My love for London is indescribable. I have spent a considerable amount of time in this city ( six months being the longest), but still, I feel like a giddy little kid whenever I get the opportunity to visit. And so, a while back, when I had a 13 hour layover in London, the excitement kicked in once again, and I started mapping out an itinerary.
On this particular trip, I wanted to visit the popular tourists sites and see London like a first timer. With a few hours to spare, I had a strict timeline and itinerary that I could not deviate from. Want to see what I got up to in 13 hours? Check out the pictorial account of my adventure in London. Enjoy!
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Once I was out of Heathrow airport, my first stop was the West Minster pier area. I hadn't seen the London Eye and Big Ben in years, so a visit to these must-see tourist attraction was at the top of my list.
London Eye
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I am scared of heights, so I have actually never gone on the London Eye. I hear the view of London from this iconic ride is amazing...maybe some day.
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Had the most delicious nutella crepe while people watching at the pier.
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House of Parliament/BigBen Clock Tower
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| Big Ben clock tower at the House of Parliament is a UNESCO Heritage site. The Big Ben and House of parliament is open to the public to explore the Elizabeth Tower and attend committee hearings, but I chose to only view this iconic building from the exterior |
Once I was done sight seeing at the West Minster pier area, I took a short walk to Trafalgar Square. Trafalgar Square is a popular tourist site and a good spot for watching street performances. The square features statues and fountains, and the National Gallery is a stone throw away.
Picadilly Circus, a busy intersection has always been a favorite spot, so I made sure to stop by to soak in the ever vibrant atmosphere
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| Picadilly circus is also known for its famous electronic billboards. |
Leicester Square which is a walking distance from Picadilly Circus was my next destination.
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| Since it was the holiday season, "Christmas in Leicester Square", a holiday market was in full swing |
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| Leicester Square tranformed to a winter wonderland |
After exploring Leicester Square, I somehow found myself in Chinatown.
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| Aside the slew of Chinese restaurants, there wasn't much to see in Chinatown |
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I randomly met this Nigerian guy on the streets of Chinatown. He wanted me to take his picture...so I snapped away.
After Chinatown, mindless wandering ensued, and I aimlessy strolled the streets of London taking random photos. |
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| Of course, I had to sneak in a London telephone booth photo! |
Soon it was dusk, and I made my way to the Borough of Southwark to see the famous Tower Bridge. It had been 13 years since I had last seen the bridge and I was really excited to scope out the area.
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| How picturesque |
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| My friend Ify, was also in transit to Nigeria, so we met up at London Bridge tube station and explored Tower Bridge together. |
So many lovely sites to behold as we made our way out of Tower Bridge area
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Hay’s Galleria
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Just before heading to the airport, my friends and I decided to grab dinner at Nandos. I am a sucker for the peri peri chicken, and I was not disappointed!
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Yummy!
With dinner came the end of my time in my favorite city. Hope you enjoyed seeing London through my eyes. Happy humpday! |
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