Day 4: London

We start our day like every morning and are on our way to the city center shortly after 9 a.m. Our destination is the British Museum. We don't have tickets and when we see the line in front of the entrance, we abandon our plan. According to the online ticket sales, the first tickets are available from 12 p.m. We don't have enough time for that. So we take the typical red double-decker bus to King's Cross Station. Parts of Harry Potter were filmed here and you can admire the backdrop from Platform 9 3/4. There is also a shop with souvenirs from the film. It's very crowded. Professional photos with the backdrop are offered and the line is very long. We are satisfied with pictures from the edge. The kids are allowed to choose something in the shop and choose a Harry Potter wand and a fabric train.
Now we use the metro again and have ourselves transported to Hyde Park. There we have a picnic for lunch and then stroll to Harrods. An old department store with many upscale boutiques. We are too tired and too tired to examine the offered items thoroughly. So we take the bus and the metro to Westminster. Big Ben with the Houses of Parliament greets us first. The tower has a height of 96.3 meters and is actually called Elizabeth Tower. Big Ben is the heaviest of the five bells, weighing 13.5 tons. The streets are full and we are only making slow progress. Right next door is Westminster Abbey. We have already booked our tickets and get admission promptly at 1:30 p.m. Anyone who comes without tickets today is out of luck.
With the audio guide in family mode, we receive a guided tour of the mighty cathedral. Traditionally, the Kings of England are crowned here; until 1760, most of them were also buried here. The style with its Gothic reminds me a lot of Notre Dame. However, there are many statues and graves spread throughout the nave. It reminds more of a cemetery than a church, but it is very interesting. The children's audio guide provides short and interesting information as well as small games and questions.
We need almost 1 1/2 hours for the tour and recognize the places of the coronations and weddings again. Now we take a water taxi from the nearby station and sail east towards the Tower Bridge, along St. Paul's Cathedral, the Tate Museum, and the Tower of London. The different architectural styles are clearly recognizable. Many old buildings alternate with modern architecture. After passing the Tower Bridge, the boat picks up speed and we quickly reach Canary Wharf. It is a modern district with many green areas, modern art, and high-rise buildings. It is very well maintained and completely different from the city center. There we change to the metro and quickly return to the campsite. The city tours are exhausting, but overall we like London. Especially the mix of old and new creates a special atmosphere.