London Day Three: The London Eye

In front of the Palace of Westminster

The London Eye has become the most popular paid visitor attraction in the UK, visited by over 30 million people since it opened in 2000. It's just a shame, but not a surprise, that the day was so gray.

Dalí Universe is a permanent exhibition located near The London Eye of over 500 art works by the Spanish Surrealist Salvador Dalí. Here you see Nobility of Time.

Space Elephant

Space Venus

We came to London at the right time. Tourists complain about long line at many of London's attractions, particularly The London Eye. We haven't had to wait for anything so far on our trip. The first sight for the Nylunds as their Eye experience got underway was this dejected-looking Donald Duck hoping for some spare change.

Yet another view of Big Ben

Looking down at the workings of the Eye. Some powerful Londoners have complained that The London Eye dwarfs the Palace of Westminster and suggest it should be moved down river to a more appropriate place near the Tower of London.

The wheel carries 32 sealed and air-conditioned egg-shaped passenger capsules, attached to its external circumference, each capsule representing one of the London Boroughs. Each capsule holds 25 people, who are free to walk around inside the capsule, though seating is provided. It rotates at 0.6mph so that one revolution takes about 30 minutes. The wheel does not usually stop to take on passengers; the rotation rate is slow enough to allow passengers to walk on and off the moving capsules at ground level.

Big Ben and Westminster Abbey

In March 2008, four hundred people were trapped on the London Eye when it was stopped for urgent repairs. Sightseers spent an hour suspended in capsules up to 450ft above the ground. Staff spoke to the trapped tourists via intercom, instructing them to open emergency supplies of water, blankets and commodes.

One traumatized passenger described the ordeal as a "horrible experience" and said sightseers panicked when they finally made it back to ground level, creating a stampede.

Buckingham Palace became the principal royal residence of the British monarch in 1837. Prince Andrew stated in an interview, however, that Windsor Castle, located just outside London, was the one place the royal family regarded as home. It has even been speculated that Prince Charles is considering moving the royal court to Windsor Castle from Buckingham Palace when he ascends the throne.

Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, by the way, are owned by the British state and are not the monarch's personal property.

Emilie and the Eye

Another lovely piece of art

With Grandma on one of the Golden Jubilee Bridges. The railway Hungerford Bridge which leads to Charing Cross station is flanked by two cable-stayed pedestrian bridges that share the railway bridge's foundation piers.