I had a voucher for Madame Tussaud’s so I was told to go to a fast track window to exchange the voucher for a real ticket. Madame Tussaud’s really dropped the ball here. They had one person working the counter and she got stuck on a couple of customers, taking ages to process them. There should have been someone else working to do the exchanges for customers without problematic situations. I’d already queued a very long time twice at the Eye and when it took almost 15 minutes for them to process two customers and then a further 10 minutes to let my group into the museum, it was a bit demoralising. I was tired by this point and starting to regret not waiting to go another day. But we were finally let in and the wait was worth it!
I’m not going to share photos of everything I saw, just my favourites and those that turned out well. The first statue I saw was of Morgan Freeman.
Handsome George. He looks a little less lifelike than other statues, though. His eyes are wrong.
Aaaaaaah. The most gorgeous man in entertainment.
Look at those cheekbones! Those eyes! That Cupid’s Bow!
Okay, I’m a tad obsessed. 😀
Sir Sean Connery.
Sir Patrick Stewart. He looked really lifelike!
Colin Firth.
John Wayne.
Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen (that reminds me I need to catch up on the Hunger Games).
Marilyn Monroe. Men (and I use the term loosely) tried to get a look up her skirt when it would blow up.
Dame Judi Dench as M.
Daniel Craig, my favourite Bond.
Bruce Willis. Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator was next to him, but I could not get a shot as he was too popular.
Steven Spielberg was the most lifelike. Very eerie!
Alfred Hitchcock.
Henry VIII.
Princess Diana also looked very lifelike.
The process for making the statues is very intimate and Madame Tussaud’s has managed three sittings with the Queen over the years!
Three different statues of the Queen.
Queen Victoria.
The Royal family. I could not get a better picture as it was SUPER busy. I imagine they’ll be adding Prince George and Princess Charlotte at some point.
Vincent Van Gogh.
Stephen Hawking.
Albert Einstein was also very lifelike!
Charles Dickens.
Pablo Picasso.
The Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Churchill.
A very young looking President Obama.
John F. Kennedy (doesn’t really look like him…) and Benazir Bhutto.
Desmond Tutu.
Part of Madame Tussaud’s birth certificate.
The other half.
Madame Tussaud.
It was interesting to learn here how far back these wax likenesses were made, right to the 18th century! Some of Madame Tussaud’s methods are still in use today!
There was information about how the statues are made. The measurements sound very invasive and speak to how respected Madame Tussaud’s is for people to pose for statues.
Next came a fun ride through London’s history in a black cab. No photos allowed for this. The evolution of the city was striking. I really enjoyed this.
The last bit was a treat, dedicated to the Marvel superhero movies. Here’s Hawkeye.
Hulk.
Wolverine, the first Canadian I saw in the whole museum… *wry grin*
Captain America.
The last bit was a 4D movie of Spiderman, Ironman, Hulk, Captain America, and a woman I didn’t recognise saving Buckingham Palace. It was a lot of fun, especially since I like those movies!
There was a Star Wars thing after for an additional £3, but I wasn’t interested in that at all.
I really enjoyed Madame Tussaud’s, but it was incredibly rushed and busy. It would have been more fun to go with someone so we could take pictures of each other with the statues (which you can touch!). A really kind man offered to take a picture of me with Benedict Cumberbatch. Kind of a shame my coat almost matched the background!
I was peckish when I got out of Madame Tussaud’s, so I went around the corner to see if the sushi place I’d scouted yesterday was still open. Nope. It was getting late on a Sunday night… I turned around to go to the Tube station, figuring that I could just stop at Tesco Express and grab something to nuke at home, when a man thrust a flier into my hands for the new Holmes Grill (so new I can’t find anything on it online). It’s a Lebanese place! It’s at 220 Baker Street, not quite in front of 221. £4 got me the best falafel sandwich I’ve had in far, far too long. It was sooooooooo good. If I ever need to move to London and can afford to do so, I’m moving to the 200 Block of Baker Street since it hosts all my favourite cuisines. 😀
I was tuckered out by that point, so I jumped back on the Tube and headed home. It’s now 11PM and I’m not even sleepy! I’m not in a rush to get up tomorrow, though, since I don’t want to get on the Tube until past 9:30 (cheaper) and the British Museum doesn’t open till 10:00 anyway. I’ll very likely brunch at Speedy’s restaurant and won’t do anything else all day.
It’s been a very full, but lovely and unhurried, first day in London. I am really loving this city. With it being the least expensive place to fly to from Canada, I suspect I will very likely be back. Funny how I never had any desire to come here and now I’m already planning future trips!
Ahhhh You are bringing back memories my dear.
Lol For me as well. I had a good time at the One in Vegas!
What a great visit, well worth the ticket hastle. I am surprised they allowed photos! That would never happen in the US.
Sure it would… I took heaps of pics at the Madame Tussaud’s in Vegas, which my camera ate. 🙁 I remember being told that they want you to touch all the statues and interact with them.
Yes, once you discover how easy it is to get around London and how much there is to do and see there the urge to return is huge!
I cannot get over how easy it is to get anywhere!
LOVE your new header photo! It was time! This is much more fitting. : ) Wow, you’re really covering some ground. Excellent. Please, please post pics of each place you stay. Great for future reference and very much appreciated. Like you, I agree that the price of a humble place (if clean of course) carries it especially when the location is great as yours is. Eat some more chips for me – I love them there too!
Thanks for the header comment. 🙂
Because I’m staying in a room in a private home, I feel a bit weird about posting pictures of where I’m staying. I know it’s silly since their Airbnb listing is public, but that’s just how I feel about it…
How about posting the Airbnb link with the price? After all your info will get them more business.
I will when I leave. I don’t like to post where I’m staying exactly while I’m there.
Who is Benedict Cumberbatch? No, seriously, who is Benedict Cumberbatch? I must be lacking as I have never heard of him. Google, Google…… Well, I am no better off. Am I getting old?
Dr. Who!
Nope… 😀
He’s most famous place for playing the modern, younger, Sherlock Holmes and also for playing the knew Khan on Star Trek. But he’s done a bunch of other things. He’s brilliant in every one of his projects.
Thanks for asking Croft cuz I had no idea either. Getting old 🙁
A few days ago you seemed rather lackadaisical about the London stopover, but, Oh Boy, have you been on the go! I, for one, am amazed at how effortlessly you get around and how much you’ve packed in so far. Can’t wait to see what’s next!
It is pretty funny! The city is just SO accessible! I am also surprised by how easy it is to get around.
Wow! A great first day and full of activity. Thanks for sharing your adventure.
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