Traversing London

After fulfilling my work responsibilities, I spent a day traversing the city of London. I had no map, no guidebook, and no real plan of action. I just too the only train that goes from Egham (where the university is) to London (Waterloo station) and sort of spontaneously decided what I'd do as I went along.
Sound ridiculous, to have made no preparation for managing in this enormous city? Well, okay, so 8 years ago I lived in London for 4 months, so I was prepared to rely on my memory...
The day went amazingly smoothly! I hit all the sights that I would have cared to see, and with great ease!
First, I went to the Holy Communion service at Westminster Abbey. Then I walked past the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, then along the River Thames, past the London Eye (ferris wheel in back left of Big Ben picture), up to Trafalgar Square, then up to Leicester Square. I walked through Chinatown and had a great lunch in a Japanese restaurant. Then I walked to Piccadilly Circus, then took the Tube to Hyde Park and walked the length of it to Kensington Gardens. The colourful Autumn leaves make it a delightful place to be this time of year!

Then I took the back streets to the area where I lived and had fun visiting the house, the same cafes, markets, etc. Now then, my favorite place in London back then had been the Tower Bridge at night. It just happened to be sunset at this time, so I took the Tube to the Tower of London, walked alongside it--in all its ancient and gruesome mystery at dusk--then to the Tower Bridge, crossed it and walked along the River Thames, now nighttime. Indeed this is still my favorite place (and it's only such at night), for this is when the magic and wonder emerges. It is at moments like this that you marvel at the opportunity to be in London, which enjoying the peaceful, crisp night air with such a glorious backdrop.