Do you remember singing this as a child:

London Bridge is falling down,
Falling down, falling down.
London Bridge is falling down,
My fair lady.

I sure do.  But when I sang it, I had no idea what London Bridge was really all about or where it was – other than London, I mean..

So what’s the real scoop?

London Bridge crosses over the River Thames connecting London and Southwark.  This is city central, with lots of London hotels and attractions nearby, and is a busy spot in the city.  Although London Bridge is often confused with the Tower Bridge, it is actually located between the Tower and the Cannon Street Railway Bridge.

London Bridge has actually been a succession of bridges, with many incarnations occupying the same space and the same name.  In the mid 1960’s, the then London Bridge, known as Rennie’s Old London Bridge, was put up for sale .  It was a crazy idea, but after all, what do you do with a bridge that needs to be updated and repaired.  The bridge was sold to a crazy American, Robert McCulloch, for around $2.5 million, and it’s rumored that he thought he was buying the Tower Bridge not the London Bridge.  They were getting confused even back then.  Truth or urban legend, I’m not sure, but what a great story.

London Bridge was taken apart, piece by piece, numbered, and reassembled in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, where it spans the Bridgewater Channel and serves as the centerpiece of a theme park and shopping mall.  Since its re-dedication in 1971, it has become Arizona’s second most popular tourist attraction (the Grand Canyon is number one).

Meanwhile, back in London, a new London Bridge was under construction. It opened in 1973, decades after I stopped singing that childhood song, and was designed to be functional and long-lasting.  It’s still an impressive looking bridge, although must less showy than previous versions.

You can reach London Bridge via the Tube.  The closest stations are Monument at the north end of the bridge and London Bridge at the South end.  The rail station is also nearby.

Although you may not have visited London Bridge, you may have seen it in any number of movies and documentaries.  It is often used to depict the crowds of people commuting to and from work.  Movies and the big screen are fine, but still nothing like seeing the real thing!

Photo credit:  London Bridge, London by Peter Burgess @flickr; London Bridge Lake Havasu by Aran Johnson @wikimedia

NOTE:  This posts is sponsored by Hotel Direct; the opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author.

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If you’re looking for a short respite from intense Arizona weather, duck into the air-conditioned Hall of Flame Fire Museum and the National Firefighting Hall of Heroes for a glimpse of heat of a different kind.

The museum covers about an acre, and has an impressive display of fire history exhibits. A catalog accompanies the exhibits, allowing you more detailed information.

There are impressive displays of over 100 fire trucks and their apparatus, covering a period from 1725 – 1969, all of which have been beautifully and painstakingly restored.  The collection also boasts over 10,000 smaller objects related to the history of fire fighting.  In addition, the library has over 6,000 publications (books, journals, magazines, catalogs, etc.) and over 50,000 graphics (mostly photographs but also some paintings and other artwork).

While young children may be bored with many of the exhibits, they’ll love the fire trucks.  One engine is available for visitors to board, and it’s a prime location for photographs of both kids and adults alike.   There is also a good-sized fire safety exhibit that has hands on activities for children.

The Hall of Flame sponsors the National Firefighting Hall of Heroes, which is sponsored by the National Historical Fire Foundation.  It honors fire fighters who have died in the line of duty or who have been decorated for heroism.  There is also a reflective exhibit for those fire fighters who perished on 9/11.

Location:  6101 East Van Buren Street (in Papago Park), across from the Phoenix Zoo and adjacent to Phoenix Municipal Stadium (map).

Hours:  Open Monday through Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm, and Sunday, noon – 4 pm. The facility is also available as a rental for special events.

Admission:  $6 for adults, $5 for seniors (62+), $4 for student (ages 6-17), $1.50 for children (ages 3-5), and free for children under 3.  Group rates are available.   Parking is free and plentiful.

Photo credit:  SXC

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Frank Lloyd Wright is probably the best known American architect, with a body of work that has influenced and shaped the course of building in this country.  His former home, Taliesin West (pronounced Tally-ehssen) in Scottsdale, Arizona, has become the international headquarters for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, and is also open for public tours.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West

Taliesin West was built in the mid-1930′s, and is an example of Wright’s concept of organic architecture — building that evolves naturally out of it’s location.  He design and built ecological sound, sustainable architecture long before it’s current popularity.  It’s no surprise then, that Wright, along with some architectural apprentices, gathered desert rocks and sand to build this showcase home that is both in the desert and of the desert.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that this is just another museum.  Part home, part museum, and part art, Taliesin West is home to a working community of architects and students who live, work and study at the site, with a purpose of continuing the Wright architectural legacy.  The site covers over 600 acres, in addition to the complex.

Some of the notable features of Taliesin West include:

• Cabaret Theater (film)
• Pavilion Theater (performing arts)
• Drafting studio
• Wright’s architectural office and living quarters
• Outdoor pools, terraces, and gardens
• Workshop and residences for students and staff
• Experimental desert residences (built by apprentices)

Aluminium Bathroom at Taliesen West

A variety of tours are offered, including Panorama (1 hour), Insights (1 1/2 hours), Behind the Scenes (3 hours) Desert Walk, Shelter Tour, Night Lights on the Desert, and a Photography tour (all 2 hours).  For the holidays, an additional Holiday Light Tour (2 hours) is added.  The Taliesin West tour schedule provides a full listing of tour availability (based on season), duration, and cost.

Taliesin West, now a National Historic Landmark. is located at the intersection of Cactus Road and Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard, approximately 114th Street, (map) in northeast Scottsdale.  In addition to public tours, it is also available for rental for receptions, dinners, and meetings.

Photo credit:  Artotem (exterior), Moody75 (bathroom) @flickr

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