Views from the Eye

After our full-day tour of Oxford, we went straight to the London Eye, where Dr. Walker made a group reservation online for 7 p.m.  Ordinarily, the wait in line could be a couple hours, so this was a stroke of genius.  Each pod accommodates up to 24 people, so our entire group was able to ride together.  One complete rotation takes 30 minutes, and the views from the top are spectacular. On a clear day, you can see Windsor Castle, starting point of the 1908 Olympic marathon, 26 miles away!  In addition to sweeping vistas, just across The River Thames are the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben (Clock Tower), with a clear view of the beach volleyball venue at Horse Guards Parade near Piccadilly Circus. 

Observant viewers of this blog post will notice a certain man of international intrigue and mystery, attempting -- but not exactly succeeding -- to remain incognito in his Oxford hoodie!