The brown-colored building is part of the Northeastern University London campus.
The Devon House is a study center that does not belong to the university but is often used by the university for activities.

Lunch at the Vicinity restruant of the Tower Hotel.

Lunch menu

Several of us ordered "The Great British Fish & Chips" from the menu.

a part of the Leadenhall Market.

The tall Sky Garden building, distinctively shaped like a walkie-talkie.
The top three floors (floors 35, 36, and 37) are observation decks.

Bird's-eye view of the Tower of London on the lower left, and the Tower Bridge over the River Thames.
 

Bird's-eye view of the Shard, the UK's tallest building.
It is 72 stories high. The name comes from the building's exterior, which looks like a shard of glass.
The Shard is located on the south bank of the River Thames and near the Borough Market.

Inside the Sky Garden. With all that greenery, no wonder it is called a garden.

It was a short walk from our hotel to this Westminster Bridge.
Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster, which houses Parliament, are in full view.

Palace of Westminster.
The glass door at the far end was where we entered for the guided tour.
Only a limited section of the palace permits the use of cameras.

A decorated hallway in the Palace of Westminster.

Westminster Abbey, the British Royal Family's church.

Inside the Westminster Abbey.

The altar at the Westminster Abbey.

A street on my walk from Chinatown to Covent Garden.
After just walking past a UNIQLO store, there was this MUJI store.
Before I could utter "Amazing," a Venchi Italian gelato shop appeared right next to MUJI.

I went to Venchi for two scoops of gelato.
The setup closely resembles their shops in Italy that we visited a few years ago.

This collage sums up my solo afternoon:
I took the Tube to Piccadilly Circus to photograph its famous fountain with the Cupid statue.
For lunch, I had a delicious BBQ pork and soy-sauce chicken at the Little Four Seasons in Chinatown.
I then enjoyed some gelato at a Venchi before walking to
Covent Garden to see the bustling market and photograph the Royal Opera House.

Angelina and Gabby in front of St. Martin's theater in the West End
where they saw a show of murder mystery.

Inside the St. Martin's theater.

On their walk back to the hotel after the show, they saw this pretty sight of lights lit up in the night.
 

Changing of the Guards.
Much time was spent waiting for only a few minutes of actual viewing.

Borough Market.

This seafood paella vendor in the Borough Market was very popular.

Our tapas lunch at "Barrafina Borough Yards" on #2 Dirty Lane was a cool, quiet oasis
from the crowded Borough Market.
However, the portions were very small for the price they charged.

St. Paul's Cathedral: On a Sunday, since we were not attending a service, we were only
permitted to stand in the back and admire the ornate interior.

St. Paul's Cathedral:
These are the iconic steps where millions watched Princess Diana ascend
in her beautiful bridal gown on TV.

Universal Studio Harry Potter tour

Universal Studio Harry Potter tour

Painting of Samson and Delilahl, about 1608-10, by Peter Paul Rubens.
National Gallery, London

A young woman seated at a Virginal, about 1670-2, by Johannes Vermeer.
National Gallery, London

A Wheatfield with Cypresses, 1889, by Vincent van Gogh.
National Gallery, London

Dish of Fruit, 1893-4, by Paul Cezanne.
National Gallery, London

After time at the National Gallery, MC went to "Meet Fresh", 鮮竽仙, in Chinatown at 100 Shaftesbury Ave
for a bowl of Taiwanese shaved ice with taro balls and grass jelly.
The shop came highly recommended by Amy and CK Chuang, who had been
on a London-Paris family trip just three days ahead of us.