The Tower of London! Wed. June 20

We indulged in the full English again this morning(see yesterdays post if this sounds like something wild or risque to you!)We then walked about 5 miles through the city to our destination, The Tower of London. We loved strolling down the shopping streets and on the Strand along the Thames. We saw all kinds of cool boats,houses,people, stores and dogs, something for everyone! We were happy to arrive though!
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames. It was founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078. The castle was used as a prison since at least 1100. It was a grand palace early in its history, it served as a royal residence. The Tower is a complex of many buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat.The Tower of London has played a prominent role in English history. It was besieged several times and controlling it has been important to controlling the country. The Tower has served variously as an armoury, a treasury, a menagerie, the home of the Royal Mint, a public records office, and the home of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. We had a tour with a Beefeater, who was hilarious as he imparted a brief but comprehensive history of the place. We learned that the beefeaters are retired Army men/ladies who have served at least 25 years and achieved a rank of Sargent Major. They actually live on site, and when the tourist leave at 5pm, they have a regular small community, with a doctor,a pub, and cute houses where they all live with their wives and kids. We were able to walk right in to the Crown Jewels area, which, judging by the Disney World style fence line set up outside, was unusual. The jewels were stunning, and we saw the very crown the Queen had on for her jubilee the other day. Other highlights included the ghost stories I had downloaded on the ipad and read to the kids as we entered Salt Tower, White Tower, etc. There was a troupe of drama students doing a wild funny play about the French Revolution of the main square, and costumed actors who pulled us all in to a dramatization of Rathbone's Rebellion of the 1600's.

We spent our day at this great spot, watching Danny scamper all over the towers and ramparts and hoping Molly wouldn't fall down the steep and tiny steps(she didn't!) We then walked out and across the Tower Bridge and saw the Olympic Rings, hung high above ready for the games to begin next month! I wish we could stay! It is hard to believe that we were in Greece this time last year, getting ready for Molly to make her Olympic Dreams come true! Wow! We wimped out and took the tube back to Paddington and the kids enjoyed a pizza dinner at Zizinia, a kind of "Hungry Howies goes to Europe type place!"

The Olympic Mascot!

coolest Taxi ever!

had to stop in the Disney store....

strolling down Oxford Street

Parliment Buildings

We finally reached the Thames

Charlotte spotted the Queen and her family from across the river!

two choppers zooming towards the London Eye

Taking a well deserved snack break, Danny spotted this camel park bench and grabbed a seat

The white building with the thatch roof is Shakespeare's Globe theatre

Tower Bridge

Tower of London

Our Beefeater

The white tower has all the weapons-the guys loved it

Royal Raven

Molly and Charlotte had a great time being in the play

this actress is wearing a plague mask

cage in the area where the menagerie used to be kept

example of the stairs...!

Tower Bridge

outside of the castle wall, the green used to be the moat

family picture( umm, excuse me Sir, would you mind....)

London 2012!