Sep 29, 2011
London

Day 8

Tower of London

  • London’s transportation system, while excellent in its coverage, is mystifying to a first-time visitor in it payment methods, among other things. Luckily, we have great big brains so we figured it out, but the cruise boats, which could have been so simple to use, make no sense.
  • We took one anyway to show London who’s the boss. It was a Thames Clipper from Embankment to Tower Pier.
  • We visited Tower of London with a 2 for 1 deal courtesy of the weekly Travelcard we got from a rail station and not a tube station. SEE WHAT I MEAN?
  • Holy mackerel, the Crown Jewels are huge.
  • We took a yeoman warder (beefeater) tour. He was humorously rude and has become my new role model. Stories included all the famous people who were prisoners in the Tower, including William Penn.
  • We saw John Kerry taking a personal tour.
  • We saw lots of young girls screaming for Jedward, some pop duo who was filming at the Tower. We also saw Jedward themselves who frankly look ridiculous.
  • After the Tower of London, we walked by the Monument which commemorates where the Great Fire of 1666 started.
  • Walked across London Bridge, the most boring bridge ever.
  • Took a tour of the Old Operating Theatre and didn’t take any pictures because it was hot as hell and also, horrific!
  • Students and observers could watch gruesome surgeries take place before anti-septic practices were implemented in this attic of a former church which was a former hospital.
  • We went to Borough Market and had some beer at the Brew Wharf. Then we got charcuterie at Brindisa, cheese from Neal’s Yard Dairy and a loaf of sourdough at discount because everything was closing up.
  • On way back to apartment, I bought a top at Peter Jones department store because after taking numerous trips, I still don’t know how to pack appropriately.
  • We had an awesome meat, cheese and bread dinner. Ragstone goat cheese is the frickin bomb.
  • Then we hopped in a black minicab to go to the theatre. It was the first time we were on the streets of London and not just walking along them. It was weird to be on the left. Didn’t feel right (har har).
  • Got to the Royal Haymarket Theatre in the West End to see Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort!) play the lead in The Tempest. It was a terrific performance (i.e., I didn’t fall asleep).