House of Parliament

Tuesday's BL&C class consisted of a tour of the Houses of Parliament. It's the building attached to Big Ben right along the Thames. Little note about the building: it is actually a palace, one of Her Majesty's residences, but has been used for Parliament since Queen Victoria's reign. (Most of the 1800's. She reigned for over 60 years.) So, being a palace, you can assume that it is rich and full of gold (like a palace) and you would be right in that assumption. It's not quite as elegant as Buckingham Palace, but still way, way nice. Again, no pictures were allowed except in one room so just know that the gold throne in the red House of Lords room really is bright gold, the seats really are red, and the House of Commons is not nearly as elegant but a very simple forrest green benches for people like Gordon Brown (the current Prime Minister) to sit on.

The clock tower from the entrance to Parliament. Big Ben is actually the bell inside the tower that chimes the hour but most, including the locals, just refer to the whole clock tower as being Big Ben.

This is Westminster Hall. This building has been standing since 1097 AD when William the Conqueror's son started construction. It was originally a banquet hall when it was part of Westminster Palace (which is long gone). It has been reconstructed many times but the walls, ceiling and floor are still the same. Some famous people have walked and been on trial on this floor including Sir William Wallace, Guy Fawkes, and King Charles I.

Note: "Mind the Gap" refers to minding the gap between the train and the platform on the underground. Some trains fit so snuggly next to the platform that it's sort of irrelevant, but other lines stop about eighth inches from the platform and in that instance it is quite important to mind the gap.