Today we had a bit of a mammoth day trying to fit all the sights in.
Fist stop – Tower Bridge (completed in 1894). I think they should make this bridge London Bridge. It is much more exciting than the very plain and very boring London Bridge which as a tourist you expect to be something amazing. Well at least I did. Maybe if I had been a tourist before it burnt down I wouldn’t have been disappointed. Anyway, we walked across the catwalk high above the Thames (once the country’s main commercial artery). We had a good view of London. It is huge.
Second – Tower of London. I could have spent the whole day in there but my agenda did not allow for it – too much to see. This place is over 900 years old and many people have been held captive and tortured within its walls and then beheaded on nearby Tower Hills. Anne Boleyn entered the traitors gate here and met her death this way (minus the torture – although I am sure it would have felt like torture awaiting your execution). We saw the chapel where she is buried in the corner.
I didn’t realize Beefeaters were still in existence and thought the man leading our tour was in a silly costume – turns out that is his daily attire. In fact, 37 yeoman warders guard the Tower and the Crown Jewels which included the biggest diamond in the world (makes my engagement ring look rather pitiful, no make that very pitiful). They live here and every night the gates are locked at 10.00pm. According to our guide it is the best place to raise a teenager.
Third – caught a bus to St Pauls. Christopher Wren’s masterpiece dominates the city skyline. The cathedral is massive. I find it hard to imagine it as a church. It feels more like a palace. I guess it portrays the mightiness of God. It is feet high – 1 foot for every day of the year. We climbed right up to the Golden Gallery, 528 steps up and 85 metres from the floor. Up there you get a great view of the town below. We tested the Whispering Gallery but it didn’t seem to be working that day – probably because the choir was rehearsing while we were there.
After we finished marveling at St Pauls we jumped on a traditional London bus down Fleet Street to Trafalgar Square (excited to spot lots of Monopoly names). This is the site of Nelson’s Monument and the National Gallery but we didn’t stop and linger. Instead, we headed back to Covent Garden which I discovered is not a park but rather, it is a market area which happens to be near all the West End Theatres. This includes the Lyceum – stage for the Lion King.
The Lion King was fantastic. We were upset we missed it in Oz. Our regret was compounded after having been to Africa and had a ball there (we tried to see if it was on in JBurg when we were there but alas it was not). So this was a perfect opportunity to experience the West End and lay our grief to rest. The costumes were outstanding – there were even Zebras!
Got lost on the metro on the way home.
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