London Tourists

After we finished getting settled in at the hotel, we decided to take a taxi into downtown London, specifically to the London Eye. I could have easily gone to sleep without any problem as jet lag had a strangle hold. The travel expert we used strongly recommended that we get out and walk in order to get our bodies tuned into London time. So I was good and we went for another adventure.

 

London Eye 

 

Our first tourist attraction was the London Eye. We were told to expect long lines and that it was best to purchase our tickets ahead of time. Well, on this very cold, damp London evening, there was no queue to line up in. In England, they line up in a queue, not standing in a line. We were grateful that we had not pre-purchased the more expensive tickets.

Literally everything here was decorated in blue lights...loved it! This is looking up the side of the eye before we boarded.

Scott checking out the sights

Me? I'm resting my poor feet

Steve and Stephanie playing with all the different settings in order to get the best shot of Big Ben

Not too bad...  :)

I thought this was the best of the bunch.

Trying for an artistic view looking at another car

On the way down, looking up the River Thames

 

At the base of the Eye there were several kiosks set up selling all sorts of things. Both Stephanie and Scott bought gloves, Stephanie also got a hat. It really was that cold!

 

 

We are in an Italian restaurant waiting for our food...jet lag has hit them

 

Love Stephanie's grin...the birthday boy is resting his eyes...

 

After a very fine dinner, it was back to the hotel to truly get the sleep we all craved. We stayed at the hotel next door to the convention center, the Excel in the Docklands, that will have the Dr Who 50th Anniversary Event.

 

Around the Hotel

 

Here are some photos taken around the hotel:

 

A  formerly working crane

 

Steve :)

 

Scott

 

This is a statue of the waterfront workers in years past. It's between the hotel and the convention center

The Tube



The old bricks in some of the Tube tunnels makes me think that they have been around since before WW2. I have read novels that indicate that these old stations were used as bomb shelters...I totally believe it.



Scott walking ahead and me in my wheelchair in the bottom right corner. I think as new trains got added to the Tube system that they became brighter. I have to say that I was partial to the old tunnels

Stephanie and her camera



In all the Tube stations, there were lots of decorative touches.

Just admiring the brickwork. Most of the times the lifts were in places tucked away from the crowds, which was the case here,

  Walking Around Town

The iconic red double decker bus :)

Tower of London across the river from us

 

This is where we had dinner one night...Gourmet Burger Kitchen.  YUM!

Scott is being the photographer here. The night lights made it difficult to get good ones.

 

 

This was the last of our official days of being a tourist in London. Saturday was our day for the Dr

Who Event...which I have already done a blog.

Our Adventures with Dr Who

Three and a half years ago, during a family home evening, Steve asked all of us what we were currently saving for. If I remember right, Scott said he was saving for his own notebook (a mini computer so he could be in contact with his friends), Stephanie, I don't remember. I think I was saving for a book reader. Steve then stated that he was going to save for an event 3 years away; Dr Who's 50th anniversary from when it was first televised in England. Our thinking at the time was that there would be a summer event for us to attend.

So Steve set up his paychecks to deposit a set amount into a special account towards this event. Our budget was adjusted. When the dishwasher broke, it stayed broke and the children learned to do dishes by hand. When the dryer died, we replaced it with a very basic model (I wasn't about to hang dry our clothes). I have to give credit to our children, there was very little grumbling about the change in chore lists, or the budget restrictions.

Throughout 2013, we obtained our passports, secured flights, made hotel reservations, met with a travel expert to help us streamline our itinerary, purchased the event tickets and got ourselves new luggage so that everything we had could be used as carry-on luggage if needed. Our current luggage was either broken or not travel worthy.

So how much Dr Who did we do? There was the "Event" on Saturday, November 23rd, which was the actual 50th anniversary date. That same night BBC aired "The Day of the Doctor" in movie theaters (in 3D) all around the world and on TV in Great Britain.  Steve and Stephanie saw it in a theater, the O2, near our hotel while Scott and I watched it in our hotel room. Then in Cardiff, Wales we toured the current TARDIS set in the BBC studios and went through the Dr Who Experience (a museum close to the studio). Loads of pictures were taken, so here are some of the highlights:

TARDIS on the Street

Steve learned that there was a TARDIS at a subway stop, Earl's Court, so we headed out to see for ourselves.

VIP  Lounge Surprise

 



 

Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Matt Smith

 

4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 11th Doctors

Because we traveled so far, we also paid for premium seating. Included in these tickets was the use of the VIP lounge. While we were sitting in there enjoying biscuits (cookies) and other refreshments, waiting for our first event, there was this commotion and all 5 doctors here came in for a photo shoot. How fun! While they didn't stop to chat with us there, they just chatted among themselves, it was eye candy to get to see them together.

 

The Mural

 

 

I don't do photoshop, but that is what they had schemed to do...which is why Scott is like a robot in both pictures. :)

 

Before you entered the doors inside the convention center, there was this huge mural of all the doctors to date. This same mural was the backdrop for the events that occurred on stage.

 

Auditorium Events

 

 

 

Another perk from the VIP tickets was front row seating. Add in my wheelchair and we really had

premium seating. We were able to get these great photos without resorting to a zoom lens. However, we also had to time our photos around their big cameras.

 

 

The Special Effects show was pretty amazing. The Cyberman had no options but to be blown away. Stephanie was really pleased that she timed her picture taking at just the right moment to catch the explosion.

 

More Dr Who Stuff at the Event

 

 

 

When we weren't in auditorium with the shows, there was so much more to see and interact with. Add in all the dealers and it was a very busy time.

 

Steve and the Doctor

 

 

 

 

 

Many, many years ago, when Steve was switching channels on the

TV (probably manually), he caught a glimpse of Dr Who on the local public station. His love affair with Dr Who began with the 4th doctor, Tom Baker, and so he was excited to be able to meet him in person and even get a photo taken with him.

 

BBC Studio Tour

 

 

This is the actual door to the TARDIS on the BBC studio set. The green surround allows them to put the TARDIS in any location they desire. It had to be modified a bit to allow Clara (one of his companions) to ride a motorcycle into it. When we were there for our tour, we were graciously allowed to open the door ourselves to go inside to the interior set.

 

As you can see, we had lots of fun here.

 

 

I have to admit that the above picture reminds me a lot of Star Trek with the glowing power in the center of the console.

 

One of Stephanie's greatest treasures found in the dealers section was the bag with all the doctors on it. She carried it everywhere for the rest of our trip.

 

 

Just before we left the set, there is this sign posted...basically telling whoever left the set last to turn off the lights in the TARDIS.

 

The exterior of the set.

 

This Dalek was waiting for us in the office as we left the studio. It's one that actually gets used, but when not needed it is parked in the office. I wonder what the workers think when they have to see it guarding them?

 

Dr Who Experience

 

Next to the Experience is this dock with the TARDIS sitting on top...we thought it was pretty cool!

 

 

Just looking at the entrance was like looking into a vortex.

 

Why didn't they take drama classes?

 

 

Steve is getting our tickets. If you saw the Day of the Doctor, then you recognize the cube.

 

We all thought this was really neat. The Dalek is made up of Legos!

 

 

This is the underside of the console in the TARDIS, you have to go down stairs to see it.

 

 

This is the very first TARDIS, there have been lots of changes through the years!

 

 

 

A few of the bad guys...

 

 

Tom Baker's costume (I have actually knitted a replica of his scarf)

 

Rose (the Moment as Bad Wolf) and Queen Elizabeth costumes from Day of the Doctor

 

 

3 TARDIS for 3 Doctors...all in the same episode!

 

 

Millennium Centre

 

After we left the Dr Who Experience, we were sort of wandering back towards our hotel and along the way we discovered this place. Even I recognized it as one of the locations in filming Dr Who.

 

 

Both Stephanie and Scott had a grand time using these machine to flatten their pennies. It all started at The Event and exploded into genuine souvenirs for them.

 

 

It truly was fun and instructive to be able to be there in London for Dr Who's 50th Anniversary. Totally worth the budget crimping and sacrifices.  Just wait...Star Trek will soon be having it's 50th anniversary too... :)