Rollin' on the River Thames

Tonight the CEA Program hosted a little boat party on the Thames. It was really fun, but super cold. The music was really loud but the boat offered some pretty awesome views of the city. Once the sun went down and everything was lit up, it was as if I was back in Chicago looking out into my beloved skyline, a sight that only gets better after dark.

I can't find a good website on the River, so I will share this article I found on the clean-up project. It's dated October 2010, but it still demonstrates how far the river has come thanks to hundreds of volunteers and environmental agencies, who recently nabbed a top environmental award (as described in the article) for their work. According to the article, its now a healthy and thriving habitat for hundreds of species (otters are even said to be returning!). Check it out here.

Now for the pictures!

A fancy bridge.

A nice egg shaped building

This picture is a two-in-one: it shows a large cone shaped building that (we think) is under construction and a navy ship armed with missile launchers or something. It's called the Belfast, and was totally bad ass. There was even a seaman on it!

A fancy hotel/restaurant or something. It looked like fun.

My lovely friend Lauren and a bridge

The Tower of London!!!

By far the most exciting part of this boat ride was being so close to the Tower of London. I am an English History freak and can not wait to tour this bad boy. Anne Boleyn is my favorite Queen of England and I want to see the place where she was beheaded.

A red eye (oh, the puns that can be made with that one)

Big Ben at night.

I'm still figuring out how to work my camera (especially at night) so my pictures aren't the greatest. But they work.

The County Building and London Aquarium

THE TOWER OF LONDON

Please excuse my excitement. I was totally geeking out every time I saw it. Ask anyone who was there. I'm sure they heard me.