Parliament

Parliament. Derived from the french world parler, or, to "speak." This is an accurate account of what the traditional idea of Parliament is in modern day England. Along the river Thames stands the mighty walls of the Palace of Westminster, the seat of England's highest power, Parliament.

Built in the eleventh century, the Palace was originally the primary residence of the King of England and his predecessors. After the fire of 1512 the palace was rebuilt and was used as the location for both houses of Parliament. In 1834 a second fire tore through the building once again reducing most of its interior to rubble. To this day the House of Commons and the House of Lords meet to "speak" about the issues at hand for England and its commonwealth.

One of the most iconic and notable attractions of Westminster is the impressive clock tower "Big Ben." Majestic. Ornate. And overpowering. No Londoner has an excuse for being late to work. The clock tower houses five massive bells. The four smallest ring every quarter hour, while the fifth bell, aka "Big Ben," sounds on the hour.
This impressive view can be found right across the river Thames on the Jubilee Walkway. Crossing the Westminster bridge to South Bank is certainly worth the effort. The South Bank is home to the London Eye, the Marriott Hotel, St. Thomas Hospital and dozens of street performers and vendors.