little did i know, in my USentricism, that big ben is actually the name of the bell within the clocktower itself. nonetheless, it was a remarkable sight to see.
being a buff of b-rated movies and all, i long to journey to featured places from movies like the alamo in san antonio. more specifically, i then reel in enjoyment when you get to the alamo and see a large sign posted at the door that says "the alamo does not have a basement." and i know that legions of pee wee's big adventure fans try to answer the very same quandaries in life.
big ben, of course, was a destination that was noted by clark w. griswold in the epic european vacation.
no, this is not the only reason i travel. although it may be in the top 10 reasons. heehee.
we came across big ben on our first day in london, clodding along with our rucksacks on our backs, a bit dreary eyed from the long journey across the atlantic. across the street from big ben was a semi-permanent installation of war protest. mind you, the many offices of parliament are surrounding the area, and mr. blair lives just two or three streets down. 
it was very interesting to see this. this area is teeming with visitors from all over the world and therefore reaches a broad audience smack in the face with the issue of the iraqi war. whether you are for it, against it, or uninterested in it, the fact that this street, lined with war protest signs, is there forces you to ponder the issue--and while you are on vacation in a foreign land, which also promotes you to think about the globality of this issue.
anyway you look at it, it is inevitably affecting us all.
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