After lunch and the concert, we walked back into Trafalgar square and had some decisions to make.
I kind of wanted to go to the British Library, but it wasn’t close (and I didn’t have a railpass yet), plus we were getting pretty worn out from being on day 3 of touristing….. plus Trafalgar square is amazing on its own…
So we stuck around.
Trafalgar Square – from the Rick Steves guidebook:
“London’s recently renovated central square, the climax of most marches and demonstrations, is a thrilling place to simply hang out. Lord Nelson stands atop his 185-foot-tall fluted granite column, gazing out to Trafalgar, where he lost his life but defeated the French fleet. Part of this 1842 memorial is made from his victims’ melted-down cannons. He’s surrounded by giant lions, hordes of people and — until recently — even more pigeons.”
Just almost exactly across the street from St-Martin-in-the-fields is the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery.
We didn’t go in the National Gallery (pictured below) just yet, but in the same building (I think) behind, we visited the portraits … .
National Portrait Gallery – From Rick Steves’ guidebook:
“Rock groupies, book-lovers, movie fans, gossipmongers, and even historians can all find at least one favorite celebrity here. From Elizabeth I to Elizabeth II, from Byron to Bowie, the National Portrait Gallery puts a face on 500 years, making “history” the simple story of flesh-and-blood people. It’s a great rainy-day museum for serious students, or a quick (and free) peek at the islands’ eccentric inhabitants.”
The National Portrait gallery had a huge range of stuff – every medium, every style, every era. Of course, I was partial to the photos and found a gallery w/ portraits of Simon Pegg and Daniel Day Lewis. … or this collection of photos of poets:
We stuck to the 20th-21st century portraits, but really, there is something for everyone if you’re interested …
A final view of Trafalgar square before we went walking …. the famous lions, the base of the monument to Nelson, swarms and swarms of people looking down Whitehall st w/ Big Ben in the distance
Looks like a great place to spend a few days…