This blog covers three iconic sights that show the juxtaposition of the stately and proper London and the modern, pulsating city. There are three distinct scenes: Buckingham Palace, the British Museum and Trafalgar Square (shown on the cover photo). I heartily recommend that you take the time see them all, and truly get an appreciation for the wonderful discoveries that are to be found in this great city.
Buckingham Palace. Go early in the day, before the crowds, to get photos like this one, showing the formal front. Later in the day, the place is mobbed, and good photos are difficult. 
Better yet, go when you can take a tour. The inside is fascinating (no pictures, though), and when you emerge you can see the royal backyard. Wow! We also took a guided tour of the “garden” (which is really more like a very large walled city park). 
A series of dragons marked out the boundaries of the city of London. This 1880 monument is the largest one, on Fleet Street. When the regent would come into the city he or she would meet with the mayor here to confirm that they came in peace. 
Royal London, meet the modern tourist. 
British Museum, with its neo-classical exterior. 
And ultra-modern interior. 
Here are housed some of the most prized antiquities in the world, including the Rosetta Stone. 
One of the original “Caryatid” statues from the Acropolis in Athens. Its presence here has spawned international controversy. 
Trafalgar Square, shown here, is a cool hangout. Historic figures, lions made from melted down French cannons, the art museum on one side, a view of Big Ben in the distance, musicians and chalk art most anywhere… 
and you never know what else. Welcome to the fascinating world that is London.
