Day 3 - the day my son was preoccupied with poker - I decided to take a tour bus to see more sights of London - especially some we hadn't seen in our wanderings.
The day also happened to be an important civic holiday, one I had never heard of before: the Lord Mayor's Show. On this day, the mayor of London rides through the city in a fancy carriage, then renews his oath of office... This custom dates back to the 1300s. In early years the Lord Mayor would ride down the Thames in a boat. Later he rode horseback through the streets of London. But then, after one Lord Mayor fell off his horse, the custom of riding around in a carriage commenced - and continues to this day. (These are all details I learned aboard the bus...)
Some roads were closed to traffic. I didn't see a fancy carriage or a parade, but I did see a lot of people on the streets.
A large crowd had gathered in front of the Crypt (the round glass building in the center of the picture.) I have no idea who was there or why... but hundreds of people lined the street and the sidewalk across the street, where I was walking...
Is the Queen in there? I wondered... Perhaps a rock star? But I didn't ask and I didn't find out...
Not too far away, I noticed a cameraman making a film... But nobody was paying much attention...
(He's on a moving cart is in the center of the picture.)
I walked amid the crowds until I found a tour bus...
Then I saw London from above...
...Piccadilly Circus...
...Regent Street...
People still were shopping in all the fancy stores!
The bus crossed the bridge to the south side of the Thames River, where we saw the London Eye...
...the Dungeon (a popular place, judging from its long line-up)
And other interesting-looking buildings...
It was a little chilly at times...
But the view was worth it!
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