Big Ben & Parliament

When I was in London over the holidays I walked down to the Thames one night to capture a few photos of London's iconic monument.   

I remember the first time I spotted Big Ben.  I was flying to London for a six-week study abroad program with my university back home.  It was my first time out of the country and my first time flying solo.  For some silly reason I was nervous about navigating the airport during my layover, fearing that I would be unlucky and/or stupid enough to miss my connection. 

As I flew across the States and over the Atlantic I grew more and more excited.  Since I was traveling with an English airline I was enamoured by the flight attendants' accents and British terminology.  Little quirks I now take for granted delighted me, such as the flight attendant's offer of a sweet (as opposed to candy).

Beginning our descent, I caught my first glimpses of Britain.  From the air it appeared to be a sea of various shades of green.  Then as we lowered down into London, the clouds cleared and there was Big Ben.  The plane seemed to shift and circle around the clock tower solely for my benefit -- incidentally, it hasn't happened to me since that first flight.  It was an ideal introduction to a country I have truly come to love. 

Right.  Enough of this sentimental reminiscing.  Let us move on to the photos.

I wondered if something top secret was taking place

in this state room at midnight

Taken from the bridge

Can we pretend my inept photography

produces artistically blurry results?

And that bad lighting lends a Gothic atmosphere

to pics like these? Thanks!

I learned the hard way that snapping

self-portraits with such a building is not easy

Crossing the embankment at night

I felt especially short snapping this shot

Dear friends and family, did you have any similar experiences when venturing to far away places for the first time?  Were you nervous, excited; did it feel surreal?  It was for me until I had to show my passport to get on the plane.  I'd love to hear about your travel experiences!