I took a sight-seeing hiatus today and spent the afternoon briefly walking around the city and relaxing in two of the grassy squares near my hotel (first Bloomsbury Square and then Russell Square). It was nice occupying my day with ordinary activities (sitting in a coffee shop, reading outside, etc.), because it made me feel like less of a tourist and more of a Londoner.

For being the most populous city in the European Union with over seven million residents, London has an impressive number of grassy squares and parks. In fact, London is taking strides to clench the title of world's greenest city by the end of 2012. Berkeley Square, Russell Square, St. James's Square, Bloomsbury Square, and Green Park are a few examples of grassy areas in London. These "green lungs" of London are constantly filled with people reading, playing soccer, listening to music, chatting, or simply taking a brief respite from busy life. Generally speaking, people will occupy any grassy area they can find.

Grassy patch in front of the British Museum

Bloomsbury Square

Russell Square

Speaking of green, London has bicycles available all over city for anyone to use. When you "check out" a bike, the first thirty minutes of use are free and any additional time costs a fee. You can return the bike to any one of the bike rack stations around the city. This is one of the solutions to reducing congestion during the Olympic Games. 

Go Green

Since I don't have much to report today, I figured I could conclude this post with a hodgepodge of pictures and information that I was unable to integrate into my other posts. I apologize for the randomness that is about to ensue.

The day we went to St. Paul's Cathedral and the Globe Theatre, I caught a glimpse of The Shard - a skyscraper currently under construction that, upon completion, will be the tallest building in the European Union. It will contain offices, an observatory, restaurants, a spa, and residential apartments. You can easily see The Shard from the Tower of London, and it was interesting to see the stark contrast between these two structures - the former, a modern glass skyscraper to be completed in 2013, and the latter, a castle-like fortress founded almost one thousand years ago. 

View of The Shard from within the Tower of London

The Shard

While we were inside the Tower of London, I noticed a cage of large ravens (and I mean large - apparently they are fed raw meat). According to legend, Charles II decided to rid the Tower of London of ravens (who were most likely attracted by the smell of corpses). However, a soothsayer said, "If the Tower of London ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it." As a result, Charles II not only changed his mind, but decreed that six ravens must be kept in the Tower of London at all times. Today, seven ravens (an extra is kept just to be safe) call the Tower of London their home.

Ravens guarding the Tower of London

When we were near the Tower Bridge, I caught a glimpse of the Mayor of London's office and residence. Although at first glance, I wasn't sure if it was the mayor's residence or Spongebob's pineapple residence. 

The Mayor's office and house

Throughout our travels, we passed the St. Pancras (or as some people erroneously say, Pancreas) Renaissance London Hotel next to the St. Pancras railway station. It was originally called the Midland Grand Hotel, which closed in 1935. The building was subsequently used as railway offices until 2011 when it reverted back to a hotel. Not surprisingly, it looks more like a castle than a hotel. 

St. Pancras Renaissance London Hotel

St. Pancras Renaissance London Hotel

As I've mentioned before, I love the incredible amount of history in London. If you look closely at some of the buildings, there is often a small blue circle with the name of a famous person who once inhabited the residence. 

While in London, I also learned that striped lamp posts signify an area where you can cross the street and cars/bicycles must stop to yield to pedestrians. However, I would not recommend blindly crossing the street since these lamp posts don't mean you still can't get hit by a mode of transportation. 

That's all for today. Only one more full day in London before I have to get back to the U.S. I am sure going to miss this city.