In February of 2005 Ursula and I visited our daughter, son-in-law, and bouncing new granddaughter in England. But before we headed north out of London Ursula and I decided to do the tourist thing. This was with my first digital camera, a now positively ancient Sony F707 which was pretty state-of-the-art for the time.
One of the stops was across the river from James Bond’s office at the SIS (a.k.a., MI6) Building. A passerby jokingly (I hope) stopped and told me that I shouldn’t be taking a picture of this edifice:
SIS Headquarters — M was not receiving visitors that day, and 007 was out of the country
We also strolled by the London Eye, of course. No, I didn’t get on. I don’t do heights:
London Eye
London Eye
And it goes without saying that no trip to London is complete without a photo of Big Ben (now officially Elizabeth Tour), the Palace of Westminster (a.k.a., the Parliament building), and Westminster Bridge:
Westminster Bridge, Westminster Palace, and Big Ben
Another picture-worthy span is Vauxhall Bridge:
Vauhall Bridge
As is Lambeth Bridge:
Lambeth Bridge
Of course I probably could have gotten even better photos if only I had sprung for a Thames River tour:
A Duck in the Water
Decisions — Murder in Paradise
The Globe — Murder in Luxury
R. Doug Wicker — Author 
London is my favorite city. Thanks for the memories, R. Doug.
You’re very welcome, Karen. Thanks for dropping by.
I assume another boat is the “Mistress Quack!”
You quack me up!
Nice photos, as usual.
I spent a semester at university in London and had the time of my life, quite literally.
Those amphibian Duck Tour vehicles can be found in many British cities BTW. I suspect the manufacturer is British. I’ve never been aboard one of them and probably wouldn’t go without having a detailed look at the blueprints, because they make me nervous.
Regarding the SIS Building, a student of mine is a big Bond fan and he was stunned when I told him that yes, the building seen in the Bond films really exists and it really is the headquarters of the MI6. “You mean, everybody knows where and what it is and you can just walk past it?”, he asked.
“Well, it’s kind of hard to miss, considering that it’s really big and right in the middle of London”, I told him.
Though come to think of it, it is rather stunning that you can just walk past the SIS Building or Thames House, where MI5 is headquartered, and that no one bothers or stops you, unless you do something to draw attention to yourself.
It is rather amazing that SIS is so public nowadays. They were much more secretive before this building went up.
I don’t know that they’re British. I’ve been on a duck tour in Ketchican, Alaska (link: https://rdougwicker.com/2012/08/22/catch-me-when-you-can-in-ketchican/), and I’ve seen them in many U.S. cities including Boston.
As for the SIS building, I recall something about SIS initially trying to block the filming of their building in The World is Not Enough (reportedly overruled by the Foreign Office). The producers had the last laugh when they blew it up (actually a model of it) in the film.
The SIS Building was still pretty new (one or two years old) when I was a student in London and MI5 had only recently moved to Thames House, too, and apparently they had only recently gotten less secretive. BTW, the exterior shots of the MI5 headquarters in the British TV series “Spooks” are not Thames House but a nearby Masonic Temple. Which I always found a bit odd, particularly because the Masonic Temple is a very recognizable building.
Within living memory the headquarters of MI6 and MI5 and various associated buildings were the subject of permanent D Notices, which were notices to the Press that publication of photographs or information would be a breach of the Official Secrets Act.
Good sharp photographs, Doug. They’ll stand huge enlargement. Expect an official visit, at the very least difficulties about your next visa.
Oh heck, André, I didn’t get the notice.
Now I’m expecting a midnight visit from the 00 Section.