The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben stand before me, with Buckingham Palace and St James’s slightly to the east. I can see from Wembley Stadium to Canary Wharf, from Battersea Power Station to St Paul’s Cathedral. Above me planes make their descent towards Heathrow, and below there are trains pulling in and out of stations, buses crossing bridges, and pleasure boats and tugs navigating the river. The people walking along the South Bank are moving surprisingly fast. I am amazed how green the city is. On this sunny October morning, I have London at my feet.
Londoners, like most big city dwellers, tend to be quite cynical about their city’s tourist attractions, but there appears to be one major exception: the London Eye. Built to mark the millennium, nearly a decade on the giant wheel and its futuristic capsules have become an iconic part of the London skyline — so much so, that as my pod inched round in its graceful arc, I found myself wondering (briefly, I promise) if perhaps I might spot the Eye, too.
This was my first visit — a duty call with a visitor from overseas — but can I admit I was entranced? Rarely have I done anything that made me so aware of the city in all its variety — or so glad that I live here. And besides — how else do you get to see all of London in less than half an hour?
For more information about the London Eye visit Londoneye.com.
Find out even more fanastic reasons to visit London.
