...and keeps on ticking."
-Timex
-Timex
"Sunset on Big Ben"
London, England
4:05 p.m. Sunset in London. Talk about demand being greater than supply when it comes to daylight hours! (supply...demand...Econ 04 at Penn State didn't go completely to waste!) Before I left for London, I had read that sunset was pretty darn early this time of year. But I didn't believe it. Then I saw it. My "Weather Channel" app might get the weather forecasts wrong quite frequently...but obviously not the time of sunset. Dang it!
I arrived in London on December 29th. Which happened to be the 73rd anniversary of the most devastating air raid and fire bombing of London by the Luftwaffe's "Blitz" during WWII. 15,000 separate fires resulted. Both sides of the River Thames were set ablaze. Almost 3,600 British civilians were killed. A great portion of London's cultural relics and buildings were hit. Including Parliament's House of Commons chamber. Where Big Ben sits. Yet Big Ben not only survived, it continued to strike on the hour. Walking the streets of London, on such a date in history...it's hard to imagine not only experiencing such destruction, but embodying the resiliency and strength of the British to rebuild both physically and emotionally. It's one of the reasons I truly love to travel. To imagine, to appreciate, to be inspired. Truth-be-told...if I happen to be in Italy it's for the food and wine too!
1. My favorite foreign city to visit, is whichever town I'm in at the moment.
2. I use to think I DID have a favorite. I was wrong.
3. Knowing the history of where I visit is important to me. Being a former history teacher, I come by this interest honestly.
4. The more places I visit, the more I realize how unscathed and fortunate we Americans are. Despite our sometimes complaining to the contrary.
5. ...and how YOUNG we truly are.
Big Ben. It takes a licking, and keeps on ticking. The ultimate Timex.
I arrived in London on December 29th. Which happened to be the 73rd anniversary of the most devastating air raid and fire bombing of London by the Luftwaffe's "Blitz" during WWII. 15,000 separate fires resulted. Both sides of the River Thames were set ablaze. Almost 3,600 British civilians were killed. A great portion of London's cultural relics and buildings were hit. Including Parliament's House of Commons chamber. Where Big Ben sits. Yet Big Ben not only survived, it continued to strike on the hour. Walking the streets of London, on such a date in history...it's hard to imagine not only experiencing such destruction, but embodying the resiliency and strength of the British to rebuild both physically and emotionally. It's one of the reasons I truly love to travel. To imagine, to appreciate, to be inspired. Truth-be-told...if I happen to be in Italy it's for the food and wine too!
1. My favorite foreign city to visit, is whichever town I'm in at the moment.
2. I use to think I DID have a favorite. I was wrong.
3. Knowing the history of where I visit is important to me. Being a former history teacher, I come by this interest honestly.
4. The more places I visit, the more I realize how unscathed and fortunate we Americans are. Despite our sometimes complaining to the contrary.
5. ...and how YOUNG we truly are.
Big Ben. It takes a licking, and keeps on ticking. The ultimate Timex.
Here's where I'm linking up today ..."The Party's On"
Please join me on Sundays for Song-og
raphy.
This week's song title is Sara Bareilles' "Brave".
Glamorous colors Kathy McB! Wow! I love your travel photos. Youaresurelyblessed! {thanks for fun comment about owning multi tights. lol}
ReplyDeleteI am so like you in this regard "Knowing the history of where I visit is important to me." and the comment about how young the USA is made me chuckle.
ReplyDeleteMollyxxx
Beyond gorgeous. I expect Peter Pan to fly by at any moment.
ReplyDeleteWhen we were in the UK were spent a week in Nottingham, so farther north. Sunset around 3:30 and the 2 days we had sun, it came up close to 8!!
He's gorgeous!!
ReplyDeletenice shot of good old ben. so great you got to spend new years there! Something really to look forward to after christmas
ReplyDeleteKathy, your photos are truly taking my breath away...stunning!!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your thoughts on life, what a beautiful image!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a flashback! Cameron Swayze was in that ad.Great shots. It's such an icon, I don't think anybody can take a bad shot of Elizabeth Tower! (Big Ben is the bell inside--I'm married to an Englishman, so I'm required to know that!)
ReplyDeleteWhat an incredible piece of history - and this shot is amazing - so crisp and clear. Some day I'm going to see London... (I think...)
ReplyDeleteStunning picture and such a day in history to visit on. Truly, we are such an infant as history goes, and we often whine like one too.
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful and I'm with you on wanting to understand the history of a place when I visit. I used to want to have Rick Steve's job once upon a moon. I love everything about the experience of traveling. I'm so envious of your trip, but loving witnessing your experience through image!
ReplyDeleteThe history there has to be amazing. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and photos of your travels with us..
ReplyDeleteHugs~
In regards to your comment about the comparitive history - so true. My first walk around the streets of London just shouted, without me asking for it, to see and hear the history. It was tangible. Keep those photos coming, Renee.
ReplyDeleteyou are traveling where i so wish to one day. amazing shots. i am so loving following along with you ... can't wait to see where you what you do next.
ReplyDeleteBen you rock too!! ( :
www.elizardbreathspeaks.com/
Gorgeous image! I was in London many years ago and it was a wonderful trip for me. Thanks for sharing your photos!
ReplyDeleteI've always loved Big Ben! Thanks for your history lesson on it, and the lovely picture.
ReplyDeleteStopping by on R5F.
http://themonkeywranglersblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/random-5-friday-011014.html
Thank you for the history tid-bit! I'm curious in learning about the places I visit as well. Learn something new everyday is my motto. :)
ReplyDeletebrilliant capture
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous shot! A little piece of Big Ben history - my grandfather was employed as a winder for the clock. Although it is mechanized the winding handle must be set by hand.
ReplyDeleteThat's a fun and interesting bit of family history!
DeleteOh yes, London, one of my favorite cities....and you are so right, we Americans don't realize how young we really are until you visit places like London and witness all the history that occurred on those very spots. Beautiful image, Kathy!! I didn't know you were a former teacher??!!
ReplyDeleteBig Ben looks very handsome against that London sunset - brava!
ReplyDeleteYou are SO right on all accounts. America has such little history compared to Europe. Beautiful...and I don't know about you...but it was ALWAYS dark in Paris when we started our day at 8 a.m.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous photo of Big Ben. - I love that you love to travel because I get to travel through your travels. Does that make sense. (It sort of sounds like a tongue twister)
ReplyDeleteWow I did not know that you were a History teacher. History was one of my favorite subjects in school, English was my favorite.
Yes we Americans are very fortunate and should learn to count our blessings instead of complain about things.
Ah, I love Big Ben! The nice thing about being in London in January and the early sunset is you can really enjoy the nightscape of the city.... I hope you got to ride the London Eye at night!
ReplyDeleteOn my first visit to the UK, I, too was amazed by how old everything was - the US - just a baby in terms of history.
Fellow UK blogger checking in (well from Wales anyway glad ive found your blog through random 5. Hope you can follow back, looking forward to your posts in 2014 :)
ReplyDeletewww.valleysshutterbug.com
Yes, we are so young. Even east coast of the U.S. versus Midwest there is such an age difference.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I didn't know you'd taught history. That's one of my teaching endorsements.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful capture of Big Ben. Thanks for joining in this week, Kathy. xo
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shot! I love traveling too! :)
ReplyDelete"knowing the history of where I visit".....yes it's what makes visiting somewhere all the more interesting and fascinating! I hope to get there one day...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photo!
ReplyDeleteLovely photo sweet friend. Even though I am English living in America and have been so fortunate to live in and travel the world. I always love seeing photos of England. Thank you so much for helping to make the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop so much fun Hugs!
ReplyDeleteBig Ben is one of those scenes that until you see it in person, you just never realize just how amazing it is...and you have captured it quite beautifully!
ReplyDelete