LONDON WALKS #3 - Christmas 2024: London Eye, Southbank, Central London/West End

A walk around Central London 27th December 2024, firstly a visit to the London Eye, Europe's tallest observation wheel, which has been in situ since 2000.
Being a London resident, it may be a surprise to learn that this was my first visit to the Eye, but I always argue that, living here, one never seems to have the time to actually VISIT the attractions of this city, which I consider to be probably the greatest in the world. Indeed, I once got into conversation with some New Yorkers at Crazy Coqs cabaret, discussing London and New York respective and comparable merits, one of the New Yorkers announcing (somewhat surprisingly), "You ARE in the greatest city in the world".
The Eye was great fun, the fog notwithstanding (come to think of it, I should have used Gershwin's 'A Foggy Day' as the background music!), though there were still some glorious views of the Thames and the Parliament complex.
After that, Stuart and I walked east along the Southbank to greet his parents, getting off a bus on Waterloo Bridge.
We then walked west along the Thames, crossing the river at Hungerford pedestrian bridge, then up through Embankment station, Villers Street, and on to the Strand.
We paused briefly at 10 Adam Street for photos (a facsimile of the Downing Street door) and then through a very Christmassy (and busy!) Covent Garden, pausing to watch a string septet finishing Rossini's overture to the Barber of Seville.
Then it was off past the Royal Opera House, up to Seven Dials, and then the giant LED screens at Outernet on Tottenham Court Road, currently the most visited cultural attraction in the UK.
Then it was to Liberty (my second favourite shop) to see the Wicked display

Music:
1. The Eye: the second movement (Presto) of Holst's 'Saint Paul's Suite' for strings (1922), named for the girls' school in Hammersmith where Holst was Music Master from 1905 to 1934.
2. From Embankment to New Bond Street: the Interlude from Britten's 'A Ceremony of Carols' (1942) for harp.
3. From New Bond Street to Shakespeare's Globe: the 'Pifa' (Pastoral Symphony) from 'The Messiah' (1741), which Handel wrote at Brook Street, Mayfair, London (incidentally where Jimi Hendrix also lived in 1968/69).