Friday February 15, 2019
London's calling and I'm here!
Luckily, our little hotel was only 2 blocks from the overground, so getting into and out of London was quite easy.
We decided to go see "The Shard", which rised over 400 meters above the city, to have a view of London from way up high. On the way we passed Kings College..
..and then the colossal glass edifice came into view. London is a very progressive city but her skyline is not so very attractive when you see all the glass and steel protruding up in Hodgepodge fashion overshadowing the gorgeous architecture of centuries past.
Don't get me wrong, it's still cool, but not what I expected. We didn't go up to the top of the viewing decks of The Shard. At over $40.00 a piece we decided we could see London just fine from the ground.
From the Shard we walked over to the Tower Bridge.
There is such a nice promenade to walk and see the River Thames on both sides of the river with great views of the city.
Views of the new..
...and views of the old.
Built in the late 1800s, the bridge crosses the River Thames near the Tower of London, hence it's name.
We walked across the Tower Bridge and took a look around the Tower of London.
Built by William the Conqueror in 1070 it is an amazing complex of buildings surrounding the White tower. It was used as a primary residence by several kings up to the 16th century. It was also an armory, prison and treasury of sorts.
This was more than just a castle or tower, this was a fortress.
The White tower, seen in the background behind the gate, was used as a residence but most famously as a prison and a place too keep valuables and money. It is where the Crown Jewels are kept today.
Some of the Gates were situated right on the river and you would row your boat into the fortress.
This is the Traitors Gate located in St. Thomas' Tower and is the largest river entrance into the Castle.
Looking directly across the river from the Tower of London.
There are families who still live on the grounds at the Tower of London. Families of the Yoeman Guards who work there taking care of the grounds and guarding the crown jewels.
For a long time the Tower of London was like a zoo, as it housed many different exotic animal species given to the British Monarch as gifts from kings and rulers of foreign lands. These lion sculptures and the sculptures of Monkey's and other animals on the grounds serve as reminders of those long ago times.
If you look closely at the top of the turret below you will see an archer shooting his arrows.
We did not go up in the tower to see the Crown Jewels of England, but at the visitor's center we did see this wonderful replica.
We walked on down the North side of the river enjoying the cityscape and scenery along the way. I would have loved to get something to eat at the restaurant where they have these outside domes for dining.
The platform rotates as does 1/2 of the dome covering so you can open or close it and keep out of the wind.
A Maritime Memorial Garden.
All Hallows by the Tower Church is the oldest church in the city of London.
Thomas More, who was beheaded at The Tower in 1535 worshiped here. William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, was baptized here on 23 October 1644 and John Quincy Adams, sixth president of the United States, was married here in 1797.
The Shard in the Sun.
And of course.. we found a beautiful clock.
Looking at Tower bridge from up river.
We walked passed London Bridge - This is the underneath of the new London Bridge built in the 1970s and opened in 1973. (The original "London Bridge" built in the 1830s was dismantled in 1967 and shipped to Lake Havasu, Arizona where you can cross it today.)
When we reached the Millennium Bridge, which is a pedestrian bridge, we walked over to the south side of the river, stopping along the way for some picture taking of the other bridges and the city to the east.
Looking towards the north.
I thought this advertisement for the "Carl Marx Walking Tour" was interesting. It is to help promote Socialism.
Another view of London looking to the west.
But the real reason we crossed the bridge lay right in front of us.
Shakespear's Globe Theater.
But I'm saving that for my next post!
