London in a Snapshot

By: Heidi Harris

LONDON--

I usually consider over-touristy activities cliché and overdone. I actually go out of my way to travel on the streets with rickety stone cobbles and old style architecture.  However, today I travelled to one of the main touristic attractions within England, the London Eye.

The London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel, also known as the Millennium. Originally it was called the British Airways London Eye, and then renamed the Merlin Entertainments London Eye. The structure was such a success, businesses wanted their names to be associated with the impeccable structure. According to the Official London Eye, 3.5 million people visit the structure annually and the number is only increasing. After waiting in the wrap around lines, and throngs of people, we boarded the Eye.

I immediately noticed how slow the Ferris wheel moved, and how thankful I was that it had air conditioning. After what felt like only a couple seconds, I had a perfect view of the entire city. I quickly understood why people waited hours for this large wheel, a first class ticket to London in a snapshot. While you could spend hours boarding the tube and taking taxis to see famous sites around London, the Eye provides an opportunity to see these attractions in one ride.

The London Eye is Europe’s tallest Ferris wheel and offers the highest viewing point in London. After timing our trip around the wheel, it took us just about thirty minutes to complete the circle. In that time I was able to take pictures from an aerial view, and see just how far the London themes stretch. Many times things that are over touristed should be avoided so that you can truly get an accurate picture of a cities culture, however the London Eye has become such a staple in London, it’s part of the culture.