DANNY PARLOUR

London Blue Badge Tourist Guide

13.03.2024 My guests and I, who are from Missouri, USA, were incredibly excited to see King Charles leaving Clarence House earlier today. This was particularly special for us since we haven’t had many opportunities to see him in public recently what with his recent cancer diagnosis. We were in the area to witness the Changing of the Guard, and as we followed the King’s Guard along the Mall, I noticed that the gates of Clarence House were wide open, an indication that someone important was arriving or departing but more importantly, there was a neat row of Metropolitan Police motorbikes too. At my suggestion we stopped and moments later we saw the King drive right past us! The timing couldn’t have been better, as I had just mentioned to the delightful family I was guiding that there was a possibility of seeing the King pass by in a motorcade on such a mid-week day, as he usually meets with the Prime Minister in the area around such time. #changingoftheguard #godsavetheking #kingcharles #london #buckinghampalace #toursoflondon #royalfamily #uk #visitlondon #bluebadgetouristguide #visitengland #england #visitbritain

Happy New Year everybody! 🎉 I had so much fun guiding @crmarchingband over the New Year period. It’s such a privilege to be one of the 115 guides involved with the US Cheerleaders and Marching Bands over here to participate in the @lnydp 2024 Before and after the day of the NYD parade, I was lucky enough to guide the Marching Band of Catawba Ridge High School. They were so polite, engaged and fun to tour. Day 1/ A Morning Half day Panoramic tour of London. I designed a coach route covering most of the city. Everything between Canary Wharf and Westminster Abbey, finishing at Covent Garden. 🇬🇧🤩 Day 2/ A Full day tour of Windsor Castle. 🏰 Day 3/ A Full day tour of Hampton Court Palace. ❤️👑💚 #CatawbaRidgeHighSchool #London #ToursOfLondon #lyndp #lnydp2024 #lnydp24 #bluebadgetouristguide #marchingbands #londontourguide #windsorcastle #hamptoncourtpalace #royalcollectiontrust #historicroyalpalaces #stpaulscathedral

What a treat! I had a spectacularly spooky evening at the @banquetinghouse this evening with my friend Adam @bricks_in_time HRP Welcome Hosts James and Eleanor - who usually work their magic over at @kensingtonpalace - enthralled us with stories and tales of the occult, witchcraft, ghosts and ghouls from the 15th - 18th c. So much history in one place. The Banqueting House is very dear to me and it was so special to be back and hear some new stories about the history of the building and details of a great many historical events that took place there and the historical figures/actors/beings were incredible! They did a fantastic job of creating an atmosphere and they even made me jump at one point but then it doesn’t take much..! 😆 They were so impressive. Bravo @historicroyalpalaces 👏 There are further private guided tours coming up at the Banqueting House, where visitors can learn about Guy Fawkes and what Christmas at Whitehall Palace was like. For details see hrp.org.uk #museumlates #halloween #banquetinghouse #historicroyalpalaces #london #theatre #history #whitehall #stuarthistory

We’re all pumpk’d up for Halloween here in London U.K. 🎃 @londoneye Are you celebrating where you are? #londoneye #halloween #halloween2023 #pumpkin #nofilter #iphone #london #nightphotography #stpauls #stpaulscathedral

The magnificent Scots Guards, one of the regiments within the esteemed King’s Guards, marching in perfect formation through the splendid grounds of Windsor Castle. Dressed in their impeccable uniforms, they are a sight to behold. All the regiments of the King’s Guards don the iconic black bearskins and red tunics, but each regiment has unique details on their uniforms that set them apart. The Scots Guards proudly display a Scottish thistle on their collar. To further distinguish themselves, their buttons are arranged in sets of three, a nod to their esteemed place among the five regiments of foot guards. Since the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, the King’s Guards have faithfully protected the sovereign and their palaces. It is thought by some that their tunics are the colour red in order to conceal bloodstains. However, a visit to the @guardsmuseum would reveal a fascinating collection of historic uniforms, some of which include black bloodstains. The colour red was chosen because it was the cheapest dye at the time, made from cochineal beetle juice. The black bearskin was originally worn by Napoleon’s elite troops, known as the Imperial Guard, at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 and became a symbol of victory for the British forces led by the Duke of Wellington. Taking it as a battle trophy, the bearskin has been proudly worn by the King’s Guards ever since. @scots_guards @royalcollectiontrust #kingsguards #nofilter #scotsguards #windsorcastle #britishmilitary #ukmilitary #uniform #windsor #royalfamily #britishhistory #militaryhistory #bluebadgeguide #bluebadgetouristguide #bluebadgeguides #bluebadgetouristguides #funfact #funfacts #londontourguide #toursoflondon

Royal waves aplenty outside Buckingham Palace earlier today with the lovely Tracey (who I previously guided back in 2018!) and her family visiting from New York, U.S.A. Moments before we witnessed Changing of the Guard and saw the Prime Minister drive by along the Mall and shortly after that… none other than King Charles driving by too! Next I provided Tracey and her family with a private tour of Westminster Abbey (just as impressive as seeing the King of course) before finding somewhere for lunch. I was pleased that everyone enjoyed my suggestion of going to the Cafe at Storey’s Gate on King Charles Street. Sitting outside in the warm weather, surrounded by all the greenery was appreciated by all. We then made our way down into the nearby Churchill War Rooms, the secret location of the British War Cabinet during WWII. After seeing the outside of Downing St we figured it was time to finish up at the pub! Pub grub and drinks at the Old Shades on Whitehall got a thumbs up from everyone, myself included. Not an ad, I’m just sharing what a great experience we had there! 👍👍 #fulldaytour #london #bluebadgetouristguide #dannythetourguide #toursoflondon #visitlondon #buckinghampalace #bluebadgetouristguides

It's always such a treat to witness the @rafredarrows soar above the city, as they did today to commemorate the end of Trooping the Colour and honour King Charles III's birthday. Interestingly, the tradition of celebrating the monarch's birthday dates back to 1748, during the reign of King George II, the last British monarch to lead his troops into battle, during the the Battle of Dettingen in Germany, 1743. However, did you know that King Charles III was actually born on November 14th, 1948? The monarch's birthday is officially observed during May or June, typically in June - because the weather is better - which follows in the footsteps of King Edward VII, who ruled in the early 1900s. Monarchs typically celebrate their actual birthday in a more intimate setting, surrounded by loved ones. #redarrows #london #troopingthecolour #visitlondon #britainsbestguides #guidelondon #bluebadgetouristguide #toursoflondon #redlondonbus #piccadillycircus #londonbus #london2023 #kingcharles

Blue skies and sunshine over a London again today. I can’t get over this lovely weather. 🌞🥰 It feels good to be wearing less and my new hat is proving popular with those that I’m guiding! It’s never been easier to spot me in the crowds! 😆🧡 #summer #london #london2023 #bluebadgetouristguide #toursoflondon #londontourguide

Happy Pride month everybody! It’s blue skies, sunny days and rainbows all over London right now. 🥰 #pridemonth #nofilter #london #love #london2023 #nomadhotellondon #prideflag #lovelondon #iphone14promax @thenomadhotel

Blue skies over the @thetoweroflondon this Spring Bank Holiday weekend. #londonscastle #toweroflondon #thetower #englishcastle #crownjewels #historicroyalpalaces #unesco #unescoworldheritagesite #tower #unionflag #hrp #history #visitlondon #london2023 #london #toursoflondon #charity #heritage

I had a thoroughly enjoyable day out in central London with my Dad, to mark the occasion of King Charles III being crowned in @westminsterabbeylondon . A significant moment in the history of the British monarchy and of the country. It was fun to be out amongst all the crowds and soak up the atmosphere. It was a bit wet but nothing major, we dressed for the weather so it was no bother. It was a great mood, there were some protesters out too, peaceful though so all good. We reached Trafalgar Sq first, at like 9:50am - not early at all thinking about it now 😅 - but it was absolutely rammed. I thought it was going to be busy but it was on another level of busyness! I’d never seen anything like it before but then it was the first coronation for 70 years after all. We were hearing of people getting there for 6am, which wasn’t for me or my Dad. We then moved onto St James’s Palace and it was the same, everything blocked off and no views, so we had a bit of a pub crawl, ending up in #thegoldenlion in the St James’s neighbourhood (a block away from the palace) which was so nice and we had enough room upstairs to sit down and have burger and chips for lunch and watch the coronation on tv. It was on high volume so we could all hear which was great. It was so cool to see the Crown Jewels being used and handled in such a way, after seeing them hundreds of times in the Jewel House at the Tower of London, since I started working there back in 2010 and providing tours of @thetoweroflondon since 2016. And then seeing the Crossing in the Abbey all dressed and seeing the ceremony unfold was so special. I figured the police would eventually open Marlborough Gate by St James’s Palace, to allow crowds through to join those on the Mall but they never did which felt a bit mean, as they do that at similar royal events. Nonetheless we had a great day together and just before reaching Embankment underground station we saw the @rafredarrows flying over, ejecting red, white and blue smoke which looked awesome. I wish King Charles a successful reign and look forward to the positive contributions that he will make to the country. #coronation #KingCharlesIII #london #family #👑

Happy Easter from London! I’ve been picking up clients from so many different hotel lobbies recently, which are all gorgeously dressed up for Easter but this has to be my favourite floral Easter display! 🌸💖😍 So pretty, playful and fun! Designed and assembled by @mcqueensflowers Hotel @thecorinthia #easter #easterdisplay #floral #mcqueenflowers #thecorinthia #corinthialondon #design #eastereggs #easterinlondon #london #easterlondon #colourful #art #tree #foliage #londonhotels #whitehall #artinlondon #easter2023

A little drizzly in the Wilderness Garden, Hampton Court Palace but spring has definitely sprung! So many daffodils and the cherry blossom is blooming gorgeous! 🌸 Next to the Wilderness Garden be a-maze-d by what is oldest maze in the country, dating back to 1690! #ukgardens #blossomwatch #maze #horticulture #gardening #outdoors #surrey #england #visitengland #touristguide #bluebadgetouristguide #bluebadgetouristguides #tourguide #hamptoncourtpalace #historicroyalpalaces

There’s been lots of 1940s era vehicles and props spotted around #Whitehall recently. Word on the street, is that it’s all part of an upcoming film titled ‘Blitz.’ Did you know £2.84 billion pounds was spent on film and high-end tv production in 2020. A drop of just 21% compared with 2019. Impressive when you consider production schedules were disrupted between five to six months. Figures courtesy of BFI’s Research and Statistics Unit. #filming #production #ukonfilm #film #cinema #perioddrama #whitehall #london #2020 #wwii #worldwartwo #oldwaroffice #theowo #uk #funfact #bfi #blitz #blitzfilm

It may be raining but I’m still smiling! 😄 London is known for being a rainy place. Many people I guide ask me if it really rains in London as much as they hear. ☔️ According to records from 2022, London gets 562mm of rain per year on average, which is less than Malta (592mm) and Rome (586mm) and has half the rainfall that Sydney (1,222mm) or Orlando (1,175mm) or New York (1,175mm) receives on average, each year. London - Britain in general - tends to get more light rain and drizzle. More rainy days, but less water overall! #march #rain #rainonme #camden #london #bluebadgetouristguide #londontourguide #spring #spinginlondon #2022

The @household_cavalry making their way down to the Horse Guards building on Whitehall earlier today. Something that you can see on the Mall just after the Old Guard have left St James’s Palace, during the Changing of the Guard ceremony. #nofilter #pompandceremony #cavalry #militaryuniform #themall #westminster #london #visitlondon #britishtradition

A private morning half day tour of St Paul’s Cathedral for two Londoners. We had lots of fun together. Half way through the cathedral, we decided it was time to start our climb to the top of the dome, 500 steps up… 365 feet high! The views were worth it though! 🤩 St Paul’s is usually open for sightseeing Monday - Saturday. Book a private tour with me and I’ll tell you how London’s tallest building (from 1710 right up until the 1960s) survived bombing in WWII. How the dome of St Paul’s - that weighs around 65,000 tonnes - is supported. To think an adult elephant weighs about 5 tonnes. And why the Duke of Wellington’s tomb (the largest in the cathedral) took longer to build than the entire cathedral?! #stpauls #stpaulscathedral #london #ukcathedrals #cathedral #anglican #protestant #christopherwren #toursoflondon #londontourguide #bluebadgetouristguide #professionaltourguide #cityoflondon

The White Tower is the oldest part of the Tower of London. Building work began around 1078 under the orders of King William the Conquerer, who had invaded England in October 1066 defeating King Harold II at the Battle of Hastings, in south east England. The structure is mostly made of Kentish ragstone (south east of England) but also bright white Caen stone, shipped over from Caen, Normandy (northern France). Caen was King William’s capital back in Normandy, where he was Duke of Normandy. The spot William chose to erect the White Tower - which in his time was the entire Tower of London - was to do with defense. The Tower overlooks the River Thames, and is positioned south east, of the City of London, thus helping to protect the city from invasions coming from the south or east but remember William was a foreign invader, who took the crown by force. His stone castle (one of the first built in the country) dominated the London skyline - in all directions - and very much helped he and his Norman descendants to remind the Londoners who was was in charge! Work was completed in 1097 by his son, King William II. From then, right up to the reign of King Henry VIII in the mid 1500s… the White Tower’s main use was as a royal palace, but at times used as a prison, and it’s basement… occasionally used to torture some of the many prisoners held in the Tower. There was once a south facing strong room attached to the building that stored the king’s jewels, that would later become known as the Crown Jewels. In the 1200s, King Henry III ordered for the tower to be whitewashed with lime mortar, hence the name today. From the 1600s the White Tower has stored a fine collection of armour, including a few pieces that once belonged to King Henry VIII, including his horse armour that he wore as a young athletic man, during the early 16th c, plus his armour for jousting and his foot armour… featuring his impressive codpiece! The White Tower is one of 21 towers to see at the ToL today and is managed by charity @historicroyalpalaces Book me for a private tour of London’s castle and I’ll breakdown the Tower’s 900+ years of history for you! #toursoflondon #toweroflondon #london

Spending International Tourist Guide Day 2023 preparing for a new family-friendly treasure hunt of the Natural History Museum, London with my fellow explorer and London BBTG; Felicity Wentzel @flicwentzel How better to prepare than tapping into my inner-child and having a go myself?! Thank-you to @londontourguidepepe and @sophiemalerba of authentiCity Ltd for contacting me regarding this tour experience. @authenticity_uk #committed #professional #beprepared #touristguide #visitlondon #tourism #internationaltouristguideday #bluebadgetouristguide #familytours #londonforfamilies

First signs of spring in St James’s Park, the oldest and smallest of the eight Royal Parks in London. #daffodils #stjamesspark #londonparks #royalparks #london @theroyalparks

Pretty in pink. A view of the City of London skyline earlier this evening, from one of the Golden Jubilee Bridges. Did you know that the bridge in the foreground, Waterloo Bridge … is the widest bridge across the river Thames and was built my women during WWII, which is why it is nicknamed the ‘Ladies Bridge.’ #FunFact #London #Bridge #WaterlooBridge #Winter #Dusk

Cheers! Happy Friday everyone. I’m feeling pumped up for the weekend. I’m about to start a three day tour with a family from the States, who I was recommended to by clients (family of who I’m with today) who I guided last June. We’re gunna visit Westminster Abbey and take a spin around London Eye today. I love my job! What’s your plans for the weekend?

St Paul’s looking glorious tonight. Book me for a tour of London’s church! #nofilter #stpauls #stpaulscathedral #wren #englishbaroque #london #visitlondon #christopherwren #dome #architecture #bluebadgetouristguide #londonatnight #nighttime #night

Merry Christmas to you all from London! I look back on the year and feel very grateful to have done so much with my nearest and dearest over the past 12 months, weddings, trips away, lunches, dinners and much else and to have had such a busy work diary, it’s great to be back and then some! I’ve guided so many lovely people this year, I feel very thankful. Thank-you for following me and for your support and best wishes to each of you for 2023. #Christmas #ChristmasInLondon #London #TheStafford #Thankful #Grateful #VisitLondon #ToursOfLondon #BlueBadgeTouristGuide

Flowers laid on the Boy Statue, St James’s Park to mark the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II. 💐❤️ #stjamesspark #royalparks #royalparkstrust #london #statue #queenelizabethii #floraltributes #westminster #2022 #september2022 #queenelizabeth

What a day. I was in the Royal Mews guiding when I heard the news that the Royal family were on-route to Balmoral, what with concerns for the Queen’s health. I cannot believe that she has since passed. A remarkable lady, who dedicated her life to our country and that of the Commonwealth right up to the very end of her life as she promised to do all those years ago. What a woman. Rest In Peace Queen Elizabeth II. You’ll be sorely missed.

Twenty five years ago now, the tragic death of Lady Diana. What a woman! I still remember as a kid going to Kensington Palace to lay flowers with my parents. It was so moving. RIP Lady Di. An incredible lady lost too soon. #ladydiana #princessdiana #diana #lgbtally #charity #legend #twentyfive #kensingtonpalace #london

It’s non-stop touring at the moment, come rain or shine! No matter the weather! My trusty Union flag umbrella is also handy for shielding clients eyes from sun too! It’s not all rain in London! Umbrella from @englishheritage #toursoflondon #london #uk #londontourguide #bluebadgetouristguide #bluebadgetouristguides #july2022 #englishheritage

It was SO exciting for my clients and I to see the @dukeandduchessofcambridge pass by on their way to the Jubilee Thanksgiving Service at @stpaulscathedrallondon ! Did you know it’s possible to visit the Royal Mews situated next to Buckingham Palace, where you can learn about the various modes of royal transport? There are over a dozen carriages and royal motor cars to see plus a small selection of H.M. the Queen’s horses even! @royalcollectiontrust #royalfamily #monarchy #dukeandduchessofcambridge #royalcollectiontrust #royalmews #platinumjubilee #london #visitlondon #toursoflondon

What a fantastic start to the weekend. I had a blast guiding this awesome family from Orlando, USA. We covered so much in a day! We started in Bankside, where my clients were staying before visiting the Tower of London, where we were dazzled by the Crown Jewels and we even met a couple of the Tower’s famous Yeoman Warders, plus a couple of cheeky Tower Ravens! Don’t they just love trying to get in on the school kid’s sandwiches! 🖤😄 Next we grabbed some hot drinks and walked across Tower Bridge and along the Southbank of the River Thames before checking out London’s oldest and largest food market; Borough Market before lunch in the nearby @nicholsonspubs @themudlark pub. 🤤👍👍 Once refreshed and refuelled we headed on, walking over the Millennium Bridge (destroyed by the Death Eaters in HP and the Half-Blood Prince!) We took in the breathtaking exterior of St Paul’s Cathedral and then hopped into a Black Taxi, taking us all the way west to Buckingham Palace! We waved at the Queen’s Guards and then entered St James’s Park where we fed the ducks 🦆🦆🦆 and even met some of the green parakeets 🦜🦜 to see there! To finish we jumped in another taxi and whizzed past @westminsterabbeylondon , Whitehall, Trafalgar Sq, St James’s, Piccadilly and then back to Bankside! What fun we had! It’s great to be out guiding again, SO much! 😍 #London #VisitLondon #LondonIsOpen #VisitEngland #VisitBritain #TowerOfLondon #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #BlueBadgeTouristGuides #ToursOfLondon #LondonTourGuide #LondonTouristGuide #Tourism #travel #towerbridge #instagood #yeomanwarders #history #londonhistory #instadaily

In the pub celebrating International Tourist Guide Day 2022 with some of my fellow tourist guides. Cheers! 🍻 #internationaltouristguideday #bluebadgetouristguides

Congratulations to Her Majesty the Queen upon reaching her Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years on the throne! A first for the U.K. I’m looking forward to all of the jubilee celebrations due to take place later this year, mostly in June and I’m excited for all of my upcoming tours throughout this special year. A memorable time to be guiding and for people to be visiting. Long live the Queen! :) 💜👑 #platinumjubilee #70years #thequeen #visitlondon #visitengland #visituk #royalcelebrations #royalhistoryinthemaking #royalhistoryuk #longlivethequeen #longmayshereign @theroyalfamily

2021 has been a rollercoaster of a year, albeit a less wilder one than 2020 for which I’m very grateful for and … I guided more people this year than last which I’m taking as a good sign for the big and beautiful tourism industry that we have here in London. An industry that I’m very proud of and I can safely say that I had an absolute blast with everyone that I’ve met and guided throughout the past 12 months. I have so many fond memories, too many to mention. 2021 has also been a year of a wide variety of guide events, social and professional, all of which have meant so much. I love staying connected. A wonderful thing to come out of the pandemic has been the possibilities @zoom has opened up but nonetheless I absolutely still love to stay connected in-person! Thanks to all of you for your support and best wishes to each of you for 2022! Sending you lots of love from London. 😗 Photo’s featured. Top row across: 1/ Travel Trade event that London BBTG Sarah Wood and I attended earlier this year. @londonforgroups Live! 2/ Me on the way to the #ChurchillWarRooms 3/ APTG @guidelondon Christmas Party. Middle row across: 4/ BBTG Christmas Carol Service. 5/ My gorgeous rainbow umbrella! 😄 6/ Guiding the sweetest family from Orlando, Florida! Bottom row across: 7/ APTG @guidelondon summer picnic! 8/ Summer guiding! 😍 9/ Me guiding such a cool family, who flew over from NYC for NFL in London! 🤩🥳 #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #London #ToursOfLondon #LondonTourGuide #BestJobEver #Grateful #Happy #BringOn2022 #HappyNewYear

It’s wonderful to see the clock face of the Queen Elizabeth Clock Tower (Big Ben) once more! It’s been covered up for nearly five years, whilst restoration has been taking place but now it’s on show once more and is positively glistening. I’m enjoying the restored blue dials too. When completed in 1859, the clock tower featured blue dials but were changed to black in the 1930s, in-part so the dials could be seen easier through the London smog. Fortunately London is not as smoggy now, so it’s back to blue! #BigBen #Restoration #ClockTower #London #IconicLondon #London2021 #Dec2021 #VisitLondon #LondonTourGuide #ToursOfLondon #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #Westminster

Sunrise at Kensington Gardens and Kensington Palace earlier this morning. 🧡😍 11th December 2021. #sunrise #westlondon #london #kensingtonpalace #kensingtongardens #winter #winterinlondon #sunriseinlondon #historicroyalpalaces #theroyalparks #royalparkslondon #December2021 #WorkPerks

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American followers! 😃❤️🇺🇸 #thanksgiving #thanksgiving2021 #🇺🇸 #🍂

Fun to see the pelicans walking around the park for a change. They usually just stay on Duck Island. Maybe they’ve been getting lonely?! Pelicans have existed in St James’s Park in central London since the late 17th century, when the then Russian Ambassador to the English court gifted a small number of them to King Charles II. St James’s Park is the smallest of the 8 royal parks in London, which are collectively managed by the @theroyalparks charity. #london #pelicans #animalhistory #londonhistory #royalparks #londonparks #fall #autumn

It feels amazing to be out guiding in this little red number again! 😄 I don’t think I’ve had the opportunity to wear it since February 2020! 😱❤️ #northface #memories #london #londontourguide #visitlondon

What a treat to see #DickWhittington at #abovethestagtheatre last night. Outrageously funny, entertaining and clever. So much fun! If you’re in London between now and mid January 2022 you absolutely should book tickets to see this and support the UK’s only full-time, professional LGBT+ theatre that operates as a charity. 🎭 ✨ @abovethestag @whoskeanu @baldersbalders #abovethestag #londontheatre #london #visitlondon #lgbtlondon #gaylondon #vauxhall #southlondon

I really enjoyed providing WFTGA with an update with what us London tourist guides have been doing since Jan 2021. It was great to hear what others around the world have been doing too! It’s been a tough year but on the flip side, we’ve had so much more time to try our hand at all sorts of creative project and more social events, in-person and online. Presentation/video is 10 minutes in length. Thanks for watching. @wftga_official_ @guidelondon @britainsbestguides @stgaguides

Wonderful to see so many people back in the @britishmuseum enjoying all there is to see there. It was so cool to see a group of students using the space for art purposes too, doing some life drawing but from Greek statues (much more steady than actual people hehe). The BM is vast, a museum of world history. Free to visit. Did you know there are over 70,000 items to see, in over 100 galleries?! The Parthenon marbles from Ancient Greece. Egyptian sculpture, and the 5,500 year old Gebelein man (think Egyptian mummy but before mummification!) The Rosetta Stone which helped unlock the secrets of hieroglyphs nearly 200 years ago and so much more. #BritishMusem #londonmuseums #london #visitlondon #letsdolondon #lifedrawing #drawing #ancienthistory #toursoflondon

Absolutely buzzing after what was my first in-person tour since mid-March 2020!!! 😱😍 The virtual tours have been amazing and have really helped me to keep on top of my knowledge and storytelling skills and I definitely want to continue to produce more but OMG guiding in-person again after so long felt incredible. What a rush! So many emotions. Thank you so much to Karen for booking me as a present. A private afternoon Harry Potter film locations tour of London for her son’s 30th birthday! It was so great to meet you Christopher and your super lovely girlfriend; Erica. #Yay #Buzzing #LoveMyJob #London #GuidedTour #LondonTourGuide #BlueBadgeTouristGuide

I’ve never seen digital advertising used in this way before. It’s looks like something out of The Hunger Games to me. #ripprincephilip #princephilip #godsavethequeen #royalfamily #holborn #london #🇬🇧

Happy International Tourist Guide Day 2021 everybody! What a rollercoaster the past 11 x months have been! Extremely challenging times. Nonetheless I wouldn’t change a thing. I absolutely love what I do and feel very grateful to have stepped into such a well respected profession which I have my dear colleagues, past and present to thank for. 2021 marks my 5yr anniversary as a professional tourist guide! I have the best job in the world, and am very thankful that I can still share London with you virtually, with online virtual tours! 💻 Thank you for your support. It means so much! 🌍❤️ The blue badge has literally opened doors for me. Check out the following photos I’ve featured and see why: PS. I wish I could feature more photos on this post but only 10 x per post max I’m afraid! I will try and post more frequently this year! 1/ Me with the Queen’s Guardsman @ Wellington Barracks (thank you @noteworthy.experiences !) 2/ Me with the most lovely group of ladies outside @kensingtonpalace 3/ Outside @stpancrasren with a group of very keen Potterheads! ⚡️ 4/ So much fun visiting @westminsterabbeylondon with this great group from the States. 5/ Me spending Christmas morning with one of the most friendliest families I’ve ever guided from New York! 6/ Inside the Hotung Gallery of China and South Asia at the @britishmuseum ready to guide a family around for an Out of Hours tour! 7/ Celebrating International Tourist Guide Day 2019 in @visitportsmouth !!! 8/ Learning how to use Zoom in June 2020 for a very special broadcast for @visitlondon 9/ A socially distanced chat and picnic with my amazing @guidelondon London Blue Badge Tourist Guide colleagues last summer 2020, in the gorgeous St James’s Park @theroyalparks 10/ The one time I got to visit the Tower summer 2020!!! It was incredible though, it was so special to help produce a live @guidelondon YouTube broadcast with @londontourguidepepe @nickjsalmond @ladyyeoman and Kate Davey courtesy of @historicroyalpalaces 🥰 #InternationalTouristGuideDay #GuideLondon #VisitLondon #BlueBadgeTouristGuides #LondonTourGuide #ToursOfLondon #LondonTourGuides @visitengland @guidelondon @britainsbestguides

Is it just me or is everyone getting into the Christmas spirit that bit earlier this year? If you’re in need of some Christmas cheer, join me online... for my fun-for-all-the-family ‘Christmas Spectacular’ virtual tour @ 17:45, Sat 12th Dec. - I’ll be revealing the stories behind many of the much-loved Christmas traditions and sharing the best of what there is to see and do in London during the mooost, wonderful time, oooof, the ... yeeear! 🎇❤️ Tickets and further tour details, please see link in bio. 😁 Ticket sales close @ 16:00 on the 12th Dec. #LastChance #OnlineTour #Zoom #VirtualTour #London #LondonAtChristmas #FamilyFun #FamilyTour #MincePies #ChristmasLights #ChristmasPudding #ChristmasShopping #LondonChristmas #RoyalChristmas #Pantomime #ChristmasToys #LondonIceRinks #WhiteChristmas #LondonChristmasMarkets #CharlesDickens #ChristmasCrackers #ChristmasTrees #BritishChristmas

London is well known for it’s dazzling Christmas street-light displays, enjoyed by kids and adults alike. 🌟😃 The first display was installed in the 1950s on Regent Street (first image) to help brighten up post-war London during Christmas time. Today there are dozens of installations found across the city during the holidays. Join my ‘Christmas Spectacular’ virtual tour on 12th December where I’ll be sharing my best examples of London’s Christmas lights past and present. 🤩 Ticket and tour details, see my link in bio. #VirtualTour #VirtualTours #London #VisitLondon #Zoom #Bespoke #ClassActivity #LondonTourGuide #TourGuide #ProfessionalTourguide #🇬🇧

I’ve had a blast providing this class in Colorado, USA with a series of virtual tours. It’s been so nice to see all of their reactions on screen, to all of the slides that I have put together for them. But a virtual tour is much more than that of course. To help keep the kids engaged I include Zoom polls and stop occasionally to ask questions and also allow for plenty of time to chat and ask me anything at the end of the tour as well. I’ve been told many of the kids have never been to London before and that this has helped to give them a taste of what they will find once they visit. If you’d like to know more about the virtual tours I offer please see the link to my guide profile in my bio and/or send me a message. Thank-you for reading. #VirtualTour #VirtualTours #London #VisitLondon #Zoom #Bespoke #ClassActivity #LondonTourGuide #TourGuide #ProfessionalTourguide #🇬🇧

Have you started making plans for Christmas? If you’re looking for something to keep the kids entertained how about joining me online for my live, fun-for-all-the-family ‘Christmas Spectacular!’ virtual tour of London @ 17:45 GMT, Saturday 12th December 2020. 🤩 Dazzling Christmas lights, stunning ice rinks, beautifully decorated Christmas trees... London has it all. During this 60 x minute tour (plus some extra time for Q&A) I’ll be sharing the best visuals from Christmases past and present in the Capital and will be revealing the history behind mince pies, Christmas crackers and much besides! 💚❤️ Swipe for a taste of what I’ve got planned for the tour... (in random order). 😃 1. Title Page. 2. The story of Mince Pies. 3. The Churchill Arms pub. 4. Why was Christmas cancelled?! 5. White Christmases in London. 6. London eye during the holidays. 7. What is Pantomime? 8. The tradition of Christmas crackers? 9. Carnaby Street Christmas lights! 10. Selfridges Christmas shop window displays. #Christmas #VirtualTour #London #FamilyFun #LondonTourGuide #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #Zoom #VirtualTours #🎄#🎅 See link in bio for ticket and tour details. 🎟 Thank-you for reading and Merry Christmas! 🌟

I cycled over to Camden, North London for some fish and chips and oh my gosh the curry sauce... delicious! 🤤 @popsfishnchips Great @meantimebrewing pale ale also! 🍺🧡 Poppies is one of my favourite places to go for fish and chips in London. They have branches in @oldspitalfieldsmarket and Soho too, on #OldComptonStreet #OldComptonStreetSoho Poppies has a very nostalgic vibe. You’ll find lots of retro memorabilia in their various shops, from founder Pat ‘Pop’ Newland’s childhood. The uniforms channel a cool 1950s look too. Fish and chips of course is one of the most traditional British dishes. The story of the humble chip dates back to 17th c France or Belgium - that part of the world anyway - and fried fish was introduced to our shores by Jewish refugees from Spain and Portugal. Thank you! 🙌 What we don’t know though is who thought to marry the two together? 🧐 Such an important staple throughout time, fish and chips were the only type of food NOT to be rationed throughout the U.K. during and - shorty after - WWII (we had rationing from the start of WWII right through to 1953!). Late singer Amy Winehouse ate fish and chips on her wedding anniversary and early 20th c writer George Orwell believed they could help avert revolution! #FishAndChips #LondonFishAndChips #LondonChippy #Chippy #BritishFoodHistory #Poppies #PoppiesLondon #Camden #SohoLondon #SpitalfieldsMarket #NorthLondon #WestEnd #🐟 #🍟

It was my pleasure to get involved with Visit London’s ‘London Stories.’ Feeling super proud right now. 🥰 Thank you to fellow London BBTG @richard_ing_tours and Kathryn Wu from @visitlondon for all of your help putting this together. Much appreciated! 💙 @toursformykids @guideemily @meetmrlondoner #LondonStories #VisitLondon #London #BecauseImALondoner #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #BlueBadgeTouristGuides #LondonBlueBadgeTouristGuides #TouristGuide #Greenwich #TowerOfLondon #Spiderman #LondonIsOpen #Culture #GuideLondon #LondonTourGuide #ToursOfLondon #LondonAndPartners #LondonZoo #TateBritain #Professional #❤️ #🇬🇧

It was fun to be a tourist again, this time checking out the Beefeater Gin Distillery in Kennington, South London with @alfie_londonguide 20 Montford St has been the home of Beefeater since the late 1950s, occupying a site which used to belong to the Hayward’s Military Pickle Factory, destroyed in WWII. 💥 However the company is much older than that... 2020 marks the 200th anniversary of Beefeater gin and all 40,000,000+ bottles produced each year, are then distributed around the U.K. and throughout the rest of the world (mostly to the USA and Brazil). Yes they all come from this one location! 😃 Since 2014 the distillery has been partly open as an attraction where you can enjoy a tour of the site. First walking through a fascinating museum display, where you can learn about how gin became popular in the U.K. with King William III outlawing French brandy in the 1680s and promoting the local spirits from grain. Did you know all of the alcohol distilled from wheat TODAY (for Beefeater at least) comes from 100% British wheat? 🌾🇬🇧 Shortly after London in particular had become so intoxicated with gin that we have the ‘gin craze’ of the 1720s - 1750s and London became known as the ‘city of sin.’ 🤪 No prohibition took place (and never has in the U.K.) but several acts were created to try and curb such high levels of consumption and anti-social behaviour (which was so strongly linked to gin). One such law which had some success, was to ban small distilleries (at one time there were 1,500 in London alone). Today we have just over a hundred in the city. One of my favourite parts of the tour was to find out more about the botanicals used in gin. We got to sniff juniper berries (an essential for making gin). The distillery receives 50 x tonnes of juniper each year!) Coriander (quite spicy and fresh). Liquorice was really cool. It looked like powder and is used instead of sugar to balance out the gin and give it a sweetness. Next we saw where the botanicals end up, mixed with the alcohol in these giant copper stills. Gin-terested in visiting yourself? 😄 See beefeaterdistillery.com Thank you again for the invitation. #Gin #BeefeaterLondon #Beefeater #London

Look everyone it’s Paddington Bear, tucking into one his favourite marmalade sandwiches. He probably has another one beneath his hat ‘in case of emergencies.’ 😄🍞🧡 This bronze statue of Paddington Bear can be found in Leicester Square (where major film premieres take place in London) and is part of a series - installed in February 2020 - called ‘Scenes in the Square’. Another 8 x well known and much loved characters can be found in the area, all of which I’ll be telling you a little bit about over the coming weeks. Paddington Bear is one of the most famous bears in Britain, a fictional character created by author Michael Bond way back in the 1950s! Christmas Eve 1956, Bond was shopping at @theofficialselfridges when he saw a teddy bear on a shelf that looked ‘so forlorn’. He bought it for his wife, felt inspired to write a story about the bear - naming it Paddington as he and his wife were living close to Paddington Station at the time - and 10 days later had finished his first book; A Bear Called Paddington, published in October 1958. 📘 Bond would continue to write more than 20 x books about Paddington Bear, his last; ‘Paddington at St Paul’s’ released in 2018 a year after he passed away, aged 91 years old. More than 35 million Paddington Bear books have been sold around the world and have been translated into over 40 x languages, including Latin. Paddington has featured in several TV series too and in 2014 he hit the big screen. To help celebrate the launch, 50 x Paddington statues were placed around London as part of The Paddington Trail which were later put up for auction with the proceeds going to charity @nspcc_official If you’re looking to purchase a Paddington Bear book or souvenir, why not visit the Paddington Shop when you’re in London, located at Paddington Station of course! 🐻🚂 @paddingtonbear Photo credit: @denisejl37 #PaddingtonBear #PaddingtonStation #LeicesterSquare #ScenesInTheSquare #London #Peru #Marmalade #Bear #DuffleCoat #WellingtonBoots #Books #Literature #MichaelBond #HarperCollins #HarperCollinsPublishers #Selfridges #NSPCC #🐻 #🧡 #📚

I so enjoyed visiting the @gardenmuseum in Lambeth, South London. It was great to get back out there and visit a real museum after spending so much time in lockdown. The digital world is great and all but nothing beats physically visiting a museum for real and we have so many in London, over 200 x in fact. They come in all shapes and sizes. When opened in 1977, the Garden Museum became the first museum of garden history in the world. It was founded in-part to rescue the deconsecrated church of St Mary’s which was due to be demolished. The church is the burial place of John Tradescant, Britain’s first great gardener and plant-hunter who died aged 68 x years old in 1638. There’s hundreds of objects to see that tell the story of British gardens from the 16th c until today and are displayed throughout the museums 2 x storeys. It has quite a nostalgic feel to it. 👍👍 You can even climb up to the top of the church Tower too. It’s worth the 131 x steps, the views are fantastic. You can see Big Ben, London Eye, and a wonderful view of Lambeth Palace, with it’s beautiful red Tudor brick chimneys. This is where the Archbishop of Canterbury resides. The Garden Museum regularly put on temporary displays too. Currently on show - 2020 - is ‘Derek Jarman: My gardens’s boundaries are the horizon.’ I was really impressed by the display. Derek Jarman was an English film director, gay rights activist, artist and gardener. You can see lots of his work on display inc sculpture and paintings and you can learn about his very unique garden at Prospect Cottage in Dungeness, South East England. What’s really cool is that you can walk through a replica part of the cottage too. - For exhibit details see gardenmuseum.org.uk Please support the museum and pay a visit. You won’t be disappointed. #TheGardenMuseum #GardenMuseum #Lambeth #LondonMuseums #Museum #GardenHistory #Charity #UKHeritage #FamilyFun #VisitLondon #ChurchHistory #LondonHiddenGems #DerekJarman #Dungeness #QueerHistory #LondonQueerHistory #Gardening #JarmansGarden #🍃 #💒

The Eagle, Stratford, East London. Once used as a fire station but now a pub, popular with many West Ham fans on match day, what with it’s close proximity to where the Hammers play football in the nearby Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. ⚽️ Did you know we have over 3,000 pubs in London, and that pubs are unique to the U.K? 😃 The word ‘pub’ is short for public house. If you wanna sound like a local you could also say ‘boozer’ or even ‘watering hole’ although the latter isn’t used much nowadays, I think it’s fun though! 😆 Each have their own different character and style and some date back several hundred years. In London most date back at least one or two hundred years old, some up to five or six hundred years old even. Some will play music, others not. Some provide drinks (such as a pint of beer) and snacks only, others food in addition, for example main courses such as bangers and mash (sausages and mashed potato), fish and chips or Sunday roast. If you’re wanting to be served though don’t just sit there and wait (as you might in the USA) as you’ll never get served! In the U.K. you have to go to the bar and make an order, although many pubs (and restaurants) are starting to use apps which can be used from wherever you’re sitting instead. I must say every time I use them I feel so lazy, but hey I’m sure the staff prefer it that way right? It’s easier for them too! 😅 🐷 #TheEagle #EastLondon #Pub #LondonPubs #Boozer #London #BritishPubs #Pubs #Stratford #WestHam #Hammers #QEOP #QueenElizabethOlympicPark #ChobhamRoad #PubTrivia #PubHistory #PubsInLondon #🍺 #🍻 #🍷 #🥃

@word_on_the_water is one of over a hundred independent bookshops in London but this is a book shop with a difference... technically a book barge that has been trading on Regents Canal for the last 10 x years and is now permanently moored by Granary Sq, just a few minutes walk north of King’s Cross Station. How cool is that? ⛵️ Aboard this 100 yr old Dutch barge, you’ll find all sorts of second hand and new books. Many of which describe the local area and how it’s been redeveloped over recent years. 📖 Poetry slams, readings, book launches and live acoustic music performances regularly take place too. 🎶 Please buy a book from co-owner John (see photo) and help literally keep his head above water! 😅 See website for more details. wordonthewater.co.uk #WordOnTheWater #Barge #Boat #RegentsCanal #GranarySq #GranarySquare #IndependentBookShop #NorthLondon #Book #Books #ReadABook #CanalRiverTrust #💦 #📚

It was amazing to be back at the Tower of London again after all these months in lockdown and to be there on the first day of re-opening too, what a treat! We were at the Tower to record a very special @guidelondon live broadcast with the one and only; YW Moira Cameron @ladyyeoman ! 🎉 Moira is one of the 37 x (the number goes up and down every so often) Yeoman Warders at the Tower of London. The Yeoman Warders have guarded the Tower for over 500 years and actually live on site with their families! See my bio for the link to the full video where Moira tells us about life at the Tower and what it’s like to live in 900 year old palace and fortress and about how the Tower has prepared itself for reopening, and much more! Special thanks to Mr Andrew Jackson the Governor of the Tower of London for giving us permission to film this - on Tower Green no less! - and again to Moira for being so wonderful. @historicroyalpalaces #HistoricRoyalPalaces #TowerOfLondon #BlueBadgeTouristGuides #GuideLondon #UNESCO #GhostStories #CrownJewels #YeomanWarder #Beefeater #VisitLondon #London #Castle #Fortress #HenryVIII #ToursOfLondon #LondonTourGuide

Much is reopening in London and every other day from now onwards I’d like to share with you my favourite places that are once more opening their doors! Without further ado... Families, people buying for children, fans of beautifully crafted, high quality toys... listen up! Benjamin Pollocks Toy Shop (BPTS) is the place for you and is reopening on Friday 17th July 2020! 🎉 BPTS is a small but perfectly formed hidden gem, situated right in the centre of Covent Garden, London and has been trading for over 100 years! Theatre is at the heart of many of the items for sale, you’ll find anything from finger puppets for a few pounds right up to miniature pop up theatres for £195.00 (a steal if you ask me!). The quality is ...👌 This is a must visit if in the area. However due to the floor space size, the shop can - as of print, July 2020 - only accommodate 4 x customers max at any one time and on you may need to make an appointment if visiting on a Thursday - see website for details - purchases can be made online too. BPTS offer a worldwide delivery service. 👍 😁 Please support this small, independent one-of-a-kind business if you can. For more details: pollocks-coventgarden.co.uk Photo credit: Benjamin Pollock’s Toy Shop #Toys #Toy #Pollocks #BritishToyStore #CoventGarden #Independent #IndependentToyShop #London #BritishToys #BritishInstitution #TraditionalToys #TraditionalToyShop #Nostalgia #Nostalgic #WhenInLondon #MustVisit #PollocksToyShop #BenjaminPollocksToyShop #VisitLondon #HiddenGemLondon #HiddenGem #🎭 #🤹‍♂️

July 2020. It was so nice to finally have a proper, physical catchup with some of my tour guide workmates in the park but still socially distanced of course. 🌳 🍃 With no clients to physically guide until now (but in small numbers) we’ve been busy with much else and have been calling, messaging and zooming each other pretty much every day for this that and the other since the pandemic broke out in Europe. Between early March - early July we’ve spent much of our time working on all sorts of things including: - Delivering paid lectures to each other on areas that we each specialize in. Doing these online for the first time and on a national scale. Using a subscription style model that we’d never done before, which worked really well. I’d never heard of Zoom before this pandemic but we’re the best of friends now. 😄 - For the first time ever we launched a series of free online live broadcasts for the public, covering a great many different topics on London. Over 40 x have been produced and feature over 60 x London Blue Badge Tourist Guide’s including myself (all can be rewatched on the @guidelondon @youtube channel and each last for around 30 x mins). - We’ve been educating each other as to how to deliver high quality virtual tours which are now growing in number and is something I plan on delivering myself soon. 💻 For now, please see the Virtual Tours page on GuideLondon.org.uk (link in bio, see my profile and availability page and click on the home button). I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved so far. If you’re planning a trip to London or if you live in London and want to get to learn more about your city in a fun but safe way please contact me or another of my colleagues (600 x to choose from) on the GuideLondon website. Thank you for reading and I wish you good health. - Photo credit: London BBTG, Victoria Herriott #GuideLondon #StJamessPark #StJamesPark #RoyalParks #London #VisitLondon #LondonIsOpen #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #BlueBadgeTouristGuides #TourOfLondon #LondonTourGuide #LondonTouristGuide #TourGuide #VirtualToursOfLondon #VisitEngland #VisitBritain #WestminsterAbbey #YouTube #💚 #🇬🇧

Good news... @westminsterabbeylondon reopens this weekend! 🎉 After a 4 x month closure (the longest in the Abbey’s history since preparations for HM The Queen’s coronation in 1953) the Abbey is reopening its doors. Westminster Abbey is our royal church, where coronations of our kings and queens have taken place since 1066, where many royals have tied the knot for over 700 x years (the last royal wedding took place in 2011 with Prince William and Katherine Middleton) and over 3,300 x memorials and tombs can be found (including 17 x of our monarchs). It is a wonder to behold. Once the Abbey is able to accommodate us and more visitors, we are all looking forward to guiding inside again, for the moment... know that admission tickets can be purchased for self-guided day visits taking place each Saturday in July as well as evening access each Wednesday to begin with however these can only be purchased in advance online only. I would encourage you to visit if you can, to experience the Abbey without as many visitors will be very special indeed and the Abbey very much needs the income from admissions. The Abbey is managed as a self-funding organisation and receives no day-to-day support from the Church, State or Crown. - Photo credit: Lara Eakins, Rhubarble #WestminsterAbbey #RoyalChurch #UNESCOWorldHeritageSite #Abbey #Westminster #Church #Abbey #ReligiousSpaces #Christianity #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #BlueBadgeTouristGuides #ProfessionalTouristGuide #LondonTouristGuide #LondonTourGuide #TourGuide #TouristGuide #London #VisitLondon #WA #VisitEngland #LaraEakins #VisitBritain #💙 #🇬🇧 #💒

I’m pleased to announce that my application for the @lovegreatbritain @visitengland ‘We’re Good To Go’ scheme has been approved! 🎉 London is reopening and there is much to see and do in the city right now but without the usual crowds. I think that’s a first for London during the summer months, at least in living memory anyway (with exception to WWII). Now is a great time to explore the city on foot and walking tours can once again take place for up to 5 x people from the same household and/or social bubble only. Less is certainly more. With me as your personal and private guide, I’ll be able to show you as much as possible - with safety in mind at all times - within a half or full day tour and will be able to answer as many questions as you care to ask. Interested? Please message me for more details. #VisitLondon #VisitEngland #VisitBritain #WereGoodToGo #Approved #Professional #Qualified #Insured #LondonTouristGuide #ProfessionalTouristGuide #ProfessionalTourGuide #TouristGuide #TourGuide #LondonTourGuide #ToursOfLondon #IndustryStandard #KiteMark #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #LondonBlueBadgeTouristGuide #LondonIsOpen #London #💙 #💚 #🇬🇧

Happy 4th July to everyone celebrating! Photo credit: Elisa Pisano #AmericanEmbassyLondon #ElisaPisano #4thJuly2020 #London #AmericanEmbassy #NineElms #KieranTimberlakeArchitects #KieranTimberlake #🎉 #🇺🇸 #❤️🤍💙

Was my pleasure to talk about Banqueting House with @tourguide.alex on Global Tea Break. A building that has a fascinating history and one that is very special to me for so many reasons. To find out why... see my ‘highlights’ for the full video or Alex’s profile: @tourguide.alex 💛🏛 @historicroyalpalaces #BanquetingHouse #Whitehall #InigoJones #Rubens #CharlesI #TheBanquetingHouse #GlobalTeaBreak #HRP #HistoricRoyalPalaces #Palladian #PalladianArchitecture #London #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #LondonBlueBadgeTouristGuide #BlueBadgeTouristGuides #LondonBlueBadgeTouristGuide #VisitLondon #London #LondonTourGuide

It was really special to be a part of this live @guidelondon broadcast with @fastalex199 @danitheguide and Joseph Galliano from @queerbritain We talked about gay history in London, what there is to see and do in the city today and about Queer Britain’s hopes to open a bricks and mortar museum in the near future. Missed the live broadcast? Not to worry you can catch-up on the Guide London YouTube channel, see link in bio. #ProudLondon #GuideLondon #GuideLondonLIVE #LondonTourGuide #LondonTouristGuide #LondonBlueBadgeTouristGuides #BlueBadgeTouristGuides #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #LondonBlueBadgeTouristGuide #LGBTLondon #PrideMonth #GayLondon #QueerLondon #LGBTLondon #VisitLondon #DaniTheGuide #DannyTheTourGuide #MoxeeMarketing #QueerBritain #🌈🇬🇧 #🌈

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Had a such a delightful morning guiding these lovely ladies (mother and daughters) from the US, who were in town visiting family. We started in Hampstead no less (where the family live) and from there we took a no. 24 bus all the way south to Trafalgar Square - our national square and the center of London - it was a great way to see so much of London whilst keeping nice and warm and out of the cold! After that we were on foot, checking out Whitehall and St James’s Park before enjoying Changing of the Guard, and then briefly popping into the @guardsmuseum before entering @westminsterabbeylondon All of this in just a 4 x hour half day morning tour (until 13:00) of London. I provide full day tours too, please see my link or Google Danny Parlour Guide London for my profile. #LondonBlueBadgeTouristGuide #LondonTourGuide #LondonTouristGuide #London #ToursOfLondon #London #FebruaryInLondon #LondonInWinter #ChangingOfTheGuard #GuideLondon #ProfessionalTouristGuide #LifeOfATourGuide

Spent the afternoon with a lovely family from North Carolina, USA. We flew all over the city (around Westminster, the City and Camden too!) on our broomsticks* checking out the many locations that feature in the various Harry Potter films and even popped into a couple of official Harry Potter shops too. *Not quite broomsticks, more Oyster travel cards which we used on the London Underground and London Red Buses! Featured here is Minalima in Soho. Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima started working together in 2002 to imagine and create the graphic universe of Harry Potter, designing all of the graphic art including say the wizarding paper, the Daily Prophet, Harry’s Acceptance letter to Hogwarts, the Azkaban WANTED posters and much, MUCH more! And several years ago now, have since opened up a shop and exhibition space on Greek Street. You can purchase replicas from the shop or online. minalima.com Did you know all 8 x Harry Potter films were shot within the U.K. with a British cast, in just 10 x years! #HarryPotter #Potterhead #MinaLima #London #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #🦉#⚡️

Ready to roll. Driver-guide Danny... if only! 😆 #Joke #NonDriverGuideDanny #DangerToTheRoadsDanny #DannyOnTheRoadAlertAlert #🚨 #London #Westminster

Was very happy to see @newport_band again, this time for a full day tour. We took a boat from Westminster to Greenwich and then a coach via Tower Bridge to the Tower of London and it was so busy EVERYWHERE! Thankfully all eyes were on the guardsman puppet, so we didn’t lose anyone! Here we are at the Royal Observatory, checking out longitude zero... aka the meridian line - where time begins and has done ever since 1884... when it was decided by 22 x counties at the International Meridian Conference (in Washington DC) that the Greenwich meridian will be the prime meridian for the whole wide WORLD! #PrimeMeridian #GOKNIGHTS #London #Greenwich #RoyalMuseumsGreenwich #LongitudeZero #LNYDP #MarchingBands #NewportBands #LondonBlueBadgeTouristGuide #ToursOfLondon #❤️💛

Had a great time guiding these cool kids from @newport_band We did a half day coach panoramic tour of London, seeing pretty much everything there is to see between Royal Albert Hall and St Paul’s Cathedral! They’re here especially for the @lnydp If you’re in London for New Years, remember to check out the parade on New Years Day, it’s a lot of fun and a real spectacle thanks to our American cousins! #LNYDP #LNYDP2020 #NEWPORTBAND #GOKNIGHTS #❤️💛 #London #CoventGarden #LondonBBTG #LondonBlueBadgeTouristGuide #BlueBadgeGuide #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #LondonTourGuide

Was a pleasure to guide this super fun family from Italy earlier this weekend and provide them with a tour of the mighty Tower of London. The kids were especially impressed to see the Crown Jewels having read the award winning Gangsta Granny by @dwalliams and were also thrilled to see the legendary Tower ravens (that keep the Tower safe and secure by their presence) and of course meet Cyril the squirrel, recently made famous by the second series of the Tower of London documentary on @channel5_tv #VisitLondon #TowerOfLondon #London #FamilyFriendlyLondon #ToursForFamilies #FamilyFriendlyToursOfLondon #TourLondon #BlueBadgeGuide #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #LondonForKids #KidsLondon #HistoricRoyalPalaces #TowerBridge #UNESCO #Selfie #PalaceSelfie

Great to be back in Greenwich. Cutty Sark in the background. Launched in the late 1860s and would transport tea from China (sometimes carrying over 10,000 crates of tea per journey) and later wool from Australia back to the UK. She was known for breaking many speed records, sometimes reaching speeds over 17 knots (twice the speed of the water that flows on the River Thames). Placed in dry dock since the 1950s, when being restored in 2007, a fire-started but fortunately did not destroy too much of the fabric as most of the interior had already been removed and was being cleaned/repaired and or restored off site. In 2012 the restoration was complete and it is now possible to walk completely under the hull as she’s now raised 12 feet off of the ground, creating a brand new space beneath, enjoyed by visitors and guests (attending grand dinners etc) alike. #CuttySark #London #VisitGreenwich #RoyalMuseumsGreenwich

Have been put in charge of looking after Paddington whilst the family I’m guiding check out the Crown Jewels. A quote from Paddington Bear: “In London everyone is different and that means anyone can fit in.” 🐻 Photo credit: Blue Badge Tourist Guide, Tim Barron. #LifeOfATourGuide #PaddingtonBear #TowerOfLondon #ToursOfLondonForFamilies #🐻

Had such a great time showing this super lovely family from Mexico the best of what there is to see in the city. Gracias por su visita! #London #ToursOfLondon #TourGuide #LondonTourGuide #StPaulsCathedral #WestminsterAbbey #TowerOfLondon #BuckinghamPalace #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #🇲🇽❤️

My kind of way out (exit) sign. #Museums #LondonMuseums #SouthKensingtonStation #MuseumLove #LondonSigns #Signage #WayOut #HappyPlace #Directions #LondonUnderground #Albertopolis #TransportForLondon #LondonTubeStation #☺️ #👁

Did you know St James’s Park is the smallest and oldest of the 8 royal parks in London and is home to over 30 different species of birds? It is just teaming with life at the moment. Check out these adorable cygnets having a little swim and feed and then there’s the mighty pelicans standing proudly, letting everyone know who’s the boss of the park. Only the best for these birds which are especially fed fresh fish between 14:30 - 15:00 everyday. Head over to Duck Island (just in front of the entrance to the Churchill War Rooms) to catch a glimpse. #AnimalsOfLondon #StJamessPark #LondonParks #Pelicans #Swans #London #Nature #NaturalLondon #NatureInLondon #LondonBirds #Swans #Pelicans #LondonBlueBadgeTouristGuide #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #RoyalParks #RoyalParksTrust #🦆 #🌳 #🐟

The Queen Elizabeth Clock Tower (Big Ben) under restoration. The north-facing clock-face is the first part of the project to be restored. A Big Ben fact for you... Did you know that the minute hand is so heavy it takes an hour to turn all the way around... #Westminster #London #BigBen #LondonBlueBadgeTouristGuide #Restoration #ClockTower #VisitLondon #TouristGuide #JustKidding #Jokes #Lols #CouldntResist #SorryNotSorry #😄 #😶 #😗

Ready to greet guests ashore with this lovely bunch. #CuttySark #VisitGreenwich #ExcursionsLtd #Greenwich #London #VikingCruises #WalkingToursOfLondon #BlueBadgeTouristGuides #🛳 #❤️

G’day everyone! Some of London’s 100,000 (or so) Aussies, lining up to vote at Australia House (which is mandatory for Australians, even ones based overseas). Australia House was completed in 1918 and opened by King George V of England and Australian Prime Minister; William Morris Hughes. Much of the building materials came from Australia too... Dove-coloured Buchan marble from Victoria, light and dark Caleula marble from New South Wales, white Angaston marble from South Australia to name but a few materials used. It’s grand bank-like interior, featuring tall black iron gates with gilding and huge, glittering chandeliers lining the main walkway impressed Warner Brothers location scouts (back in the early 2000s) so much that they decided to include it as an Harry Potter film location. Potter-heads will notice it features in the first and last Harry Potter films. A set was also made of which is now the biggest set to be seen at @wbtourlondon in Watford, North-West London - which can be visited if you book online in advance (I’d recommend at least a couple of months before you plan to go). Search ‘Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio Tour’ for more details and if you want to see more Harry Potter film locations, remember London is home to many. After all... Harry was in London the most, after Hogwarts and Privet Drive. Send me a letter by owl for if you’d like to book a private Harry Potter film locations tour of London... #AustraliaHouse #London #HarryPotter #LondonBlueBadgeTouristGuide #HarryPotterFilmLocations #🇦🇺#🗳#🦉#⚡️#✨

It was very special to be able to explore the great many rooms of the @britishmuseum before opening hours! To have all that space (and quietness) made for such a memorable experience. It really was incredible to have the time to take in the beauty of so many world-famous pieces. To think there’s around 50,000 items on show in over 100 galleries inside the museum, all connected with around 2 miles of corridor inc the Rosetta Stone, Parthenon Marbles and Egyptian Mummies to name but a few of the things to see. These are just a small amount of the rooms that the museum are now opening up for private, out-of-hours tours. A first for the museum since opening in 1753! Tours include rooms dedicated to Ancient Greece, Rome, Japan, China, South-East Asia and much more! If you want to escape the crowds (BM receives around 6 million a year) then this may be the tour for you. Feeling very thankful that the British Museum want to work with us Blue Badge Tourist Guides to assist with this new and exciting offer. Search ‘British Museum Travel Trade’ for more information. #BritishMuseum #TheBritishMuseum #WorldClass #Heritage #WorldHistory #London #VisitLondon #UKTravelTrade #UKMuseums #AncientHistory #OutOfHoursTours #🗿#🏛#❤️#🇬🇧#👻#🌍#

It was my pleasure to present newly-qualified Blue Badge Tourist Guide; Patricia Ellis with the prize (2 x London themed coffee-table books) for Best Written Paper on behalf of the Association of Professional Tourist Guides (the official guide association for all London Blue Badge Tourist Guides). Around 32 x people train to be a London Blue Badge Tourist Guide each year. The course involves 2 years of study and all 11 exams must be passed in order to qualify. Prizes go to guides who not only pass but who have shown that extra something special throughout certain exams. For more information about us London Blue Badge Tourist Guides and the APTG, please visit @guidelondon and thank you to the Institute of Tourist Guiding for hosting the event and for @stbartholomewthegreat for accommodating us. Photo credit: @bluebadgeman #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #BBTG #London #VisitLondon #ProfessionalTouristGuide #stbartholomewthegreat #APTG #💙#🏆#🇬🇧

Had a great time with Sandeep from India, helping him to explore the city for the very first time. We covered so much in just one afternoon! Sandeep’s highlights... Seeing the Crown Jewels and feeding the ducks in St James’s Park. Both an absolute MUST when visiting London! #❤️#💎#🦆#👍 #VisitLondon #FirstTimeVisit #VisitingLondon #BigBen #TowerOfLondon #RiverThames #London #ExploreLondon #LondonBlueBadgeTouristGuide #BlueBadgeGuide #ProfessionalTouristGuide #PrivateToursOfLondon

Had a great afternoon with this super nice group from @lborouniversity - they had so much energy and that was before the incredible sugar rush @milktraincafe They told me they had a budget for ice cream at the end so I just had to take them there. I wish every tour could finish with ice cream and candy floss! Mad combo, but it just works, don’t ask me how - try it for yourself. #CoventGarden #LondonTourGuide #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #TourGuide #London #FoodInLondon #IceCream #EatLondon #LoughboroughUniversity #LanguageTrainingCo #ToursInLondon #🤷‍♂️ #🍦#💗 #😛

Had SO much fun at the Tower today with this great big lovely awesome family from Boston, USA. It was so sweet to be asked to get involved with the family photo too. 😊 Talking of family... Did you know that 44 x families live and work at the Tower of London to this day!? Mainly made up from the 37 x Yeoman Warders that work there, plus the Tower Doctor, Chaplain, Chief Exhibitor of the Crown Jewels, Governor and Constable of the Tower of London and many more! #TowerOfLondon #LondonTourGuide #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #Family #SpecialMemories #ToursForFamilies #FamilyFriendlyTours #ToursOfLondon #London #FamilyTime #HistoricRoyalPalaces

It’s the 2nd September which means... we’ve missed the Hogwarts Express! 😱 This lovely bunch didn’t mind though, we spent the afternoon checking out all of the amazing Harry Potter film locations there are to be seen across the city instead. #😄 #🤓 #⚡️#BackToHogwarts #London #LeadenhallMarket #MilleniumBridge #StPancrasHotel #HarryPotter #BlueBadgeTouristGuide

I’ve walked through St James’s Park hundreds of times, but yesterday was the first time I’d managed to see the famous pelicans up close! They were passing underneath the blue bridge in the middle of the park (the best viewing spot in the park in my opinion). Did you know that pelicans have a throat pouch that can hold up to 3 gallons of water. The pouch is mainly used for feeding, but it can be also used as a cooling "device". How ‘cool’ is that?! #Pelicans #RoyalParks #StJamesPark #London #GreenSpace #CoolFact #BirdLife #RoyalParksTrust #Nature #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #LondonGuide #🦆 #🍃

Changing of the Guard this morning with this beautiful family visiting from India, lots of fun. #BuckinghamPalace #ChangingOfTheGuard #London #PompAndCeremony #💂‍♀️ #🎺 #👑 #🇮🇳 #🧡💚

My pleasure to guide these cool kids from the U.S. at Westminster Abbey earlier today. 👍 #London #Westminster #RoyalChurch #WestminsterAbbey #BlueBadgeGuide #LondonGuide #TourGuide #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #GuideLondon #💒 #❤️ #🇬🇧 #🙏🏼 #😃

Viva Espana! ❤️💛 My pleasure to guide these lovely kids around the city this morning. @thelanguagetrainingco #BuckinghamPalace #London #BritainsBestGuides #BritainsBestGuidesDay #BlueBadgeGuide #TourGuide #SpainLove #❤️

Whizzing around town today with a very enthused group from Vietnam. #Greenwich #TourGuiding #TouristGuide #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #London #UnionFlag #🇬🇧 #☔️ #❤️ #👍

Spent the morning guiding these lovely ladies from San Fransisco around Westminster for a ‘London Highlights’ tour. Thank you for bringing some well-needed sunshine over with you @kellyterk_rn_icu ❗️ #RiverThames #London #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #SpringInLondon #Westminster #CityOfLondon

Happy Museum Selfie Day everybody! 📱📸🖱 Gone are the days when you’d get scolded for taking photos of priceless artworks in museums, many institutions now actively encourage visitors to snap away (often without flash) 📷 to help capture and promote their items to the wider world. 🌎 This international event has its origins in 2014 and it’s easy to get involved, especially in London where there are over 300 museums to be found and most of the major museums and galleries are free to visit too! Can you guess where I am in the photo? Clue alert: It’s one of the oldest and largest, national museums in the world! 🏛 #MuseumSelfieDay #MuseumSelfieDay2018 #London #MoreClues #Bloomsbury #CelebratingWorldCulture #SirHansSloane #LondonBlueBadgeTouristGuide #BlueBadgeGuide #LondonTourGuide #GuideLondon #BritainsBestGuides #LoveAHashtag

Kensington Palace in the distance looking gorgeous at this time of year nestled amongst the trees with their almost golden-coloured leaves. If you’ve been planning to explore London and want to ‘beat the crowds’ (and escape the cold) now is a great time of the year to visit the many palaces, museums and attractions to be found throughout the capital. #VisitLondon #KensingtonPalace #PalacePhoto #LondonInAutumn #London #ProfessionalGuide #BlueBadgeGuide #HistoricRoyalPalaces #🍂

Happy #BritainsBestGuides Day everyone! 🎉At this time of year we Blue Badge Tourist Guides are pounding the streets of London and beyond welcoming the many thousands of people visiting from across the globe, showing them the best of what there is to see and do in the city. London is packed full of interesting characters... Earlier today I bumped into Leicester on 'Leicester' Square, London, home to the biggest @lego store in the world! Should you want to book me or another guide to help with your visit head to: www.britainsbestguides.org #BritainsBestGuides #BritainsBestGuidesDay #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #TourGuide #TouristGuide #LondonTourGuide #Guide #LondonIsOpen #LondonTouristGuide #LegoLondonBus #LegoStoreLondon #Lego #LeicesterSquare #London #VisitLondon

I remember swimming there this time two years ago, and saw @tomdaley1994 diving. Was a nice birthday treat. #Repost @zahahadidarchitects with @repostapp ・・・ #LondonAquaticsCentre in @QueenElizabethOlympicPark celebrates its 3rd anniversary. More than 2.5 million people have used the former Olympic pools since opening to the public in 2014. A world-class sporting venue at the heart of its community. Over 14,000 people visit the Aquatics Centre each week, with school, club, regional and national meets throughout the year. 4,500 children and adults are learning the essential life-skill of swimming each week with the centre’s ‘Swim School’ programme, as well as learning to dive with the Tom Daley Diving Academy. 50 different local schools and clubs use the Aquatics Centre for their swimming lessons, enabling thousands more school children to learn to swim. The centre encourages participation by everyone in its community with many different programmes such as family ‘Extreme Aqua Splash’ and ‘This Girl Can Swim’ sessions. Voted by visitors to the London Olympic and Paralympic Games as the best venue of London 2012, the past three years have seen the centre host major sporting events including the FINA Diving World Series, National Paralympic Day, Invictus Games, the British Swimming Championships and the 2016 LEN European Aquatics Championships. The London Aquatics Centre demonstrates how the Olympic and Paralympic legacy is being fulfilled every day. To celebrate the anniversary, the London Aquatics Centre is holding an Open Day on Saturday, 4th March 2017. Photo @lukehayes_uk #ZahaHadid #Architecture #London #Olympic #Legacy

I'm so glad I got to see this in time! Check out this huge Lego Batman Movie installation at Gabriel's Wharf, Southbank featuring a giant black coloured Lego 'Batarang' helping to promote the latest Lego film. Installations like this have been appearing quite often recently throughout London's busiest locations. Jurassic World and Ghostbusters featured something similar at Waterloo Station last year. The 'Batarang' here is 133 x the length of an actual Lego Batarang (which is teeny-tiny) and contains 35,000 bricks. It took 800 man hours to build and weighs over 100kg. Sadly it's no longer in place (I think its about to tour several cities) BUT... today is the launch of the Lego Batman Movie, so you can see it for yourself in person, up close if you buy 3D tickets. See you at the cinema! 😎🍿⬛️ #Installation #LegoBatmanMovie #Batarang #GabrielsWharf #Southbank #London #Lego #StPaulsCathedral #RiverThames #CityOfLondon #AFOL #🦇

Happy New Year everyone! 👋🏼 A photo I took of yesterday's New Year's Day Parade on Whitehall. 📷 This giant inflatable of a traditionally dressed Mayor of London led the parade including over 8,000 participants from London and across the globe, featuring a float from each of London's 32 boroughs, vintage motor cars and American cheerleaders, what a mix! One of dozens of free public events that take place throughout the capital each year. See london.gov.uk for more details and start planning your visit. #London #NoFilter #NYDParade2017 #Parade #Whitehall #LondonIsOpen #LNYDP #PublicEvents #Inflatable #2017 #🎉 #🎺 #🇬🇧 #🇺🇸

Perks of guiding in the morning during the winter. Cold, but so worth it. What a view! #London #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #BlueBadgeGuide #RiverThames #Winter #TowerBridge #❄️ #🇬🇧 #💦 #🏙 #🌫

#Repost @guidelondon with @repostapp ・・・ A welcome to London poster at Heathrow Airport featuring Crawford Butler one of the Tower of London's iconic Yoeman Warders better known as Beefeaters. Photo Credit: @barzey. #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #GuideLondon #VisitLondon

Helped these four Brits explore the Tower today. We all managed to escape in one-piece, unlike 2 of King Henry VIII's 6 wives; who were beheaded there in the first half of the 16th c for adultery! #TowerOfLondon #DomesticVisitors #Tourists #HistoricRoyalPalaces #BlueBadge #VisitLondon #LondonIsOpen #BlueBadgeGuide #BlueBadgeTouristGuide #Autumn #PalacePhoto #GuideLondon #TourGuide #TouristGuide #BritainsBestGuides #GroupTour #🗣#🏰#🇬🇧

Oh I love really do love London so much. #Home #Stratford #Newham #London #Sunset #Bridge #EastLondon #LondonLive #🌚 #💜