The London Eye

As a child I rode many ferris wheels. I used to admire the view of the buildings below as the metal monster neared the top of the skyline. On our first day in London we went to the world famous London Eye, which essentially is an oversized ferris wheel. The walk there was a struggle due to the fact that we had gotten off the plane just hours before and immediately started touring. Also, I encountered my first experience on the metro.

 I have seen the American subways in television shows but was clueless as to what the experience was actually like. The experience was like nothing I expected. The escalators we took to reach our train moved rapidly. People were supposed to stand on the right side as a courtesy to the people that are in a hurry and run down the escalator on the left side. The car that we were in was very crowded which was uncomfortable with sweaty people and a lack of deodorant. Most people would lift their arm to hold the bar as the train excelled. This was just unpleasant to all of the other passenger due to the retched smell. In London, what we Americans would call the subway is actually called the tube. I was excited to get off the tube after our lengthy ride.

After some free time our group ventured over to the line for the London Eye. While waiting in line, a man on bouncy splints was doing tricks with a ball. Honestly it reminded me of a seal and the lack of teeth contributed to this connection. The area where the Eye was located was a very relaxed park scene with food vendors on the street. I was jealous of the beautiful area that people would leisurely hang out at because there isn’t an area like that to my knowledge in Livonia. As it was our turn to board a chamber we were separated into lines and quickly shooed into the bubble. At first I was taken back at the fact that the wheel doesn’t stop as you board your individual bubble.

The wheel was much slower than I assumed. Our tour guide told us that it is rumored that the motion of the London eye is a mimic of traffic in the city. As our bubble ascended, the view of the river and the many different bridges became more vivid. Big ben had a noticeable presence over the river. In our bubble we were able to see the famous tower from an angle that wasn’t possible from the ground which made it even more beautiful. From the top you could see a vast amount of the city including some type of field across the river. My assumption was that the field was designated for rugby. The fact I found most interesting about the London Eye is that there are thirty one chambers that represent each of the thirty one districts of London. I know I would have been more will and able to take in the beautiful view if it wasn’t for the jet lag. Overall, the London Eye was an amazing experience that also resulted in very picturesque photos.