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Published: June 30th 2017
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"And he had him beheaded!"
"Yay!" (this was the appropriate response, we were told) Geo: 51.5002, -0.126236
Andrew wasn't able to get off work til Saturday, so he flew out then and arrived early Sunday morning. Jerome, Dejo & I headed to Victoria station by tube, to wait for him to arrive by Gatwick Express. We had coffee and a little breakfast at a cafe in the station. We'd told Andrew exactly where we'd be, thanks to the magic of the internet, and maps helpfully placed on the station's website.
Once he arrived, we went back to the flat to let him drop his stuff, and have a short nap. Then it was over to the Tower of London, for a Yeoman Warder tour, and a look 'round the grounds. I've been to London maybe 6 or 8 times, and I never get tired of it. A lunch stop in the former armory gave us a chance to rest our tootsies a bit.
After taking in the jewels, the armor, the history and the scenery, Dejo & I went to Fortnum & Mason while Andrew & Jerome headed back to the flat for a nap. Oh, the shopping I can do there! We shipped a large box of goodies back home, so we didn't have to worry about
White Tower
The oldest part of the Tower of London packing it, and lugging it around for the next week and and a half. It was about £30 for shipping -- not bad, really. Then we took a taxi to the Hertz office (or close enough) to pick up the car. I was nervous about driving a stick shift in a right-hand drive, but it worked out okay. Got the car parked behind the flat, then we had some really tasty Chinese food at the Four Seasons, across the road from the flat. We flagged down a taxi over to the Tower, for the Ceremony of the Keys.
I'd written in ahead, and gotten tickets to this 800-year-old ceremony, for free! Every night, they lock up the Tower. I mean, they do have some valuable -- er, priceless -- crowns and stuff there and all. So anyway....
You show up by 9:30 pm, and your group of about 30 people is ushered into the Tower. They have you stand in front of Traitor's Gate (don't step into the curb, please-and-thank-you), while the head Yeoman Warder gives you a bit of history of the Tower, and the ceremony. Then, with a guard and his gun stationed across the way to keep you in
Family portrait, take 1
Andrew's dogs were barking, so he had a rest on the bench below. The orange coat? That's him. line, the Yeoman Warder goes off to a cupboard down the way. He grabs the keys on the big round ring, and his lantern (a little oil lamp, just like you'd expect in 1794), gathers up 6 more guards, and they go marching back past you to the front door. They lock it up (with a resounding thud), and come marching back.
The aforementioned solo guard challenges them, and decides that it must be okay, since they seem to know the Queen's name. They head into the yard (near the White Tower), change the guard, and you're done.
It was a really cool ceremony, and they are pretty adamant that you don't take any pictures, so you'll just have to take my word for it.
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