Skyline Views, Both Real and Tattooed

This may be a familiar sight if you've visited London in recent years, or if you've read this blog since 2003 and you have a really good memory. It's the view from the top of the elevator that takes visitors to the top of one of the chimneys at Battersea Power Station. Dave and I did this back in 2023, when it was called Lift 109. Apparently it has been renamed The Chimney Lift but it's the same experience, and I went up with my brother, his wife and my niece yesterday.

The weather cooperated and we had great views across the city in all directions. If you want to see more of what it looks like, check out that linked post above.

They sell plush toys in the gift shop, including Charlie the Chimney. I bought one just because the idea of a stuffed chimney was so peculiar. My brother got one for my niece, too. The woman working the counter at the gift shop said, "You don't need a bag, do you?" When she put it like that I felt like I had to say no, so I was carrying this chimney around for the next hour or two. My niece discovered that they stayed secure head-down in a side pocket of our cargo pants, so that's what we did.

Americans will buy anything.

Before taking the lift we had lunch on the patio of a seafood restaurant near the river. Our server had this great tattoo of London architectural icons, which seemed appropriate for a day when we were getting a good skyline view of the city.

Afterwards we walked down the river to Vauxhall, passing the U.S. Embassy and the sky pool, and then across the Vauxhall Bridge to Pimlico, where we caught the tube.

Today is going to be more of a challenge. We're supposed to go to Stonehenge via a bus leaving from Victoria station, but of course it's raining (yay, but why today?) and there's also a tube strike. I'm going to have to be creative about getting us down to Victoria. I'm catching a 6 a.m. Thameslink train to get to my brother's hotel and we'll go from there, either by bus, taxi or walking. Given the rain I'd say walking might be out. Wish us luck!