The Tower of London

Yesterday we decided to go to the Tower of London. We got there right when it opened and beat all of the crowds - our best decision yet! The Tower is popularly known today as a place of imprisonment and was used as such from as early as 1100, but it also was a grand palace and served as a royal residence.

The Tower of London!

I learned from our tour guide that The Tower also served as a Royal Menagerie - a zoo! Henry III had a polar bear and it would swim in the moat and go fishing in the Thames River.

The Waterloo Barracks where the crown jewels are located. We saw jewels, plates, crowns, scepters, and swords! This collection of Coronation Regalia has been on public display at the Tower since the 17th century, with only one attempt to steal them!

I wasn't able to get a close up of the ravens, but here are some of their cages. Their wings are clipped so they just walk around the grass outside of their cages. Legend has it that Charles II was told that if the ravens ever left the Tower, the kingdom and the fortress would fall. The Tower has had ravens ever since, but only the Ravenmaster can approach and handle them. One of their ravens, Jim Crow, died in 1924 at the age of 44!

The plaque showing the site of the scaffold that was used for private executions on the Tower Green. Private executions, such as that of Anne Boleyn, took place within the walls of the Tower to avoid embarrassing the prisoner or the monarch. Most executions took place outside on Tower Hill where thousands of spectators would watch.

A Yeoman Warder! One served as our tour guide. They are more commonly known as the Beefeaters since they used to be paid in rations that included beef from the King's table. They were ceremonial guardians that were responsible for looking after any prisoners at the Tower and safeguarding the British crown jewels. They started guarding the Tower in 1485. Today, they just really serve as comical tour guides.

The Tower Bridge!

After touring the Tower of London, we went to Covent Garden for lunch and shopping. We cooled down with a strawberry lemonade and met some nice, old British ladies that told us that the weather is supposed to continue to be hot for another couple of weeks. We totally lucked out because this is very unusual of England weather. The only time I needed my umbrella was when we went to Paris!

One of the market places in Covent Garden.