An American Bear in London

Tag has had such an exciting day today! I (Anna) had to go to London for a business meeting and my boss's farewell celebration (she's retiring soon) so Tag came too. We caught the train from Benfleet station. Here's Tag on the train.

It was less than an hour before we arrived at Fenchurch Street station, and Tag was immediately impressed with the grand and beautiful buildings like this one.

We also caught a distant glimpse of the Tower of London. Lots of people were imprisoned and killed here, including Anne Boleyn. Tag said that being across the road from it was quite close enough. He didn't want to be locked in the Tower!

We took the Tube (London Underground) from Tower Hill Station. Here at the station entrance you can see The Shard in the distance, one of London's newer famous buildings.

Tag was very careful to "Mind the Gap" as he got on the train.

Here he is on the underground train. He is on an unusually quiet district line train. The district line is green on the tube maps, so the inside of the train is green too.

He found some English bears!

He got off the train at Embankment station, and we walked over to the Embankment so that he could have a photograph with the London eye and the River Thames. There were lots of memorials and statues on the Embankment, and we enjoyed looking at them. There were also lots of joggers, cyclists, and tourists from all sorts of exotic places (like America).

Tag found some red phone boxes! There aren't many of them left now because everyone has mobile phones these days.

Here's Tag at Westminster, with the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Did you know that Big Ben is the name of the bell, not the tower?

The Houses of Parliament are guarded by friendly policemen. Police in the UK don't carry guns, but their headquarters, Scotland Yard, is very near here, so they can have lots of backup very quickly should there be a problem. Luckily, no one has tried to bomb parliament since 1605.

Here's Tag outside Westminster Abbey, which is right next door to the Houses of Parliament.

As we walked through St. James's Park to Buckingham Palace we could hear the drums and instruments from a ceremony taking place in front of the Palace. I think it was probably the Changing of the Guard. But by the time we got there, it had finished. Here's Tag outside Buckingham Palace. As you can see from the crowd, we probably couldn't have got close enough to see it anyway.

After my meeting. Tag came with my colleagues and I to the famous Fortnum and Mason for afternoon tea. Fortnum's was established in 1707 and has a Royal Warrant, which means it provides products for the Queen. Can you see Tag?

Finally it was time to get back on the Tube and the train and go home again. Tag is worn out after that adventure. Here he is back at home with the leftover Fortnum and Mason cakes in their beautiful box.

Phew, what a busy day! There was so much to see in London. I think Tag's next excursion should be to somewhere less exciting.