Up nice & early...big plans...must go to see The Tower of London. In all of my previous trips I've never been.
Ever since I was a little girl I have been entranced with history...especially ancient history, and the Kings and Queens of England fall right into that category. So...off we go...buy the ticket....hop on the local train. Its imperative we feel like 'natives' !
we go from Wandsworth to Waterloo
walk over bridges
walk...walk...
further...further...
walk under bridges
master the backward art of....
(very weird )
pass ships on The Thames
walk...walk....walk....they tell us its approx 25 minutes from Waterloo station to the Tower...they lie....after 30 minutes we were plotzing already....but....do we give up...NO WAY JOSE ! Walking is not my best feature but I will endure if it kills me.
Maybe I can 'call for help' !!
we pass the Royal Festival Hall
they have a great statue of Nelson Mandela on the premises
and, everywhere around town are these artsy painted elephants...easy to get sidetracked from the goal....to the tower...
we carefully negotiate the 'yes walk, no walk thing'...hey...we're originally from New York...we totally get it ! Where we live...red means go (that was a joke guys !)
we pass the Cleopatra needle and various Egyptian statuary
have NO idea who this lovely couple is but I sure did like the bench. If they turn out to be one of your parents tell them I just made them famous & they can't hide the affair any more ! We know what they're doing under that jacket !!
OK...now my poor back is beginning to ache...my feet are a whole 'nother matter..
onward we go...gotta do everything in one day...typical tourist ! Past the famous black London cabs which were beginning to look like a very good option to me but not to The Lenster who thinks he's superman.
you're getting the walking thing now aren't you ????
My feet are crying out now....The Lenster checks his map and sees we can take a quickie bus....yea....I was about ready to kill him by the time he suggested this brilliant idea.
and sure enough we arrive...I am ecstatic...but, then..the black cloud of doom passes over and sure enough....RAIN !..remember, it's England, for heaven sake.
we see the REAL RAVENS..and here's their 'story'
It is not known when the ravens first came to the Tower of London, but their presence there is surrounded by myth and legend. Unusually for birds of ill omen, the future of both Country and Kingdom relies upon their continued residence, for according to legend, at least six ravens must remain lest both Tower and Monarchy fall.
we climb a million steeeeeeep spiral staircases....up...down..up again. I try to image people in the 15th and 16th century doing this in their fancy schmancy gowns and no air conditioning....and all that armor. If I NEVER see another spiral staircase again it will be too soon.
I ask a million questions about Anne Boleyn, Henry the 8th, and the torture chamber...yuck...
am loving all the natural light photography...hardly ever used a flash.
we see Sir Walter Raleigh's room
and authentic Tudor housing
and...I got to participate in the most hysterical catapult game which took a lot of strength...what was I thinking when I stuck my hand up there and yelled "I'll Volunteer" !!!! Lenny has it on video,..I'll try to get it uploaded this week. At this point we were practically being knighted !!!
It was a blast !!!
we stayed for hours...and hours...I LOVED IT ALL.... and I have a zillion more pictures...but in true tourist fashion we needed to make a few other stops...via bus, via train...we have it all mastered now...
SHOPPING....we MUST go to Harrods....I've been before, but it's always such an experience. The department store looks more like a palace than a real palace.
The Lenster finds cheese to buy from their vast selection
we end our day with a light meal there....
BECAUSE,,,tomorrow I'll betcha we do it all over again !!
as of this exact moment....i'm joining a large tub of
warm water in the bathroom for my achung feet !
wow, it looks like you are having a blast, hope it stays dry at least for ya! Just wanted to say thanks again for the great demo day at Dawn's last Saturday. My friend (the one with the 8 kids) and I (with the union jack t shirt) had so much fun, especially as it was a kid free zone!?! You are a great teacher x
Posted by: sarah turner | June 10, 2010 at 11:07 AM
Amazing to share the experience through your eyes. Hey, you should write travel journals!! You see things so differently than I would and I love your sense of humour too.
I'd probably be the same to you reporting my experiences of NY. Enjoy the rest of your visit and I hope the feet last out!
Jozarty x
Posted by: Jozarty | June 10, 2010 at 08:12 AM
Oh Suze I was engrossed in reading your blog about London,(which is only 30mins away, and I never go and have never been to the tower, hanging head in shame!)that I put my hand in my mug of hot tea instead of picking it up! ouch! I said,(or something like that)spilling my tea all over the place, including all over my tablets waiting to be taken with the tea! Soggy blood pressure tablets are not nice! Anyway outcome is tower looks great and I might well go look see now, always thought the crowds would make it unbearable, but it didn't look bad at all. So thanks Suze, see you at the weekend so save some energy!
Posted by: Kathy Gledsdale | June 10, 2010 at 07:26 AM
It reminds me when I was sixteen, we went at The London Tower, it was a wonderful trip and i remember the ravens' legend. Well, I was sixteen so it's about... 30 years ago ? Oops ;-)
Posted by: katzele (Bea from France) | June 10, 2010 at 07:00 AM
I seem to recall a very LONG walk like this myself over New Years! The Tower of London line was way too long when we went, but we had a great time touring the Tower Bridge.
Of course no one ever said the Brits were known for their foods! We did have 2 fantastic dinners while we were there. One was in Harrod's in their Middle Eastern restaurant - fabulous! The other was not far from the tube station for Buckingham Palace (Knightsbridge - maybe) - a bit to the east and north of the station. It was a pub on the street floor & a restaurant upstairs. They made their own sausages - many flavors - very good and inexpensive also.
Have fun in your travels :)
Posted by: Sandi M | June 10, 2010 at 06:57 AM
Hi Suze
How fab to see London thrugh the eyes (and feet) of a real tourist. It's a few years since I;ve been down to Lon but it always gives me such a buzz! What a shame you don;t have time to come north of the border (we also do rain!!). I'd love to show you some of our castles, palaces and other pleasures. Enjoy the rest of your tourist days.
Gillxx
Posted by: Gill Parker | June 10, 2010 at 06:48 AM
as always, great photos
don't worry about all the "shortcut" advice after the fact!
this was your experience and it looked wonderful
Posted by: ida | June 10, 2010 at 06:39 AM
Looks like you had an absolutely fabulous day and thank you for showing me so much of my own capital city (which I seldom visit). I get the walking thing but would soooooo not have done it myself anymore.
Kathyk
Posted by: Kathy Kirby | June 10, 2010 at 05:10 AM
glad you had such a great day but am sure they sent you the long way round to get to the tower. You really deserved a soothing foot massage at the end of that long day. Have another good day today and sorry the weather is so poor - honestly we do get good weather (sometimes).
Posted by: Beryl Weintraub | June 10, 2010 at 05:03 AM
Suze, I wouldn't have walked from Waterloo to the Tower! Waterloo & City line to Bank, change to Monument, the Circle & District Line to Tower Hill. I second the visit to the V&A. Also Hamleys on Regent Street (nearest tube Oxford Circus). Probably not the biggest anymore, but still fabulous. Then walk down Regent Street to Fortnum & Masons and have icecream in the icecream parlour. Look at the shopping, but if you need to know the price, you can't afford it.
I would've loved to have been your personal guide.
Posted by: Judi Hodgkin | June 10, 2010 at 05:01 AM
Don't wear yourself out for Saturday! I've only lived her all my life 46 years the same as you! But never been to the tower, must put that right. We live very near anne boylens home - come and visit us next time and I'll take you there lol
Posted by: Nicks | June 10, 2010 at 04:50 AM
sounds like a fab day :) my DD lives almost next to the Tower..lol Love the pics , glad you had fun despite the feet!
Do hope you are going to the theatre, and if you get a chance go to the V & A Museum.. got some great stuff in it! one of my fav places to visit for inspiration.
Have a great day today
Jennie
Posted by: jennie | June 10, 2010 at 01:20 AM
Did you stand on the spot where they beheaded Anne Bolyen? I get chills down my spine just thinking of it! And I highly recommend afternoon tea at Fortnum's. Have a great time.
Posted by: Rachel | June 09, 2010 at 11:54 PM
I'll be hopping on a plane too. Good heavens Suze! I know that area and you really DID walk a long way. Get some rest and enjoy tomorrow.
Posted by: LoriHudson | June 09, 2010 at 11:06 PM
Thank you so much for sharing ... I will probably never get to England. I love the photos ... almost like being there, lol. The torture chamber looked 'hellish' ... was it creepy? Seems like it would have been.
Posted by: Melanie K. | June 09, 2010 at 10:45 PM
YAY SUZE-- you made it! Glad you got to see the Tower - you surely earned it after all that walking!! Enjoy the soak, and enjoy the rest of your trip too!
Posted by: ellen vargo | June 09, 2010 at 09:45 PM
The Tower is my most favorite place I've ever been. If I lived in London I think I'd do there all the time just to sit and read a book while being surrounded by all that history!
Posted by: Diana P. | June 09, 2010 at 09:21 PM
I forgot how beautiful The Tower of London is! Harrods is a wonderful place to shop as it contains so many varieties of the same things; i'm jealous of the Lensters choice of cheeses... Harrods architecture is very lavish & is a place we should all visit at least once in our lives to experience the opulence.....
Are you going to visit Hamleys Toy Store? It's supposed to be the biggest toy store in the World... Thank you for all the pictures; Looking forward to the video too, lol. If you get the time Kew Gardens is a most amazing place to go, they have a famous walkway which was designed by the same guy who designed the London Eye. The views from the Kew walkway are quite beautiful.
Hope your body recovers very very soon so you can go & do it all again later today; i'm exhausted but chuffed that you both had a great day...lol :-)))
Posted by: Paula | June 09, 2010 at 08:32 PM
Looks like a fantastic day. You'll be so tired by the week-end LOL.
Thanks for the beautiful pictures; it felt like "home" for a bit ;)
off to catch my plane to join you now.
See you Saturday
Isa
Posted by: Isabelle Norris | June 09, 2010 at 07:06 PM