London

Known as
Big Ben, the Clock Tower is at the north end of the New Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament). The bell takes its name from Benjamin Hall who had charge of the work on the first bell

The bell weighs 13½ tons, is 7½ feet tall and 9 feet in diameter at its mouth. The great bell rings the hours. The note is E sharp. Smaller bells ring the quarter hours

The Clock Tower is 320 feet high and has four faces with dials 23 feet in diameter. The numbers on the clock face are 2 feet long, the minute spaces are 1 ft. square and the copper minute hands are 14 feet long

The
Tower Bridge is one of the most recognizable bridges in the world. The London Bridge was the only practical way over the Thames so, in 1876, it was decided to build a new bridge. Sir Horace Jones designed a raising bridge so there was enough clearance for the tall mast ships and shallow enough for a horse drawn carriage to negotiate

The bridge cost of £1,184,000 and ten lives. The bridge was operated by great steam pumping engines. It was a masterpiece of its time and remains an evocative symbol of London
West Minister Abbey is an English Gothic structure and national shrine. Almost all English monarchs since William I have been crowned in the Abbey and noted English subjects are buried there. The western towers were built between 1722 and 1740
Buckingham Palace is the Queen's official London home. Queen Victoria was the first monarch to make Buckingham Palace her permanent home. The orginal house was built in 1702 by the Duke of Buckingham on the site of a brothel
The Victoria Memorial stands in front of Buckingham Palace. The Mall is a wide tree-lined driveway linking Trafalgar Square with Buckingham Palace
Trafalgar Square is considered the true heart of London. Its central location and sheer size make it a focal point for political demonstrations and public meetings
Nelson's Column stands on the South side of the Square. Its fluted shaft is nearly 185 feet high and is topped by E.H. Baily's 17 ft. statue of Lord Horatio Nelson, England's greatest naval hero
Dover - Cruise #2 (Sept 2010)

The White Cliffs of Dover

The White Cliffs retain their coloring because they are comprised of chalk. The rumor that it's bird poop isn't true

Dover Castle sits high on the cliffs overlooking the waterfront on one side, the town on the other

Dover Castle is a great medieval fortress created by King Henry II and built between 1180 and 1185

Joan at the Cliffs. The Seaport is below and the Shakespeare Cliff is beyond the bay

The Port of Dover. It's 21 miles across the English Channel to France. Dating back to the early 17th century, it is one of the busiest and most popular ports in the world

Port of Dover. Each year millions of trucks, busses, cars, motorcycles and passengers pass through the port for the 21 mile journey across the English Channel to France

Shakespeare Cliff is the backdrop to the waterfront

The White Cliffs small craft harbor of Dover

The Southern Queen - The White Cliffs Harbor tour boat and it is the only tour boat in Dover and the surounding area

The Clock Tower and Lifeboat House overlooks the small craft harbor

The Prominade and small craft launch ramp

The Beach

Waterfront Shopping along the Prominade

The Town Center

Castle Street
Market Square on Saturday
Market Square on Sunday

St. Mary's Catholic Church on the left with scafolding

The ages-old Cemetary at St. Mary's

The Dover Museum

The Town Hall and The War Memorial

The Prince Albert Hotel and restaurant

Ristorante Dino - This cozy little Italian restaurant was our favorite restaurant in Dover. We had a fantastic dinner, prepared by Mama Dino, and the best liver pate appetizer ever (except for Joan's of course)

The Roman Painted House is preserved inside this building. Built about AD 200, the House is named for the brightly colored murals found on its plaster walls. The floors are red mortar and cover a remarkable under-floor heating system

The House formed part of a large mansion or official hotel. It was demolished in AD. 270 by the Roman Army during the construction of a new fort

Wall Paintings - It was this quick burial of the wall paintings which led to their survival. While still in good condition, the House's three main rooms were buried in clay to construct ramparts for the new fort

The Roman House was discovered by Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit. The walls survived to a height of 4-6 feet

The Red Mortar Floors cover an 1,800 year old under-floor central heating system that kept the building warm

Central Heating -- Visitors can see the large arched flues, the heating channels and the vertical wall-flues of the under-floor central heating system

Magistrate Court

Polite Notice - The English certainly have an interesting command of the language

This lovely park is in the center of town

Only the English would call a 'park'
The Pleasure Grounds

The quiet beauty of Dover

The East Lee Guest House. We stayed at this lovely Bed & Breakfast for two nights before the cruise

The East Lee Guest House foyer

The East Lee Guest House breakfast room

The East Lee Guest House dinning room

Heading out to board the ship for our cruise

The Crystal Symphony docked at the Dover Seaport

The Light House - Sailing out of the harbor
Gibraltar, A British Territory - Cruise #7 (Nov 2015)

Gibraltar at dawn

Docking in Gibraltar

Catalan Bay, a small fishing village in Gibraltar on the eastern side of the Rock

The Strait of Gibraltar connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Gibraltar and Peninsular Spain in Europe from Morocco and Ceuta in Africa

Europa Point is the southernmost point of Gibraltar

The Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim Mosque

Europa Point Lighthouse

Joan at Europa Point Lighthouse

Europa Point replica of Ordnance RML 12.5 inch 38 ton gun

Dudley Ward Tunnel linking the eastern side with Europa Point

Grand Casemates Gates, formerly Waterport Gate, provide an entrance from the northwest to the old, fortified portion of the city

Grand Casemates Gates

Grand Casemates Square

Grand Casemates Square

Gibraltar City Center

Gibraltar. Emphatically British!

Glass-blowing factory on Grand Casemates Square

The highway intersects with the airport runway

The yacht
Gloria. Looking for a
parking spot?