Seeing Big Ben tomorrow

[yermum]

Tomorrow I am going to be standing next to Big Ben when it tolls at midday - and I'm so excited I could scream. It not something you get to do every day, especially as we will also be taken on a guided tour around the Houses of Commons and Lords too.

I know that you're not supposed to take photos, but I will try to get some. Can't promise that I'll be able to smuggle a loaf in though.

 

[yermum]

Yup, we'll be standing right next to the bell at 12 noon, with our 12 year old son.

 

[yermum]

Just got back in from our trip to London and it was awsome. We were shown the clock mechanism as it struck 11.45 and then went up to the bells at 12. As the pendulum is regulated by the addition or subtraction of old pennies, our son left a 1967 penny that he had been given some time ago with the clock keeper. He promised that the next time they added a coin, they would use his penny.

Big Ben is soooooooo loud that you are supposed to wear ear plugs, but we didn't, with the girders vibrating with each strike - but absolutely no photos allowed unfortunately. We walked around behind the 4 clock faces and saw some mysterious preparations that they are making for when the clock is 150 soon.

We were given special gold lapel pins to commemorate the trip and warned not to put them on ebay or security would track us down

We had lunch next to the river in one of the House of Commons restaurants, courtesy of a friend of ours who works there, and then went on to a guided tour of the two Houses.

An amazing day out and one that I can recommend without hesitation, apart from the 340 odd steps up the clock tower and the miles of walking that we have done today.