Welcome back!
Recently I had a stop in Lake Havasu, Arizona! This place is such a well-kept secret. Basically it's lake oasis retreat in the desert. Lake Havasu brings a resort community, quaint shops and cool restaurants, GREAT people (I made two Facebook friends while visiting), and some pretty cool history!
My first stop in Lake Havasu was The London Bridge. Yes, the real London Bridge. This bridge was originally constructed in the 1830s and for years spanned the River Thames in London England. London outgrew the bridge and just planned on tearing it down. However, in 1968, Robert McCullough bought the bridge from the City of London to have it transported back to Lake Havasu Resort (a community he started in 1964). The reconstruction of the London Bridge in America was completed in 1971 and connects over a canal and marries an island in the Colorado River to the the main portion of Lake Havasu City!
I present (drumroll)...the most interesting sexiest bridge pictures ever!
Also, anyone ever heard of the Salvation Army? The Salvation Army is said to have its origins under the London Bridge. The founder, William Booth (of Nottingham, UK), was inspired to start this organization after personally witnessing homeless people gathering under the bridge to escape the elements in the 1800s in London.
Here is a YouTube link of me getting inspired by this bridge (I'm fully aware I can't sing great)...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz3k14WPUA4
Other really neat things to know about this iconic bridge:
- The vintage street lamps along the bridge are actually melted down cannons from Napoleon Bonaparte's army!
- The bridge is haunted! There are rumors of people witnessing a woman in black haunting the bridge. And, also, some have witnessed British police patrolling the bridge. It has not been confirmed whether or not said witnesses were under the influence of hallucinogenlike substances...desert peyote. (A cactus that gets you REAL high)
- When dismantled in London, each brick was numbered for reassembly in America. If you look closely you can see the numbering on the bridge.
- Guano (bat poop)...the bridge is home to bats! Hundreds of them!
- This is the world's "Largest Antique!"
- This is the second largest tourist attraction, behind the Grand Canyon!
- The bridge is featured in the movie "Falling Down" with Michael Douglas. The movie is about a severe breakdown that everyone can relate to. I mean who has craved biscuits and gets to the fast food place 2 minutes after they flip the menu to lunch and they refuse to serve you breakfast when you know good and darn well they still have biscuits and are just going to throw them away? Anyways, back to the movie: It's Robert Duval's character's last day - his wife wanted to retire to Lake Havasu. Isn't it ironic? London Bridge...falling down??
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