London: Double Check Opening Times

Yesterday I endeavoured to see multiple tourist attractions in London. While I saw them from the outside, I didn't manage to see into any of them because I misread the summer vs winter open times.

Here was the majority of my route. (I forgot to turn on tracking for the first bit where I walked past the MI6 building.)

This is what the other side of the street from MI6 looks like. It's gorgeous! I didn't think the serious-looking men would like me taking photos of the MI6 building. 

A little bit North of MI6 and you can see Big Ben and the London Eye in the distance. 

The London Eye. I previously thought I might skip this, but now having seen it up close I really want to go up for a view of London. 

View of Tower Bridge from London Bridge. The sun set about half an hour before I got there. 

St Paul's Cathedral. I had no idea what it was when I took the photo, but it was so beautiful I was drawn to it. 

Funny restaurant sign: Hummus Bros Give Peas A Chance

Victoria Memorial, it's absolutely massive. Other tourists shown for scale. 

Buckingham Palace and Victoria Memorial. Nearly tourist-free at night. If you want to see the changing of the guard double check the website. They only do it every other day during the winter. 

I had meant to tour the British Museum, but read the opening times incorrectly and arrived just at closing. Ah well, it was a lovely 10-ish mile walk around London on a lovely evening. 

London! Natural History Museum Edition

Today I ventured out of the Pimlico area where I've been cat-sitting since Thursday for possibly the most amazing lady I've ever met.

Here's what the area looks like.

And a few blocks away.

Natural History Museum

The museum was amazing. Like many of the museums here in London, it is FREE. So, definitely worth a visit if it's raining cats and dogs. My visit was slightly marred by the masses of screaming children, so maybe bring earplugs. Seriously, it sounded like they were being eaten alive by the stuffed exhibits. (If only...)
Highlights of the day were the massive collection of rocks and minerals, dinosaur fossils, and the Spirit Collection which was tucked back into a corner and I nearly missed. I wish I had known about the tours at the time I was there, I might actually go back to do one.

There were rows and rows of these specimen jars behind glass.

Pickled snakes, anyone?

I totally want to decorate my house with specimen jars now, whenever I get a house again that is.

Who is that adorable little guy? Oh, just a vampire bat. (If they sold these in the gift shop I would have purchased one on the spot.)