Sunday in London was another mizzly-wet day as we walked the 20 minutes over Tower Bridge to the Tower of London
Click on any of the pictures to enlarge
First stop was The Crown Jewels, for us the best part of the site. No photography allowed here so click on the link to see the most fabulous jewels and settings ever. Some were not currently on show as two maces were in use in Parliament and the House of Lords (Parliament cannot sit without the mace being present). The crown jewels are 'the real thing' and are kept safe in the tower in a vault which has doors at least 12" thick.
First stop was the Fusiliers Museum
Wonderful sculpture made from weapons and armour
St Thomas's Tower built by Edward I between 1275-1279
Still raining!
The Tower's innermost wall with more modern buildings beyond!
Private residences built in the outer wall with Tower Bridge behind
Inspecting the guards at the White Tower
There was so much more to see than I've described above, we didn't take any of the tours as it was so wet outside. I'd like to go back in better weather (but not in the busy summer months) and join some of the tours especially the Crypt tour in the Chapel Royal.
Before we left we took another look at The Crown Jewels and they were still just as amazing!
To end our City weekend away on Sunday evening we took the underground to Leicester Square to an Angus Steakhouse where we thoroughly enjoyed an excellent meal.
Home on Monday morning - always a good place to be.
Wonderful weekend on/near the Thames ...
ReplyDeleteFamily matters took Carole and I to Newlands Corner overlooking Surrey Hills and the South Downs on Saturday.
Then on to a night at a hotel right next to Shepperton Marina. Took a wonderful walk around the marina after breakfast this morning (we dumped our boat there for a week or so in 2014) and then on to traffic grid locked Hampton Court for coffee and a walk to the moorings there :)). Again a favourite spot to stop a while. Felt odd to be there without the boat!
Feeling keen we then walked along the Thames past Moseley lock (my nightmare last summer where the 'houseboat' in your previous blog was stuck on the lock mooring causing chaos). It's now slightly downstream on a trip boat mooring opposite Hampton Ct Palace !! Kept going along the Thames path as far as Astoria (David Gilmour's recording studio) and then coffee / soup outside in the freezing cold opposite all the lovely houseboats at the cricket club.
Just love this part of the world ( and I travel a lot!) and a smidge jealous of you and NPXL on your Thames winter moorings. We'll be back on board next week on the GU ... but the river calls us !!
We did think of dropping in to say hello but despite our many trips along the Thames my sense of distance is way off and we needed to head north directly late afternoon.
Love all your photo's of London (I stay at the Tower hotel from time to time and often just spend an evening looking at tower bridge). But I really like your recent pic of the mill house where you are. What is it now ??
Sorry we didn't make the trip out to your moorings, hope we have the chance to try again before we head south on the water.
Best
P&C
Hi both, good to catch up! Whenever you want to come visiting just pm me via fb and we'll sort it, would love to meet Carole. x
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