What’s That London Lion Looking At? | Yikes!

A little walk that I never tire of in Central London – is a wee circular walk that I begin at Westminster Bridge on the North Bank and which crosses over the River Thames via Waterloo Bridge and I then come back to my original starting point via the South Bank. Not a huge distance to cover and even those of you that are allergic to walking could manage this wee stroll.

Even though I have called this wee stroll a walk…I spend most of my time stopping and looking around and enjoying the view and then strolling along for a bit until something else grabs my interest again. Or perhaps I grab a seat and sit down and watch the world go past for an hour or two. There is no rush and it is a part of London, which has an amazing vibe to it.

The best piece of advice I can give to people when walking around central London is to take your time. What’s the rush? Wherever I go in London, people are always rushing around like crazy…people rushing to work, tourists rushing to the next attraction…rush…rush…rushing everywhere! You miss so much when you let the world flash by.

I had an appointment in Central London the other day and once I was done with the stuff that pays the bills. I was in need of some rest and relaxation time. All work and no time out makes for a boring life if you ask me and one thing I don’t want to become is a bore!

After my appointment with David Cameron at Number 10, that was a joke by the way…I wandered down to Westminster Bridge and went for a wee stroll along Victoria Embankment. I stopped to take a wee peek of the lions heads that line the river bank. These lions are not just pretty little ornamental features to make the river bank look more interesting, but they actually serve a vital purpose. Yes indeed! I wanted to make sure that there was no risk of a flood, because I have my doubts about how alert the cops are!

The lions heads, which have steel rings in their mouths are actually part of the Thames flood warning system. If the water level of the River Thames reaches the steel rings that are in the lions mouth this would be classed as a flood warning. And the tube system would immediately be shut down along with all Thames tunnels. The system works like this, any police officers walking along this stretch of the River Thames are supposedly meant to keep an eye on them. I wonder how this works because the next time I see a cop walking along this stretch of the Thames will be the first time!

Thankfully the chances of the River Thames flooding in London is very slim, due to the Thames Barrier, which has reduced the risk of this happening. But never say never is my motto and as the saying goes “When the lions drink, London’s in danger” so if you happen to see those Lions drinking water get the hell of out there as quick as you can…

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2. The River Thames Night Time Awakening
3. Down By The River Thames – Wordless Wednesday
4. Pictures Of A Wee Night Time Walk Along The River Thames
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