Under the Bridge

  Lake Havasu City, Arizona, United States
Monday, December 1, 2008

London Bridge???

After lunch, mom and I headed to see the world famous London Bridge.  In 1968 Robert McCulloch, founder of Lake Havasu City, purchased the London Bridge.  Since London Bridge was falling down :-) (actually it was sinking) the British was more than happy to sell the bridge for $2.46 million.  Another unique note on the sale...to avoid property tax, the sale was conducted as an antique purchase, so according to the Guinnes Book of World Records the London Bridge is the largest antique in the world.  It took another three years to dismantle the bridge, ship the stones through the Panama Canal to California, truck it to Arizona and reassemble at Lake Havasu.  Also they had to dig a man-made channel under the bridge.  This created the Havasu "Island", where the beach-front condo, we are staying in, is located. 

English fountain and London city marker

The total shipping and construction cost was $7.5 million; however the effort seemed to be worth it for the community, because the London Bridge is the second biggest tourist attraction in Arizona, next to the Grand Canyon...of course.

Enough of the history lesson...I have to admit I was very under-whelmed by the bridge.  Part of my disappoint has to do with the fact that what I thought was the London Bridge is actually the Tower Bridge in London.  There is a rumor that Robert McCulloch also thought he was purchasing the Tower Bridge.  The other reason probably has to do with the fact that we are here during the off-season.  Of course I am puzzled how 70 degree weather in December constitutes an off-season, but I believe the peak season is in March when the Spring Breakers arrive.  Under the bridge there is a kitschy "English" village, but most of the stores and booths were closed.  We did have the opportunity to take a photo next to one of the original London city limit markers.  Also under the bridge, you can find many pigeons sleeping in the shade. 

Feeding pigeons

Of course these flying rats came to life when some lady started throwing bread pieces around the dock area.

Topside, there is a statue to Robert McCulloch and some other guy instrumental in the founding and development of Lake Havasu City.  Also you can walk along the bridge and try to find the pock marks from the Germans strafing and bombing the bridge.  Since the stone is already pitted, I could not distinguish between bullet holes and natural depressions in the stone.  Interesting note...the lamp posts were made from melted down wreckage from the German bombers/fighters that were shot down during the war.  We actually came back to the bridge at night to look at the Christmas lights on the bridge and to see the "Festival of Light". 

Festival of Lights...LOL

Maybe I am too jaded, but the light show was laughable.  It consisted of the lights blinking to Christmas tunes along the shore of the English village.