo and nipa, were both destroyed by fires: the first during the invasion of Manila by Chinese pirates, and the second during a funeral of a high-ranking Spanish official. It was then that the friars decided to rebuild using stone instead of wood.
* Due to its central location and prominence in the ancient walled city of Intramuros (the actual ancient city of Manila back in the Spanish period), San Agustin has played host to many important events in Philippine history. The Church was where the Spaniards surrendered to the Americans after the Spanish-American War. During WWII, San Agustin was turned into a concentration camp for American and Filipino prisoners, and in fact was the only standing building in all of Intramuros after the Battle of Manila in 1945.Â
* While the church itself is a working church with hourly masses during Sundays, the monastery right beside has become a museum showcasing over 400 years of Philippine religious and colonial history.
* With hundreds of religious figures, paintings and murals, the museum is an ideal area for reflection and historical appreciation. The cloisters here even remind me of the ones at the Barcelona Cathedral!
* The crypt actually contains the remains of several Filipino national heroes, including that of Juan Luna, one of the greatest painters our country has ever produced. The memorial on the right marks the spot where the the Japanese executed Filipino clergymen, prisoners and ordinary citizens during the darkest hours of the Battle of Manila.
* Easily one of the creepiest parts of this museum is this room full of antique religious figures. Don't let the camera shots fool you, this place was dark and dreary!
* Some of the items found therein are saints clutching skulls (upper left), saints just plain giving up (lower right), Jesus bloodied and beaten (lower left) and saints with knives stuck on their heads... (upper right).
* Well it probably didn't help that I was the only one in here at the moment!Â
* Father Manuel Blanco was an Augustinian friar who built a vast garden behind San Agustin, filled it with all sorts of plants native to the country, and published a book titled, Flora de Filipinas, a complete guide to the flora and fauna of the Philippines!
* Some other items found within the museum include a collection of Flores de Mayo floats (upper left), Jesus in complete thought (upper right), replicas of Spanish Galleons (lower left) and some random statues, like this saint with his pal (lower right).
* Easily one of the more impressive parts of the museum is this stone staircase heading up the second floor. This place just screams Medieval Europe!
* The monastery also contains replicas of ancient Spanish government offices (upper left), paintings of various religious scenes and depictions of everyday life (upper right, lower left) and a collection of ancient Chinese vases.
* My two favorite creepy paintings, however, have to be this poor soul getting impaled (left) and this very intense lady giving us the Ghostbusters II heebie-jeebies (right).Â
* The highlight of the second floor is this giant bamboo organ also with giant song and piano books! They must have had an ogre playing for them back then to demand this size.
* The courtyard in the middle of the cloisters offers yet another place for meditation and soul-searching. God I love this place!
* While the museum monastery is open to the public the whole day, the church can only be explored in the lull between masses.
* Which I recommend everyone do as the church itself also offers multiple points of interest including: its very beautiful altar (top), old-school Catholic pulpit (bottom right) and the burial plots of some of the Philippines' richest families (bottom left).
* Exploring further down towards the altar brings us to the Easter Egg of the whole Church! Towards the left of the altar lies a room containing the sarcophagus of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the Spanish Conquistador who conquered the Philippines for the King of Spain, Philip II, and was the first Governor-General of the Spanish East Indies.
* Outside the Church grounds, there is a continuing effort to rehabilitate the ancient walled city in the hopes that we as Filipinos will remember that Manila was once so beautiful that she was referred to as the "Paris of the East".
* Finally, I have to share this statue of a gentleman really rocking the conquistador look! Check out his epic hat.
Aside from San Agustin Church, no other place in the ancient walled city of Intramuros holds as much historical significance as Fort Santiago. Due to its location at the mouth of the Pasig River, Fort Santiago was the chief fortress, barracks and dungeon of the Spanish Government during its rule of the Philippines. It also became a main fort for the spice trade between Asia-America-Europe via the Galleon Trade to Acapulco.
* Originally used by Rajah Sulaiman, the most powerful chieftain of pre-Hispanic Manila, the Fort in its current form was ordered built by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi to protect the newly established city of Manila. And for the price of $1.50, this place can be toured by all!
* Long gone are the days where this place has actually served in any military capacity. Today its structures are filled with interactive museum displays, restaurants, offices and souvenir shops.
* What would a Fort be without a collection of ancient guns and arms? And this place must have had a lot, having been used by the Spaniards, Americans and Japanese over the last four centuries. Like I did in Paris and London, of course I had to take this pose!
* I could have sworn that this was the mansion in the very first Resident Evil game! Actually, it was the site of the American Barracks, after having one too many zombie infestations.
* A bunch of statues standing on the lawn: one of a group of priests and another of Altair, of Assassin's Creed fame.
* Of course, Aaron and I had to give our most "fruity" pose in this shot with el padre.
* The main gate of Fort Santiago contains the coat of arms of the monarch of Spain, and the image of Saint James the Great, from whom the Fort was named after.
* I wonder what Dr. Jose Rizal, our national hero, would have thought about the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, given that he traveled to Japan back in his youth and even had a Japanese sweetheart!
* Infamously, Fort Santiago was where Jose Rizal was imprisoned before he was executed in nearby Luneta. A sullen statue stands where he began his march to his death and bronze footsteps mark his path to eternity.
* An exhibit exists showcasing some of his possessions, articles of clothing and furniture. Not bad for a writer who wasn't even actively campaigning for Philippine independence, just reforms!
* Today, Jose Rizal is remembered for his two novels: the explosive Noli Me Tangere and the dark El Filibusterismo; both offering tremendous insight to the lives of ordinary Filipino citizens back then and the abuses perpetrated by the Spanish government officials, friars and upper class Filipinos themselves.
* The aptly named Dungeon; used for over 400 years to house murderers, thieves, traitors, corrupted and the heroic.
* The situation was very grim for whoever was imprisoned here. With one set of stairs, no roof, slimy moss-filled walls and guards looking on from the top, escape must have seemed like an almost impossible dream.
* Sadly, Fort Santiago witnessed multiple horrors in the last few years of its usefulness. After having been captured by the Japanese during WWII, the Fort became a prison where atrocities and massacres were carried out regularly on defenseless Filipinos and Americans. As many as 600 prisoners were pointlessly murdered here in the final days of the Battle of Manila, when it became apparent that the Japanese were fighting a desperate, losing battle.
Here are some snapshots of other places of interest in London. It was a pleasure to explore her streets; marveling at the fabulous mix of history, modernity and pop culture located at almost every corner. In fact more so than New York or Paris but equal to Chicago (still my favorite city outside of Manila and Cebu), I could actually see myself living here, maybe as a student, possibly as an expatriate. Time will tell.
* It seems that almost every corner in the city has a story to tell, a tale of heroism, tragedy, travesty or oddity, what with the thousands of random things you can find; such as this Memorial to the Royal Artillery located randomly in the middle of a park.
* Carnaby Street is home to numerous independent fashion boutiques and lifestyle shoppes and is located in the Soho district near Oxford & Regent Street.
* The parental units posing outside of Harrods, the upscale department store famous for being a favorite of wealthy Londoners throughout the years and formerly owned by the Al-Fayed family, from whom a scion, Dodi, was Princess Diana's boyfriend when she passed away.Â
* If you do get to check-out Harrods, make sure to go to the basement where a memorial to Diana and Dodi can be found!
* While I would definitely prefer to be on the ground taking photos as I survey the land, sometimes one must develop the useful skill of taking photographs from behind glass while in a moving vehicle!
* I could never get over the fact that everyone was driving on the opposite side of the road! I guess a lot of tourists were getting into accidents as all roads had signs to "look right when crossing."
* This Harry Potter Academy-ish building is actually the Royal Courts of Justice, housing both the High Court and Court of Appeals of England and Wales.
* Bargain Books AND Sex Shop, where book lovers and perverts ignore each other in peace!
* Oxford Circus is the intersection of Oxford Street and Regent Street, containing the highest number of pedestrians at any given time in London. Of course, all the major shops and clothing brands can be found in this area.
* Including Hamleys, the world's oldest and largest toy shop! As you can read in my previous entries, I'm a big collector of action figures and in fact, spent quite a bit of time exploring their vast collection of goodies. Some highlights include Will, Kate and the Queen all made out of LEGO, and a great collection of Harry Potter and Doctor Who merchandise!
* One cannot go to London and not catch a West End Play! On this night, we watched We Will Rock You, a musical based on the music of Freddie Mercury and Queen. I just really wanted to hear the Bohemian Rhapsody!
* The London Tube is the fastest and most convenient way to get around the City. If you plan to explore various places throughout the day, it's highly advisable to get a whole day ride-all-you-can card. Make sure to stop-by and admire the beautifully designed Canary Wharf and Westminster stations!
* Go a bit north from the City Center and you'll find the world-famous Abbey Road Studios, where the Beatles recorded their album, Abbey Road, and whose pedestrian crossing is one of the most popular tourist areas in London, to the irritation of Britons who have to stop every time someone crosses for a photo-op.
* No London experience would be complete without sampling some Fish and Chips! While I found the dish rather bland, I must say that I enjoyed every single piece of smoked salmon that I had!
* Finally, we were lucky enough for our hotel to have been within walking distance of Hyde Park, one of London's largest and most popular parks, famous for its Speakers' Corners and various monuments, including the Marble Arch (top) and a statue of a Drinking Horse (bottom).
Continuing on my tour of British Royal Residences, I was able to spend a couple of hours in Kensington Palace. While the Queen certainly favors Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace as her official residences, Kensington Palace was the long-time home of Princess Diana and currently serves as home to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (William and Kate) and their son, George.
* Some nice and quaint-looking buildings greeted us upon exiting the High Street Kensington tube station. It soon became apparent that we were walking along a more affluent side of town!
* Built in 1605, Kensington Palace was once a mansion known as Nottingham House, which was purchased by the joint-monarchs King William III and Queen Mary II in 1689 to help with William's bad asthma.Â
* Looking quite unassuming next to the more stately Buckingham and imposing Windsor, Kensington is however, the most inviting and homey of all the palaces that I have been to. No wonder it is the favorite among current, modern royals.
* The main exhibition hall inside the Palace showcases the life and work of Queen Victoria. Having ruled the British Empire from 1837 to 1901, Victoria's rule of 63 years is currently the longest of any female monach in history, and is known as the Victorian era.
* The Victorian Era was a long period of peace, prosperity, national pride and refined sensibilities for Britain. So vast was Queen Victoria's influence that all the major players of World War I: King George V of Great Britain, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, Tsar Nicholas II were all first-cousin, grandchildren of Victoria. Currently, the royal lines occupying the the thrones of Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UK are all descended from this amazing Queen.
* Portraits of the modern-day royals who have lived or are living here decorate the hallways. Kensington is also the official home / party house / bachelor playground of Prince Harry.
* The personal highlight of this visit was entering the King's State Apartments via the King's Staircase. Painted by William Kent back in 1724, the whole place was supposed to be a recreation of King George I's court in Hanover, Germany.
* King George I was the German Duke of Hanover, who at the age of 54 and after the death of his distant relative, Queen Anne of Great Britain, ascended to the British throne. Why was George I made King instead of all the other relatives who had more claim to the throne? Because George I was a Protestant, while everyone else in line was Catholic!
* The King's Gallery contains a vast collection of paintings, sculptures and other works of art and craftsmanship. It's no Versailles nor Buckingham, but the place still manages to convey a feeling of elegant majesty!
* The Queen's State Apartments were cozy, private rooms used by Queen Mary II for relaxation. Today, the rooms have been converted into an interactive display for children.
* Including this collection of creepy, old dolls who want nothing but to steal men's souls..
* And this weird display of artifacts containing hidden speakers, where random conversations between ancient gossipers and courtesans are played on loop.
* As an added feature for the throngs of Princess Diana fans who undoubtedly come here to see the place where their idol lived, there is a gallery dedicated to all her dresses and gowns, as well as those belonging to Queen Elizabeth II herself and her sister, Princess Margaret.Â
* Finally, one cannot visit Kensington without admiring its very photogenic gardens. Along with this grand statue of Queen Victoria, the Gardens also feature the Diana Memorial Playground, a mini amusement park for children.
* After a whole morning of walking and sight-seeing, I found myself craving for some good Mediterranean cuisine!
* Fortunately, along with really good Chinese food, London also has a very good selection of Persian/Syrian/Lebanese/Turkish cuisine! This juicy Kebab and beer combination sealed the deal for me.
Pretty much every great city in the world has an equally great museum. And in all my travels, I have been fortunate enough to have seen a few REALLY awesome ones; Paris, New York, Chicago, Jerusalem and Rome come to mind.
So when I realized that I had a few hours to kill, I knew that I HAD to check out the British Museum, one of the largest and most comprehensive museums in the world!
I am happy to rank this as my UNDISPUTED FAVORITE museum ever; with collections originating from practically every continent.
Best of all, admission is FREE; with the rationale being that all objects found therein belong to all of humanity. God bless them Brits!
* Accessed via the Holborn or Tottenham Court Road Tube Station, the British Museum was established in 1753 and has a neo-classical exterior. Originally, the collections found therein were all originally owned and thereafter donated by the physician and scientist Sir Hans Sloane.Â
* The inside, on the other hand, is a mixture of antique and modern architecture! The Museum paralleled the rise of the British Empire, expanding to add more exhibits as the Empire established more colonies.
* Due to all items being collected (legally or with great coercion) from every continent on earth, there is great controversy with some of the objects on display; particularly with the Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon of Greece. Literally everything you see in this grand hallway was taken from the interior of the Parthenon, leaving only the famous columns and ruins in Athens. The Greeks have long demanded that these priceless artifacts be returned to their homeland.
* One of the more impressive objects in the museum is the Nereid Monument, a sculptured tomb resembling a temple, originally located in Xanthos, Lycia. The whole thing (it's HUGE!) was shipped to Britain from Turkey.
* Also found here are works of art from one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. The lion (left) is one of the few-standing sculptures remaining from the Mausoleum having survived since 353 BC.
* The Crouching Venus (upper left) hails from the Antonine period and was once referred to by the English as the "finest statue of all" back in 1631. The cult statue of Apollo of Cyrene (upper right) was found in the ancient city of Cyrene, Libya and was crafted in the 2nd Century AD.Â
* With a collection numbering a staggering 330,000 works, the Department of Middle East contains by far the world's largest and most important collection of Mesopotamian (Assyrian, Babylonian, Sumerian), Persian, Arabian, Syrian, Anatolian, Palestinian and Phoenician artifacts in the world.
* The Lamassu was an Assyrian protective deity depicted with a bull/lion body, eagle's wings and human head. Found at the entrance of every Assyrian city's main gate, its purpose was to convey the Empire's power and prominence.
* From the ruins of Persepolis come these relics from the Ancient Persian Empire:Â A Persian Soldier (upper left), Subjects, delegates and dignitaries offering tokens to the Persian King (upper right), the lion feasting on the bull (lower left) and Persian armor and weaponry.
* Outside the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the British Museum has the largest and most comprehensive collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts in the world! Due to its immense size, the exhibition space currently only displays 4% of its Egyptian holdings!
* The Rosetta Stone is one of the British Museum's most prized possessions. Discovered by Napoleon Bonaparte's forces in Egypt back in 1799, the Stone is the reason why we now have a modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphs, a question that had stumped scientists and archaeologists for centuries beforehand. Announcing the ascension of King Ptolemy V, the Stone contains the same message in Hieroglyphs, Demotic script and Ancient Greek.
* This COLOSSAL bust of Ramsses II, fondly known as the Younger Memnon, was created in 1270 BC and discovered in Thebes. Celebrated as the greatest and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire, Ramsses II was also the pharaoh depicted in the biblical story of Moses!
* Among the other artifacts in the Egyptian exhibit include a sarcophagus (top), Black granite statues of Sekhmet (lower left, 1400 BC), the goddess of healing, and three black granite statues of Sesotris III (lower right, 1850 BC), the pharaoh who built the "Canal of the Pharaohs."
* One of the more featured pharaohs in the museum is Amenhotep III, also known as Amenhotep the Magnificent. It was during his reign that Egypt reached the peak of her artistic and international power. His sculptures here include a limestone bust (left), seated (middle), and colossal red granite (right).
* The Museum also has a collection of 140 mummies and coffins, the largest outside of Cairo. Obviously, this collection is the most popular exhibit among visitors here!
* Coffins in all shapes, colors, and sizes.. literally. They even have coffins for babies and animals!
* The Department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas contains some real trippy statues including the Hoa Hakananai'a (right), the Easter Island statue.
* More creepy than trippy, the Aztec exhibit showcases such items as the Mosaic Mask of Tezcatlipoca (left) and the Aztec Serpent, Quetzalcoatl (bottom).
* The King's Library houses the donated personal library of King George III, containing over 65,000 volumes, maps, charts and drawings. Now THIS is how a home library should look like!
* Not to be outdone, the Department of Asia contains over 75,000 artifacts covering all the cultures of the Asian continent! Very impressive considering that apart from the Indian subcontinent, huge parts of Asia were never colonized by the British.
* Some epic looking statues include The Judgement Figure (top left, Ming Dynasty), and the Seated Luohan from Yixian (bottom).
* More Tibetan/Chinese figures on display! Them Ancient Asians sure had wild imaginations!
* This looks like that crazy, flying, dagger from that Alec Baldwin movie, The Shadow!!
* Not limited to ancient, prehistoric items, the Museum also offers a vast collection of Medieval artifacts, most of which are Christian themed.Â
* These two troubled-looking fellas are part of the Lewis Chess-set, a group of 12th Century chess pieces made out of walrus ivory.
* A special exhibit features actual items relating to the famous Gladiators of Ancient Rome. Along with helmets, armors and personal property (Right) are actual advertisements promoting the Gladiator games! (Left)
* Those sure are a lot of detailed, sculpted, heads! The craftsmanship and level of quality exhibited by people who lived two thousand years ago never fails to astound!
* Some other cool stuff include: Etruscan Burial Tombs (Top left and Middle left) and a Column from yet another member of Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus (Bottom right).
* Finally, here's a shot of an ancient chap who just happens to look like the Writer. They even got the hand-clasping and "bang-bang" pose right!
* Originally built to commemorate the British naval victory at the Battle of Trafalgar over the forces of Napoleon during the Napoleonic Wars, Trafalgar Square is today a bustling public space full of tourists, relaxed Londoners and the occasional protesters. It is also London's main venue for rallies and public celebrations such as the countdown to New Year's Eve.
* At the head of the Square stands the neo-classical National Gallery, the fifth most visited art museum in the world, showcasing a collection of paintings dating back to the 13th Century. Among the two thousand paintings featured here, are among those done by the masters: Leonardo da Vinci, Monet, and Van Gogh.
* Situated at the center of the square is Nelson's Column, built to commemorate Admiral Horatio Nelson's victory in leading the British Navy against the French at Cape Trafalgar, Spain. How decisive was the battle? Twenty-three British ships sunk thirty-three French and Spanish ships WITHOUT losing a single ship! That's 0-33 people!! Unfortunately Admiral Nelson was mortally wounded in the battle, but that hasn't stopped historians and Britons from referring to him, to this day, as Britain's greatest naval war hero, ever!
* To the right of the National Gallery is the oddly named, St. Martin-In-The-Fields Church, an Anglican Church dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours. Born in Hungary and having lived in Italy and France, Saint Martin is beloved by Europeans all over and is referred to as an example of spirituality rising above cultural differences. Strangely, there was a protest going on that day at the Church's steps wherein the protesters were decrying the treatment of Bradley Manning, the American soldier who released the largest set of classified documents ever leaked to the public via the infamous site, Wikileaks.
* At the base of Nelson's Column, are four humongous statues of Lions just chillin' about. Â Somehow, children just love climbing Mufasa and Simba!
* Some other sites around Trafalgar Square include: a statue of Sir Henry Havelock (upper left), who served the Crown admirably in India and died in the Siege of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion of 1857; and a giant, blue rooster (top right) standing randomly on one of the prominent columns. Okay... I don't get it....Â
* Trying out the Panoramic setting of my Lumix Camera by taking this shot of the National Gallery. Not too bad! On that day, a raggae artist was jamming on one side of the steps while beatboxers and breakdancers occupied the other.
* Â A kindly old gentleman, walking around with nothing but his shorts, sneakers and purse. Like a boss!!
* Take a 3 minute walk from Trafalgar Square and you'll find London's Chinatown;Â a series of streets lined with Chinese restaurants, supermarkets, souvenir shops and random Chinese artifacts, such as this Arch.
* Tokyo Diner.. in Chinatown... makes perfect sense! Strangely enough, there were more Caucasians in this area than Chinese.
* And an establishment priding itself on being an Award Winning Gay Bar! Take note of the "Licensed to 3AM" sign, as most bars and pubs in London stop serving beer REAL early. I found that lesson out the hard way as I walked around with some colleagues near our hotel looking for a nightcap, without much success.
* Paradoxically, I found in London REALLY good, authentic Chinese food! I couldn't wrap my head around it until it was explained to me that a lot of Chinese master chefs migrated to the UK, and have been doing so since the early 20th Century; majority of which from Hong Kong, a former British colony.
* Finally, a genuine, seedy, adult store! Complete with sketchy staircase, dim lighting and graffiti plastered on the walls!
While Buckingham Palace is designated as the Monarch's official residence, the current Queen, Elizabeth II, usually spends her weekends in Windsor Castle. Built by William the Conqueror (the same guy who built the Tower of London) in 1080, the Castle is the longest-occupied palace in all of Europe whose purpose was to guard the Western approach to London with its strategically important location along the River Thames.
* To get to Windsor, one has to take a 30-minute train ride to the county of Berkshire via the London Paddington Station. Thanks to the London Pass, we didn't have to worry about any lines or payment! Paddington is also the line servicing the cities of Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea, Oxford and Worcester, thus making this a very busy place for travelers.Â
* The Royal County of Berkshire was founded in 840AD and has been a site of many important battles throughout history, most notably those of Alfred the Great's campaign against the Danes. A lot of notable persons also come from Berkshire, among them: the poet, Alexander Pope, the current Prime Minister, David Cameron, the actress, Kate Winslet, the comedian, Ricky Gervais, and the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton.
* For us travelers, the massive King Henry VIII Gate atop Castle Hill serves as the main entrance to Windsor Castle. Somehow I remembered the equally massive Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem upon passing through. These walls were built for seigin'!
* When William the Conqueror came to power, he built this Castle to assert and protect Norman dominance in the areas around London. Fortified by a motte-and-bailey, the Castle was also just a day's march (32km) from William's power base in the Tower of London, which meant that both structures could be easily reinforced by the other during times of calamity.
* Throughout the centuries, the Castle has been beloved and continuously renovated by numerous English Monarchs to its present form. Such is the affection of the Royal Family for this place, that King George V officially adopted the family name "Windsor", a name that is still used today by the current royal family.
* Arrow Slits dot the walls protecting the Castle; a reminder of English medieval life when wars could just erupt anytime. For the life of me, I don't know how the archers were able to aim with how narrow the opening was!
* Central to the Castle is the Round Tower, the original structure built by William the Conqueror. Today, it serves to house the Royal Archives, Photographic Collection and the Royal Standard (the Queen's flag).Â
*Â Look how hard it must have been to invade this place! I felt like an Orc invading Helm's Deep with how formidable this keep looks.
* Behind the Round Tower are the State Apartments, the living / working / entertaining area of the Castle. That gentleman on horseback is King Charles II, the monarch who restored the Monarchy after Oliver Cromwell tried to end it by establishing the English Commonwealth.
* The most famous room in the State Apartments is the Waterloo Chamber, dedicated to the defeat of the French Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte by the alliance of Tsar Alexander I of Russia, King Frederick William III of Prussia, Emperor Francis I of Austria and King George III of England.
* Other sites of interest include: Queen Mary's Dolls' House, known as the largest and most famous collection of dollhouses in the world, offering realistic replicas of furniture, clothes (made by leading Parisian fashion houses: Lanvin, Cartier, Hermes and Vuitton), decors, water pipes (which actually have water running through them) and even wine (with real booze!!) at a tiny scale of 1:12 (the scale of GIJoes); and the Drawing Gallery, which contains a collection of chalk etchings made by the world's masters, including one of Christ by Michelangelo.Â
* Finally, no visit to Windsor would be complete without dropping by the magnificent St. George's Chapel. Much like the bigger Westminster Abbey in London, the Chapel is also historically significant due to it being the Mother Church of the Order of the Garter, England's highest order of chivalry and most prestigious honor in England and the UK, as well as the final resting place of ten English monarchs, including the famous / infamous Henry VIII (as depicted in the soap opera TV show, the Tudors), George VI (as depicted in the movie, The King's Speech) and Prince Albert Victor (widely suspected to be, JACK THE RIPPER...).
If Rome has the grandeur of St. Peter's Basilica, London has the magnificence of St. Paul's Cathedral. Located in the ancient square mile known as the City of London (which is the ancient, historic city located inside the current city of Greater London), the Cathedral stands tall as a proud icon of the English people. And nowhere was this more apparent than during World War II, when images of the Cathedral standing resilient amidst a city devastated by Nazi bombing became effective propaganda symbols of English resiliency.Â
* Built after the Great Fire of 1666, the Cathedral was the masterpiece of Sir Christopher Wren, one of the most esteemed English architects in history. Having overseen the reconstruction of at least 52 churches after the fire, Wren was also popular within the scientific-intellectual community with his contributions to science being highly praised by contemporaries such as Isaac Newton and Blaise Pascal.
* The Great Fire of London was a four day disaster which utterly devastated the City of London; destroying 13,200 homes and 87 churches. Being superstitious folk, the English thought that this tragedy was caused by the devil, it being 1666 and all. It is said though that the fire had a positive effect on the City. By burning down a lot of the dirty, unsanitized homes, rats and fleas, the Great Plague of 1665 (in itself a great tragedy wherein 80,000 people died) was seemingly eradicated. Yep, those were HORRIBLE two years for the Londoners back then!
* Upon entering the Cathedral, one is bound to see some similarities to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome with how MASSIVE and airy it is. Like with most tourist spots in London (Buckingham, Westminster, Tower of London), photography is forbidden; but since the place is too big to properly monitor, I was able to steal a bunch of shots of some areas. Â
* From the entrance looking towards the altar (left) and from the altar looking back towards the entrance (right). Check out the mosaic-encrusted ceiling, made with cubes of glass set at different angles to get that sparkling effect.
* A shot of the High Altar, designed by Wren himself and made from Italian marble. While the Cathedral looks Roman Catholic, this is actually the mother church of the Church of England's Diocese of London and the seat of the Bishop of London. The English have traditionally and historically been great defenders of Roman Catholicism; think Richard the Lionheart during the Crusades. The inevitable split came when the Pope refused to grant Henry VIII's request for a divorce from his first wife, Catherine of Aragon.
* Like Westminster, St. Paul's is filled with monuments and memorials to great Englishmen, most of whom have distinguished themselves in battle, such as: Captains James Mosse and Edward Riou (upper left), Major General Charles Gordon (upper right), Lord Leighton (lower left), and a monument commemorating the loss of the HMS Captain (lower right).
* One of the most glorious-looking monuments is that of Arthur Wellesley, more fondly referred to by the English as the Duke of Wellington. His claim to fame? Leading the British army to victory, as Field Marshall, against Napoleon in the decisive Battle of Waterloo. I remember admiring Napoleon's awe-inspiring tomb during my first visit to Paris and felt happy that his rival Wellington's monument was equally impressive, albeit smaller.
* St. Paul's has also hosted its share of historical events: from Funerals (Winston Churchill, Duke of Wellington, Admiral Horatio Nelson) to Weddings (Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer).Â
* The scene outside the Cathedral flanked by London's trademark blue-grey buildings and littered with tourists scurrying around to find the best photo angle.
* Directly in front of the Cathedral, stands this monument dedicated to Queen Anne, who reigned from 1702 to 1707. She is famous for having formally united the kingdoms of England and Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain; thus making her the first person to ever claim the title of Monarch of Great Britain.
* Some other shots focusing on the different scenes around the Cathedral including: another shot of Queen Anne's monument (upper left), close-up of the famous dome of St. Paul's which is one of the largest domes in the world weighing a mind-numbing 65,000 tonnes (upper right), a statue of John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church (lower right), and Temple Bar Arch, also designed by Wren, signifying the entrance to Paternoster Square (lower left).
Of all the sights in London, only one place can claim to be as historically significant as it is significantly haunted. Built in 1078 by the Norman King, William the Conqueror, the Tower of London has served as a royal palace, armory, treasury, zoo and most famously, a prison where some of the most famous characters in English history have been imprisoned, tortured and executed. Today, the fortress is one of London's most famous tourists spots, as it also houses the Crown Jewels of the UK.
* After getting of the Tower Hill Tube Station, expect to take a 15 minute pleasant stroll towards the main entrance of the Tower.
* This Roman-esque building found directly across the Tower is the former Port of London Authority Building. Once the largest port in the world, the Port of London has been central to the growth and development of the city since the Roman foundation in the 1st Century AD.
* While the Normans (Vikings who settled in the Northern area of France called Normandy) built the central area of the fortress, the whole complex has been expanded several times, mainly under the reigns of Richard the Lionheart (of Crusader fame), Henry III and Edward I.
* A great example of medieval siege weaponry, the Trebuchet is a form of catapult that uses a counterweight. My inner video gamer got giddy as I remembered the various times I used this siege engine to conquer my enemies in Total War and other historical Real-time strategy games.
* The Main Entrance to the Tower of London, where thanks to our London Pass we skipped the line and headed right in!
* The White Tower was the first building ever constructed here and is the heart of the whole fortress. This tower contains the national collection of arms and armour, as well as the Chapel of St. John the Evangelist, a finely preserved example of Norman architecture and one of London's oldest churches.
* The Arms and Armory exhibit contains an impressive collection of cannons, swords, shields and armor, including those used by the Kings themselves. Check out how HUGE Henry V's sword is next to that kid on the right!
* On the St. Thomas Tower, one can see a faithful recreation of King Edward I's prayer room (left), coronation throne (upper right, the original of which can be seen in Westminster Abbey) and bedchamber (lower right). Quick to anger, greatly intimidating and very tall for a man in that time period, Edward I was nicknamed "Longshanks."
* Traitor's Gate (upper right) has the infamous reputation of being the entrance gate (albeit, soaked) for all sorts of prisoners, scoundrels and innocent folk brought forth from trial in Westminster Hall. It also doubles as the best vantage point to take a picture of Tower Bridge (upper left).
* You can't have a fortress and not have guards; who in this case are the Yeoman Wardens. Fondly known as the Beefeaters, this 30 plus group of gents (who all have served distinguished military services in the armed forces) have historically had the job of looking after the prisoners and protecting the crown jewels. Today, they stand proud as touristy photo attractions, tour guides and wearers of really awesome armor!
* The view from the top of one of the towers is astounding! Apart from the previously mentioned Port of London Building (left), you can also see the Gherkin, that egg shaped building found in the middle of London's main financial district.
* The main attraction for most women here is undoubtedly the Jewel House (left), built to house the Crown Jewels of the English monarchy including the Imperial State Crown (containing 2,800 diamonds?!), the Sovereign's Scepter (containing the world's largest diamond) and the Sovereign's Ring (referred to as the wedding ring of England), among other bejeweled crowns, scepters, swords and orbs. For obvious reasons, no cameras are allowed inside. Other places of note include the Tower Greens (upper right), which is the execution spot of aristocratic prisoners including Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, and the Tower Ravens (lower right), which legend states that if they leave the Tower, the monarchy will fall soon after.
* For guys, however, the main attractions have definitely got to be the Bloody Tower, where the killing of the Little Princes (the brothers Edward and Richard) took place, and the torture exhibit in Wakefield Tower, showing the various torture methods inflicted on the poor souls incarcerated within. Other famous prisoners housed here include: William Wallace (Braveheart), Lady Jane Grey (Queen for Nine Days), Guy Fawkes (V for Vendetta), and Rudolf Hess (deputy leader of the Nazi Party).
* With its dark past, it's no wonder that the Tower is widely agreed upon to be the Most Haunted Place in London, where the ghosts of Anne Boleyn, Henry VI, Lady Jane Grey and the Princes of the Tower are frequently seen, felt and reported by tourists, Beefeaters and night staff. Curiously, the Tower also once served as a menagerie (zoo), showcasing the various animals gifted to the English monarchy by foreign kings and dignitaries. At one point, polar bears, lions, leopards and monkeys once called this place home. Today only their sculptures remain, randomly scattered throughout the complex.
* The Tower Bridge, often mistakenly called the London Bridge (which is actually a different bridge found further down the Thames), is one of London's most iconic symbols and can be found just outside the Tower of London. Best vantage point for taking photos is right on top of Traitor's Gate.
For first timers to both London and Paris, I would highly recommend getting this nifty travelling tool known as the London Pass (or conversely the Paris Pass). For the price of £77, one gets access to all the major tourist spots with special cut-the-queue lines, discounts on various restaurants and services and more importantly, FREE access to the London Tube for three full days! A VERY good deal indeed for those planning on maximizing their visits on limited tour dates.
Upon looking at the London Pass booklet, my cousins and I were stoked to find a special offer for the Blood and Tears Haunted London Walk. For the price of ÂŁ7.00, we got to go on this highly-rated and recommended walking tour, focusing on the bizarre, creepy and occult-ish elements of this medieval city.
* Having met our guide, Declan McHugh, on the Barbican tube station, we started our one hour and 45 minute walking tour of London's gruesome and freaky history, including areas where Jack the Ripper's victims were found as well as other English oddities.
* What fun it was finding William Wallace's (aka Mel Gibson of Braveheart) execution spot etched on some random building!Â
* Taking us on twists and turns around London's streets and alleyways, our guide led us to the Golden Boy of Pye Corner, a monument denoting the spot where the Great Fire of London of 1666 (the date itself being significantly creepy) mysteriously stopped.
* Walking by the Holborn Viaduct, we came across this well-lit church with a gated fence. Oddly named the St Sepulchre-without-Newgate Church, this was a site of a lot of executions back in the day.
* Right across the Church is the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales, more colloquially known as Old Bailey, where criminals have been tried and executed for hundreds of years. A well-known story involves a figure suddenly appearing in the building during important trials, as having been witnessed by judges, lawyers and policemen.
* Don't expect this tour to be a leisurely walk amidst the quiet streets of night time London! Prepare very comfortable walking (or running) shoes as our guide likes to walk briskly from one point of interest to another.
* The creepiest part of the tour, where I legitimately got goosebumps and chills, was when our guide motioned for us to enter this narrow and dark alleyway located on Fleet Street...
* Upon reaching the end of the alley, we were told that this was the site of Sweeney Todd's barber shop! While I was grasping at the fact that Sweeney Todd was an actual historical person, our guide recounted his infamy, having allegedly robbed and killed at least 150 people here by slitting their throats. You know that eerie, unsettling feeling that someone's watching you? Yep, got it here!
* Another point of interest along Fleet Street is this monument with a statue of a dragon on top, denoting the location of Temple Bar. Our guide had some weird conspiracy theories about this monument, the gist of which escapes me.
* Other stops in the tour included areas where Jack the Ripper and the Yorkshire Ripper supposedly hung-out in, Pubs where patrons have mysteriously disappeared from and a house which our guide felt belonged to a person who was truly evil due to some weird figurines posted on his windows (including a demonic figure)... possibly an ex of his?Â
* All in all, Declan was an awesome tour guide! Filling his set with theatrics, psychological tests, serial killer profiling tips, a discussion on highly-rated horror flicks, and the occasional odd story here and there, this walk was very worth the £7.00 that I paid. Aside from this haunted walk, he also does the Shakespeare city walk, for those of us who are interested in the playwright's life.
Props to the guide! (Shown here signing his book, Bloody London: A shocking guide to London's Gruesome Past and Present, for sale in Amazon.com and for a special discounted price, from the author himself)
One cannot go to London and NOT SEE Westminster Abbey! To do so would be a grand disservice to your trip. I mean how can you not experience the most important (and heck, oldest) church in London:Â site of coronations, burials, memorials, and lookalike to every Citadel in our dreams?! Yeah, I'm a big fan of this place. So big that I purposely and happily went here thrice in the two times that I've visited London!
* Taking the tube to Westminster and getting off Westminster Station, short and sweet!! While I greatly appreciated the presence of English all around (compared to everywhere else in Europe), I must say that I found the Paris Metro to be more navigable compared to the London Tube. Must be because the Metro uses a numbering system (Get off the 6, Hop on the 9) compared to the system of the Tube which uses named lines (Jubilee Line... Jubilee Line.. Wait, what I am doing on the Metropolitan Line?!)Â
* Built in the 10th Century by King Edward the Confessor to originally serve as his personal royal burial church, the Abbey instead became the burial place of dozens of other royals and multitudes of lords, dukes, persons of interest, heroes and English personalities throughout the centuries.
* Though we are not allowed to take photos inside the Abbey (to preserve the sanctity of this place and to keep the long line moving), I was able to take a few shots right up until the official start of the audio tour. These few photos do not do justice at all to how impressive this place looks what with all the memorials and monuments stacked on top of each other!
* It was incredible to just walk around and see Charles Darwin's burial stone calmly on the floor along the hallway; then to spot Isaac Newton's memorial a few feet away. The wave of historical appreciation hit me that day as I realized that I was in the presence of some of history's most important men and women.Â
* Officially, there are around 22 English, Scottish and British monarchs buried in the Abbey including that of the sisters Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots. Other famous individuals who I spotted here were Neville Chamberlain (the so-called appeaser of Hitler), David Livingstone (of the famous "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?), Charles Dickens (famous writer of A Christmas Carol), Geoffrey Chaucer (known for the Canterbury Tales), Rudyard Kipling (of Jungle Book fame) and the famous actor, Laurence Olivier, among other scientists, poets, politicians, explorers and musicians.
* Aside from being a burial place, the Abbey has also been the Coronation site for all English and later British monarchs since Harold Godwinson and William the Conqueror were both crowned here in 1066. A highlight of every visit here is seeing King Edward's Chair, more commonly known as the Coronation Chair, where all Kings/Queens sit when they are crowned. Interestingly, there is a slot underneath the chair which is used to contain Scotland's legendary Stone of Destiny.
* The Abbey has also been a venue to a host of Royal Weddings including that recently of Prince William to Kate Middleton. While the original Abbey built in the 10th Century remains, the structure has expanded at least three times to get its present shape. It also used to be run by the Benedictine Order until Henry VIII broke away from Papal influence and founded the Church of England.
* Notwithstanding the actual church, the Abbey also contains Cloisters, a Museum housing a lot of the Abbey's treasures including items owned and used by the monarchs buried within, as well as their actual effigies (creepy, lifelike, death masks), and the Henry VII Chapel which, though connected to the Abbey structurally, is separated from the main church by brass gates and a flight of stairs and contains unique architectural features different from the main Abbey. The Chapel also has the distinction of being the mother church of the renowned, Order of the Bath, the knights of the British Empire!
* Simply, Britain's oldest door. You gotta love them Brits! Concise and straight to the point with their items of interest.Â
* Another impressive portion of the Abbey is the octagonal-shaped room known as the Chapter House. Surrounded by beautiful stained glass windows on all sides showing various scenes from the Abbey's (and thus London's) history, the room is also famous for its 13th Century tiled floor.
* Several wall paintings can be found around Chapter House, lovingly preserved for Centuries, and each telling its own story; from the tales of St Thomas and St. Christopher to the Apocalypse and Last Judgement.
* One exits the Abbey via the West Door, which weirdly enough looks more like the actual entrance to the place than the exit. AÂ somewhat recent addition to the edifice is the presence of the 10 martyrs of the 20th Century (see middle of photo) which include such luminaries as Martin Luther King Jr. ("I have a dream..") and Oscar Romero (NOT to be mistaken with George Romero, the creator of the Living Dead zombie series).
* The Scene right outside the West Door. While one has to pay admission to enter the Church (open Monday - Saturday), admission to the Abbey is free on Sunday provided you come in to participate in the Anglican mass. Supported by the reverberating abbey organ, the singing of the Westminster choir during mass is an experience to behold!Â
* This Greek Orthodox Cathedral looking building is actually the Methodist Central Hall. Apart from being a really cool building to take a picture of, the Hall actually has great historical significance as it was here where the very first general assembly of the United Nations took place in 1946.
* One of the many picturesque buildings surrounding the Abbey. This is actually the entrance to the Dean's Yard, a large green quadrangle famous for being a hang-out of kids who go to the Westminster School.Â
* Finally I cannot close this entry on Westminster without talking about the coolest looking building in the area (apart from the Abbey, of course!). At first glance, this building looks like the headquarters of some secret society, probably one with goals of world domination, strange occult rituals and dreams of new world orders. However upon further inspection, one realizes that this is actually the Supreme Court of the UK!
* Check-out the stone carvings found at the entrance! This is some Crusader / Knights Templar / Illuminati - stuff, people!!
Across the river from the London Eye stands Westminster, England's political and religious center. Since the 11th Century, Westminster has proudly been the center of power for the English people from the moment King Canute built his palace here and his successor, Edward the Confessor, founded Westminster Abbey right beside it. On a regular day, expect to see crowds of civil servants and tourists coexisting in this tiny yet hallowed area.Â
* Taken from Parliament Square is this shot of Parliament on the right and the Norman Shaw Buildings, the original site of the famous Scotland Yard synonymous with Sherlock Holmes and detective work, on the left.
* The Palace of Westminster, more well known as Parliament, is the seat of government of the United Kingdom, housing (no pun intended) both the House of Commons (lower house) and House of Lords (upper house).Â
* One of London's most well-known symbols, Big Ben, is actually a tower in Parliament known officially as the Elizabeth Tower. While still used as a working clock, one could easily mistake Big Ben's main function as a backdrop for movies set in London. (Seriously! It's in almost every film set in England.)
* Built by Canute the Great as his royal palace, the original Westminster was lost in a fire in 1834 and thus subsequently rebuilt to its present form. Inspired by the neo-gothic movement, the current building looks very imposing with its golden-yellow hue and "spiky" spires.
* Here's my obligatory hero shot in front of the Palace with my "no-nonsense non-smiling pout."
* A statue set by the Westminster Bridge, connecting Parliament Square to the London Eye area, which looks uncannily like the Statue of Liberty riding a chariot whilst holding a spear...
* A view of the London Eye, this time from the other side of the river. Check-out the long queue on the dock! Must be a river cruise or something.
* While I hardly recognized the names of the other statues honored around Parliament Square, I was glad to run into this Godfather-era-Marlon-Brando-lookalike, Sir Winston Churchill, easily one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th Century and arguably the most famous British prime minister ever.
* The main thoroughfare running through Westminster is known as Whitehall. Lined with government departments and ministries, Whitehall is recognized as the center of Her Majesty's Government. Pleasantly, the first building I see along this street is the James Bond MI6 looking, HM Treasury!
* Freedom of Speech at work!! This being a protest against a supposed atrocity by the Indian Government. I reluctantly took a pamphlet and gave a polite nod to the revolutionists.
* Aside from containing government buildings, Whitehall is lined with a good number of memorial statues and war monuments. I was excited to see this one of Field Marshal Bernard "Monty" Montgomery, war hero of the WWII African front, rival of the equally legendary German General Erwin Rommel, as well as commander of all Allied ground forces during the Battle of Normandy. However, I will always remember Monty as my commanding officer in one of the first Call of Duty games.. before they became a gazillion-selling series!
* Continuing my walk down Whitehall, I happened to pass by this heavily armed gate with tough, "take no prisoners"-type of men.
* It was when I looked up that I realized that this was in fact Downing Street, known affectionately as the home of Hugh Grant or the British Prime Minister, which ever one is currently in power!
* I tried to get a good photo of the area but security has done a good job of making the whole place instagram-proof!
* One of the great things about going on walks is finding interesting locales of historical significance; like this Arc de Triomphe looking structure which actually is the entrance to the Churchill War Rooms, the friggin' center of British defense and Allied offense during World War II.
Being a big fan of Sherlock Holmes, the movie Eurotrip, British musicians such as the Beatles, Coldplay etc, and British imperial history, I knew that London would be the pinnacle of any European sojourn. There are just too many places here that I wanted to see! However to have the chance to visit the city twice in two years (one with family in 2012, the other for work in 2013), gave me a good appreciation of what this city has to offer.Â
And like any traveler in the good old days, I did what any newcomer in a strange locale was expected to first do upon arriving, and that is to pay my respects to the Sovereign.
* Buckingham Palace is known the world over as the official residence of the British Monarchy. As you can see in the succeeding photographs, there is a huge difference between the size of the crowd last year (2012) and this year (2013). When I visited last year, it was about the time that the London Olympics had just ended and for some reason, there was a shortage of tourists in all of the places of interest. Why, I don't know, but hey, good for us!
Then (2012)
* Built in 1705 and originally owned by the Duke of Buckingham, the Palace served as the Duke's townhouse until it was purchased by King George III in 1761 to serve as a private residence for his Queen. At that time, the monarch's official residence was St. James's Palace.
Now (2013)
* It was, however, in 1837 when the Palace became the official home of the British monarch thanks to the accession of Queen Victoria. Today, the Palace is the site of most state banquets, investitures and other ceremonies.
Then (2012)
* Right in front of the Palace stands The Victoria Memorial, a sculpture dedicated to the late Queen Victoria. Sculpted by Sir Thomas Brock, the memorial was dedicated in 1911 by George V, King of the UK and Emperor of India, and his first cousin, Wilhelm II, Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia.
Now (2013)
* Queen Victoria's reign of almost 64 years was the longest in British history, as well as the longest female reign in world history. Her rule is characterized by a period of industrial, cultural, political, scientific and imperial expansion by the British Empire, known as the Victorian Era.Â
* The huge ornately decorated gate in front of the Palace. Not too shabby if you ask me! One can tell that the Queen is inside when her royal standard is flying on the flagpole.
* Thanks to my ever diligent mom, who I must point out is a huge fan of the British monarchy with all its history and pageantry, we were able to score tickets to the tour of the Palace! While the tour was superb and very informative in showcasing the magnificent lifestyle of the royals, pictures were not allowed inside the estate. Since demand for the tour is extremely high, do make sure to book your tour online at least two months in advance.
* A picture of the Buckingham garden right after the tour of the palace. I must say that while Buckingham and the Versailles in Paris have their own strong points, I much more enjoyed the former as I felt that it did a good job of showing how grand the English monarchy is, without appearing too ostentatious about it. Câmon, everything about Versailles screamed âLook at me! Iâm filthy rich!â
* For those unfortunate enough not to be able to go through the Palace tour, the Changing of the Guard is the next best thing for tourists armed with their digicams. Here I am navigating a sea of cameras, smart phones and ipads.
* And right in the middle of the whole thing is this gentleman lying topless in the Buckingham lawn, like a boss!Â
After paying one's respects to Her Royal Majesty, the next logical step would be to get a bird's eye view of all the major sights that one would have to see in London; and there's no better place to do that than in London Eye! Â
* London Eye, in essence, is a Ferris WheelâŚ. a HUGE one!Â
* Set along the South Bank of the River Thames, and inaugurated back in 2000, the Eye is credited as being the most popular paid tourist attraction in the UK with over 3.5 million visitors every year.
* One revolution in these capsule-looking pods takes about 30 minutes and each pod can fit around 28 guests.
* Starting our ascent, we are awarded with a view of the opposite bank of the Thames containing some of the more popular attractions in London.
* The building on the right that looks like the Justice Leagueâs Hall of Justice is actually Londonâs famous Charing Cross railway station.
* What an awesome shot of the Palace of Westminster, more colloquially known as the Houses of Parliament, which is coincidentally the next stop on my London itinerary!
* What would have really helped this ride is an audio tutorial covering the buildings that we actually see, with a brief tidbit of historical significance for each one.
* At the peak of our ride. I really wish the experience was more exciting but this is a Ferris wheel weâre frigginâ taking about.
* This very cool looking building, which I think can double as the headquarters of James Bond and MI6, is in fact the HM Treasury; responsible for setting Britainâs financial and economic policies.
* Nearing the end of our revolution and seeing a throng of people walking along the river. If we had more time, it would have been a pleasure to just people watch or stroll in contemplative thought.
* Whatâs up with the huge Spartan-looking dude carrying the little person?!
* One more look at the London Eye with its abundance of hot female tourists, as well as overpriced souvenir stores.
As an added bonus to what was already an awesome trip, we were able to visit an honest-to-goodness Scottish castle! Built in 1546, Ballindalloch, known affectionately as the Pearl of the North, is one of the more beautiful and romantic-looking castles in Scotland. Having been continuously occupied by the Macpherson-Grant family since its inception, the estate and its grounds are now open to the public as a museum, distillery, public garden, golf course, dog walking park and ranch serving its own renowned Angus beef.
* Driving by Lord of the Rings-esque landscapes on the way to the castle. I'm pretty sure that there are orcs / barbarians / vikings hiding in that forest.
* The beautiful lawn of the castle grounds complete with sleeping ents and a mysterious mist hiding the horrors found within.
* Finally here in front of the castle, channeling my inner Duncan McCleod. Que Highlander theme song!
* The castle seal featuring what looks to be Hercules, Thor and a broken arm giving the middle finger to the world. EPIC.Â
* Though the castle was indeed very charmingly impressive, I have to admit that I was expecting a fortress with thick citadel-type walls, a moat and spires, basically something that could defend against an ogre attack.
* Greeting us was this bagpipe-playing gentleman who ironically used to work for the Chivas Regal distillery. What an awesome life, to go from whiskey distiller to bad ass piper!
* Apart from the beautiful scenery, the estate is famous for housing a wonderful collection of 17th century Spanish paintings and... Â Â
* .. this cool collection of swords and dueling pistols!! Of course, us gents stared at this display for a good minute. If not for the protective glass enclosure, a few of us would have played with these for sure.
* Starting the tour of the castle with the caretaker himself showing us around.
* The library and study containing an amazing collection of old books! I make a mental note to have one of these in my future home, albeit with a futuristic twist with less picture frames and more LED monitors.
* This place contains a hell of a lot of bedrooms! Which kinda makes sense if you consider that almost 20 generations of the Macpherson-Grant clan have lived here.Â
* A round table containing various framed christmas cards, thank you notes and invitations from the British monarchy. Fancy!
* Of course, one cannot have a castle and NOT have a ghost as well! In this case, the spectre supposedly haunts this room right here, which oddly enough has a tub in the middle.
* Paintings of biblical scenes, ancient persons of repute and interest  and the castle's former inhabitants adorn the walls along every hallway.
* Without a doubt, my favorite room in the whole house was the nursery. Like a scene out of an 80's horror movie, the items found within induced a maximum level of creepiness without even trying!
* Just take a look at those toys!! I'm pretty sure the one on the upper right does ballet twirls when you least expect it, while the one on the lower right spends her time stalking the estate guests. Don't forget the bear on the upper left either giving us a chilling goodbye or a warning to stay away from the room.
* More shots of the madness! Need a hug or bedtime story? I'm sure the bears on top will be happy to share their tales of murder and wickedness. Also check out the bear on the lower right, with its soul-less eyes begging the good Lord for deliverance.
* What good is a castle without an armory on the topmost room? Check out the epic dueling swords! Â
* Also, it wouldn't be a castle without a DUNGEON! And this ain't no show dungeon, this room was actually used to hold thieves, troublemakers and errant suitors to the lord's daughters!
* The photo room which contains various baby strollers, tennis racquets and other personal family effects.Â
* A wall full of medals and insignia collected throughout the centuries by the family. Them Brits sure love getting recognized and honored!
* Heading towards the castle's very impressive dining area, we passed by the estate's collection of valuable chinaware. I made a special effort to stay away from this room as to avoid any breakage!Â
* Now THAT is how you impress your guests! With ornately decorated walls and ceiling, fresh flowers on the table and Beauty-and-the-Beast candle-holders, this room was screaming with class! I was expecting the utensils to burst out in song in the middle of dinner.
* What better way to enjoy one's meal than with a shot of Glenlivet right before eating, served in an ancient Scottish drinking cup, the Quaich.
* Once again we see the family emblem, gents who I shall refer to as Hercules and Thor, so prominently displayed on top of the fireplace. I once again promptly take down notes for my future home.
* After dinner and over even more glasses of scotch, we were entertained by a band performing traditional Scottish folk music, which is heavy on violins, guitars and harps. Â
* Making a wrong turn on the way to the restroom, I came across the taxidermy room! Check out the glass display on the right featuring various birds of prey.
* We ended the night at the hotel, where I was happily joined by our Scottish guide (and frequent Manila drinking buddy) Darren in my quest to sample at least a dozen whiskeys from the insanely-stocked hotel bar!
* You know that your whiskey is legit when there are handwritten notes on the label! Ahhh Aberlour single-malt... how I miss thee.
* Cheers to a night of good conversations over good libations!!
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