Bond Still in Motion

Official James Bond exhibit in Covent Garden

The London Film Museum is the only museum in Great Britain dedicated to the film industry. Since 2014, the entire museum has been dedicated to James Bond.

The original Bond in Motion exhibition debuted at the Beaulieu National Motor Museum in conjunction with 50 years of Bond. The exhibit features the largest collection of original vehicles from all 24 Bond movies, including the iconic Aston Martin DB5, Lotus Esprit S1 and Rolls Royce Phantom III.

While it is considered a permanent exhibition with no end date, it also features other items from EON Productions that made the famous films. Currently, 20 pieces of art, miniatures and props by Sir Ken Adam are on display. Tickets are £14.50 for adults and £9.50 for concessions and children 5-15 (under 5s are free).

Given how unpredictable the weather can be, this is an easy place to visit with family or visitors and stay out of the elements at the same time.
www.londonfilmmuseum.com
45 Wellington Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7BN

For die-hard James Bond fans or those that want the complete James Bond experience, take an exhilarating Bond Boat Tour — for more on this and other Bond related outings checkout my dear friend's blog Travel with Lulu. Her post Bond Girl for a Day or Two recounts just one of our many adventures together and is part of the inspiration behind London via Surrey.

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National Tea Day Festival (April 21)

Inaugural event at Kensington Roof Gardens

Kensington Roof Gardens will host the official National Tea Day 2017 event celebrating Britain’s favorite drink. The National Tea Day Festival takes place April 21st 10:30 am to 4 pm. Since the day also coincides with the Queen’s birthday, the event has also incorporated some royal activities.

Attendees will have an opportunity to participate in:

• tea tasting
• baking and tea cocktail masterclasses
• snack sampling
• Victorian tea etiquette sessions
• photos with Queen Victoria and more

While you are there take time to visit the three-themed gardens. They include a Spanish, Tudor Style and English woodland garden complete with flamingos. Tickets are £5 with all proceeds benefitting charity.
www.nationalteaday.co.uk
99 Kensington High Street, London W8 5SA

Afternoon tea is a passion and pastime of mine. Some of my favorite places to enjoy a cuppa are featured in the following posts Afternoon Tea and Affordable Teas with a Twist.

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10 Bridges of London - Part II

Walk 10 km from Vauxhall Bridge to Tower Bridge

Below is the path for the second five bridges, starting at Blackfrairs Bridge on the south side:

Blackfrairs Bridge (Cross south to north - St. Paul's Cathedral) — This bridge was dedicated to Queen Victoria who opened the current bridge in 1869. The name of the bridge and its pulpit-shaped ends relate back to Blackfriars Monastery that was located nearby. The bridge became famous in 1982 when the body of Roberto Calvi, an Italian banker, was found hanging from it with $14,000 worth of money in his pockets.

Millennium Bridge (Cross north to south - Tate Modern) — Reopened in 2002 following adjustments that were made to keep it from swaying, the London Millennium Footbridge provides a perfect connection between Tate Modern and St. Paul's Cathedral. Look carefully as you walk over the bridge for 400+ miniature pieces of chewing gum art created by Ben Wilson.

Southwark Bridge (Cross south to north - Cannon Street Station) — Southwark Bridge is a Grade II listed structure with the distinction of having the least traffic of any London bridge. The bridge has been featured in movies and television, including Mary Poppins 1964, This Life (1996) and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007).

London Bridge (Cross north to south - Borough Market and The Shard) — The nursery rhyme "London Bridge Is Falling Down" is reference to the bridge's collapses over its 800-year hear history.  With up to 8,000 pedestrians and 900 vehicles crossing every hour, it is no wonder surveys showed that the bridge was slowly sinking.  It was sold in 1967 and rebuilt as 'Rennie's London Bridge' in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.  Today, London Bridge is regularly lit by red lights - left from D-Day National Remembrance Day, 2004.

Tower Bridge (Cross south to north - Tower of London and cross back again ending at South Bank) — Opened in 1894, Tower Bridge is heavily utilized - with over 40,000 people crossing every day. Visiting the Tower Bridge Exhibition, seeing the engine rooms and taking in panoramic views above the River Thames towards the east and west of the Thames are great ways to explore the most famous bridge in the world. In 2014, a glass-floor walkway was added 42 meters above the Thames. To make it truly memorable, plan your visit to coincide with the bridge lift times.

Beginning in 2018, bridges from Tower Bridge to Albert Bridge will be part of a permanent lighting project, The Illuminated River.  Stay tuned!


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10 Bridges of London - Part I

Walk 10 km from Vauxhall Bridge to Tower Bridge

As part of a weekly hiking group, we would take a break from the Surrey hills and hit the bridges of London. Below is the path for the first five bridges, starting at Vauxhall Bridge on the south side:

Vauxhall Bridge (Cross south to north - Tate Britain) — Opened in 1906, Vauxhall Bridge is a Grade II listed structure to preserve it from alteration. If you cross at low tide, keep an eye out for posts discovered in 1993 which are believed to be the first bridge-like structures in London and pre-date Caesar's expedition of Britain in 55 BC.

Lambeth Bridge (Cross north to south - Lambeth Palace) — Another Grade II listed bridge - the current structure was opened in 1932. With the southern end of the Palace of Westminister located nearest to the bridge, it is painted the same red as the leather benches in the House of Lords. At either end of the bridge there are stone-shaped pineapples, which are said to pay tribute to a Lambeth resident who grew the first pineapple in Britain.

Westminster Bridge (Cross south to north - Big Ben & Houses of Parliament) — With the northern end of the Palace of Westminister located nearest to the bridge, Westminster Bridge is painted green, the same color as the benches in the House of Commons. This iconic Grade II listed bridge is often featured in films - most recently in James Bond's Spectre where a helicopter crashes into Westminster Bridge.

Golden Jubilee Bridge (Cross north to south and cross back again south to north - Embankment Tube Station) — These two 4-meter wide (13 feet), award-winning foot bridges were completed in 2002 to commemorate the 50th anniversary reign of Queen Elizabeth II. It is estimated that these are the busiest foot bridges in London with approximately 8.5 million pedestrians a year.

Waterloo Bridge (Waterloo Bridge cross north to south - National Theatre) — Named after the Battle of Waterloo, this bridge is one of the best spots to take a photo of London at ground level. With its location in the bend of the river it boasts picturesque views of London Eye, South Bank and Westminster to the west and Canary Wharf and City of London to the east.

Covering the second half of the walk, 10 Bridges of London - Part II will feature the path between Blackfriars Bridge to Tower Bridge. 

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