My favorite London pictures

Dr. E asked us all to post our favorite London picture from the whole trip.  I assumed that included pictures from our time in Paris, Oxford, Stonehenge, and Salisbury so I made a folder in iphoto containing my favorite pictures from the last three weeks.  I soon realized I would not be able to make a choice with so many to select from.  So I made another folder and edited it down to my top 5 pictures that were actually taken in London.  I had to add some more limits to the pictures - they needed to be unique to that moment in time with my individual perspective.  They also needed to connect to a happy memory.  So here are the top five.  It's going to be really tough to pick one:

This was taken from a bus while our Blue Badge guide Shawn talked to us about some of the sites in London.  I was in an "experimenting with raindrops" photography phase that day so what I was focusing on was the streaks down the window.  I love that this pictures also contains a London Underground sign and a black cab.  This building facade was very typical for the part of London we were staying in.

Another picture taken while on a tour with Shawn.  This time we had travelled to the Bromley-by-Bow tube stop on the way to Olympic Park to see some of the East End neighborhood that is being fixed up as part of the preparations for the Summer Olympics 2012.  I loved seeing a part of London that people don't ordinarily travel to see.  I like the contrast of height in the picture above.

I like the look and perspective of St. Paul's Cathedral from here.  I'm including it mainly to brag about the fact that I climbed 530 steps to get to the Golden Gallery and take this picture.

We saw the play Ann Boleyn by Howard Brenton here at the Globe Theater.  We got to sit on the benches and saw the play from this angle.  The place was packed with lots of people standing in the center area of The Globe - I think it was worth standing for but I'm glad I didn't have to.  Great play and performance!

This was taken from our seats at a table at La Piazzetta: juice bar cafe, restaurant.  We found this restaurant on a Sunday when a lot of other places were closed.  It's located at 13 Neal's Yard which is within this brightly painted corner area off of Monmouth Street in the Covent Garden area.  Wonderful food, atmosphere, and colors.

OK, I can't just pick five.  I left off this picture which I love.  While we were walking around one day, I peeked down a side alleyway and saw these flower covered balconies.  I can't remember what street this was off of: