I got to go to London on a quick 3 day trip for work. I tried to make the most of it and squeeze in as much fun as possible. And I think I have fallen in love with London.
London is like New York… but more polite. It’s amazingly easy to get around and filled with history and tradition. It’s a town an architect would love but anyone who appreciates beauty, pageantry and history would also be in heaven. To walk down the Thames and see those enormous buildings that have stood for hundreds of years… grand ballrooms, with meticulous detail where kings and queens danced, it’s simply impossible not to be awed when you think about what those walls have seen.
Unfortunately, my Canon was in the shop! So I went with my Panasonic GF1 point and shoot. It did great and probably made it easier for my long treks but, at times, I sure missed a real DSLR.
Aaron’s London Top Ten:
Favorite thing I ate: almond croissant… my guilty weakness, it was the only thing I ate two of.
Most important item brought: iPhone… even without service, I was able to use wifi everywhere and the new Maps app cached my locations so I could still use GPS without being connected.
Best thing I brought: Rain jacket… with London’s temperamental weather, it would rain one second and then be sunny the next. A good rain jacket is a must.
Favorite thing to do: London Eye… I lucked out and there was not really a line and the sky even cleared right at golden hour.
Favorite place visited: Kensington Park… A dog lovers paradise. There is something about the properness of the Brits that make the park much more relaxing and enjoyable than Central Park. It really IS made for royalty.
Best thing I bought: BT Wifi. The wifi provider has over a hundred thousand hotspots in the city. It was so useful and invaluable in getting around.
Best coffee: Sacred on Ganton St.
Thing I want to do next time: Greenwich Park.
Most over-rated preconception: Fish and chips.
Most useless thing I brought: Sunglasses.
Total miles walked: 25
Total Landmarks visited: 28
Total pictures taken: 621
See the rest of the pictures here.
And some iPhone panoramic fun!
Aaron,
What a lovely trip report. The pictures are amazing. You reallyknow how to live your life.
You are not the only one falls in love with London. I have a co-worker, Dan, makes annual trip to London by himself. Patty’s friend, Ken, loves London too. I am so glad you had a chance to visit London, short, but sweet.
Love
Mom
Great photos! Did you do any post-production on them? I really like the vividness of the colors, highlights, lowlights, and shadows in all your pictures!
Hi. Thanks for the kind words. Yes… I shoot RAW and convert with Capture One. Than do minor tweaks with Photoshop when needed.