THE TOWER OF LONDON & WESTMINSTER

---

Awoke early to an overcast day. Read for a while then went downstairs for a breakfast of fresh fruit, juice and coffee. A bit pricy but was convenient.
Around 9 I headed out. Just as I left it started to sprinkle so I went back for my jacket. Halfway down the stairs of my hotel I saw the sunshine. Decided to drop off the raincoat and take my chances with the weather.
My plan was to get my travel card, hop the tube to the Tower stop, meet the group from London Walks at 10:30 and tour the Tower of London. Paddington is just a block away but the tube station was a zoo. The machine doesn’t sell 7-day travel cards so it was line up to buy the ticket from the only live person selling them. Well you can imagine the line.
Then, there were severe delays on one of the main lines so passengers were switching to the Circle Line, my direct shot to the tower. Well, not exactly. The train terminated at the next station so I had to switch to the Central Line line, and change again to the Circle Line. When I arrived at Tower station it was 10:20 and I couldn’t find the London Walks folks and no one I asked knew where they met.
Plan B was up so I walked to the ticket office, bought a senior ticket, and went off on my own.
The Tower of London was both smaller and larger than I expected. Rather than one tower it is a complex of towers and walls and palaces and other buildings housing the employees of the Tower. All the buildings were shorter than I thought they would be. Instead of one tower there are twenty, many to many too see at once. I headed off to see the crown jewels. I had imagined them to be a the very top of my imagined Tower but they were on the ground floor of the Waterloo Block, a large three or four storey building. I gaped at the incredible crowns set with diamonds and sapphires and rubies and emeralds, jewel encrusted swords and scepters, gold plates and flagons and tankards and a golden punch bowl that would hold 140 bottles of wine. Not sure what it is about jewels that fascinates women but I enjoyed looking at all of them.
I walked to the area where the scaffold would be, now marked by a modern sculpture. Two Queens of England lost their heads here. I climbed up to the top of Bloody Tower where two very young princes were probably murdered though their little bodies were never found.
The Wakefield tower held the artifacts of torture including the rack. The hideous and ingenious ways humans have devised to inflict pain on other humans is astounding. I boogied right through this exhibit and wondered if some day in the far future there will be an exhibit of water boarding and the other methods modern man have used for the same purpose.
I sat down to read my map and was visited by one of the Tower ravens. Legend has it that when the ravens leave the tower the country will cease to exist. To insure the survival of the country ravens, are kept in pens on the ground. This guy was free roaming and decided to give me a demonstration of his weird, clicking voice. It sounds like the clacking of pieces of plastic.
I discovered Traitors Gate where prisoners were brought to the tower by boat; many never to leave, explored a Medieval Palace and walked the tower walls.

The crowds were getting larger and I decided to move on. Caught the tube to Westminster and began to explore the area.
And what an area it is. Walked up the street just passed Big Ben. Gaped at the Houses of Parliament and visited Westminster Abby. Tours of Parliament were not offered today. The Commons was grilling the PM about the hacker scandal. I decided to tour Westminster Abbey instead.
After visiting the great cathedrals of Spain, I was surprised to see how small the Abbey is and how cramped. It reminds me more of a mausoleum than a church. The high alter where the coronations and Royal Weddings are held was so much smaller than it looks on TV, as is the Quire (Choir). When I watched the bridal procession on TV it seemed that the aisle was enormous but it isn’t so. Where the Spanish Churches have chapels surrounding the main altar, the Abbey has tombs and monuments honoring artists and politicians as well as Royalty. The free audio guide was very helpful in identifying the various monarchs’ tombs and I discovered a few memorable ones for myself like Captain James Cook.
The crowds were enormous but respectful. Once each hour there is a minute of silence to pray. This hour’s prayer was for all those affected by weather, war and famine.
The Poets corner held a memorial to Shakespeare, the tombs of Chaucer, Sir Lawrence Olivier, Dickens, Handel, and others to numerous to mention. Abbey Vergers were available to answer questions and give directions.
It was now about 3:00 and time for lunch and a siesta. Ate at the hotel where the food is quite good and reasonable. Tried the fish and chips and it was good except that the fist was halibut and I’m allergic to it so out came the Benadryl. Hoping the hives will be gone by morning.
After siesta I worked on the blog and checked my e-mail. Found out that I have been upgraded to an ocean view room. Had declined two up sell offers and saved myself $400. Sometimes you can just luck out.
Unexpected discovery of the day; a statue of Abraham Lincoln across from Parliament.
Tomorrow, the National Gallery and the ballet.

---

Photos

Yoeman
at the Tower of London

The Glass Pillow
where the beheading scaffold was placed.

Tower Raven
Clacking hello

Big Ben
More beautiful in person

Abraham Lincoln
in London Town

Mortimore and Freddy
keeping my desk in shape