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The Lanes and Street Art of Brighton
The last part of our day we explored the Lanes and found the amazing street art of Brighton. The Lanes are small streets with adorable shops, that seem to go on for miles. The maze of streets had a unique store behind every turn. For more information on Brighton, click here.
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Royal Pavilion
After checking out the pier we went to explore Brighton and found the Royal Pavilion. While the other girls bought tickets for the rides on the pier, two of us headed into the city and wandered around downtown. We made our way through the streets and stumbled upon the Royal Pavilion. The Royal Pavilion began building in 1787 and was completed in 1823. In 1815 John Nash extended and redesigned the exterior of the building and Frederick Crace and Robert Jones designed the extravagant interior. This building is gorgeous and the park that surrounds the pavilion is lovely. The large trees and beautifully manicured lawns made for the perfect backdrop for…
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Brighton Pier
We had the most gorgeous weather on our day trip to Brighton Pier. To get from London to Brighton, we grabbed a train from Clapham Junction. The short ride along the bright green fields was lovely, especially in the morning. Upon leaving the station we immediately headed towards the ocean. Being close to the ocean is one of the reasons I moved to Halifax and Vancouver, there is nothing like the smell of salt water and the cool breeze. The pebble beach is stunning, and because it was slightly cool, not very crowded. Fun fact: I was looking on the Brighton website and learned there is “apparently around 614,600,000 pebbles on…
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View from the Top of Greenwich
I missed these last photos of the view from the top of Greenwich. The walk up was beautiful, the paths were covered by large trees and the lawns were perfectly manicured. The hill was fairly steep but the view was worth it. At the top there is a planetarium and astronomy centre. The buildings are stunning, and some are free to explore. We walked through the Royal Observatory and up to the telescope. Originally, our plan was to see the Meridan Line but that section was not free. You can catch a glimpse of it from outside the gates though. There is a lot to see at the top of the…
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University of Greenwich
The second stop on our day in Greenwich was the University of Greenwich. The Old Royal Naval College is the birthplace of King Henry VIII, Queen Mary I and Queen Elizabeth I. This gorgeous campus sits along the Thames with long roads and perfectly manicured lawns. When I was told about Greenwich the University wasn’t mentioned and every time I speak about it no one really cares. The campus made a huge impression on my friend and I, and if we had more time we would have explored the campus further. The best part by far was the painted hall. It is “recognized as the greatest piece of decorative painting…
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Greenwich Vintage Markets
I took my first trip to Greenwich a few weeks ago and found these wonderful vintage markets. Greenwich is one of my favourite places in London. I spent the day there with a friend and we were nerding out the whole time. The first thing we did was explore the beautiful old church in the middle of town. Then we stumbled upon these tiny vintage markets filled with knick knacks, books, jewelry and more. We found some incredible things, and it’s probably best that I have no money or this would have been dangerous. Over the next few days I will post more from our Greenwich adventure. For more information on…
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Shoreditch Street Art Tour
The Shoreditch Street Art Tour by Alternative London was a fantastic way to learn about the art and explore the area. Our guide Andres was extremely knowledgeable about the artists in the area and it was great to learn how to use a spray paint. The art comes in all sizes, from three stories high to some carved into pieces of gum on the sidewalk. We saw art from Banksy, Pez, Stik, T. Noir, Eine and DALeast, to name a few. It is amazing how many big names in the street art world have pieces within blocks of each other. This was a great tour, even the meeting spot was…
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Changing of the Guard
The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace is on most to see lists in London. Unfortunately, we did not get there early enough and saw nothing. This is a free event but you need to get there very early to get a good spot. We arrived about half an hour before it started and the only pictures I got were with my camera high above my head. The Changing of the Guard, also known as ‘Guard Mounting,’ has been occurring since 1660. Over the course of the ceremony The New Guard becomes The Queen’s Guard after they march from Wellington Barracks. It was a gorgeous day, and Buckingham Palace…
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Borough Market
I didn’t get many photos during my first outing at Borough Market, but I will be going back. Borough Market has existed since the 11th century but has moved from its original position to Southwark Street and Borough High Street. This beautiful building is crowded with stalls and the smells your encounter as you walk through are sensational. We stumbled through the crowds to find a place to eat and settled on Maria’s Market Cafe. It is right in the middle of the market with lovely staff, tables to sit and fantastic food. Eating within the hustle and bustle was great, especially for people watching. Borough Market has over 100 stalls of fruit,…
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We Saw a Damien Hirst
We ran into a Damien Hirst sculpture on our way to Borough Market. ‘Charity’ is a massive 22-foot bronze sculpture based on the collection boxes common in the ’60s. It sits in front of the Gherkin and beside the beautiful St. Helen’s Church. The piece is part of the Sculpture in the City initiative which “features contemporary works from leading artists, set amongst London’s iconic architectural landmarks.” London continues to surprise me. It is so cool to see famous works of art up close throughout the city. For more information on the Damien Hirst ‘Charity’ sculpture, click here.
