Hi from London

This trip will be posted a bit differently, instead of picture, explanation, picture, explanation, it will be a letter (or in her case a very large postcard) to a special young lady.

Dear Kristal,

Here we are in London, home of Queen Elizabeth and all the Royals, a beautiful city filled with architecture that makes you drool,  and history that is both fascinating and a bit gruesome.  So put your seat belt on (it is the law in England) and come along with us.  Pardon the reflections and the smudged windows, I am not responsible for washing bus windows!

This is our tour guide, Dionysis.  He was one of the best, always there when we needed him, on top of every situation whether problematic or just needing to get tickets.  I would love to know how many times he counted to 22 along the way (the number in our group) - we left nobody behind!

Everywhere you looked on our tour, not just in England but all over the British Isles were flowers.  Beautiful huge pots and hanging baskets of flowers.  The meadows and roadways were covered, and every home had a small garden or at least window boxes with colorful flowers.  Gorgeous!!!

This church, Christ Church Greyfriars,  was built in the 13th century and has a rather sad but triumphant history.  When it was built it was a Franciscan monastery and was named Greyfriars after the habits the monks wore.  The first church built was small and was soon replaced by a larger church that had (are you ready or this?) ELEVEN altars!  Wouldn't Rev. Roy have fun with 11 altars to preach at - grin.

The church was dissolved during the English Reformation and went through several changes over the next few years but in 1666 the church was destroyed by the great fire of London and was reconstructed by the very famous Christopher Wren who was THE architect of the day.

During WW-II the church was severely damaged by air raid bombings and it was decided not to reconstruct the building.  However, Merrill Lynch built on two sides of the property and did some sprucing up and the church is now a garden and I think the tower is a private residence.

Wikipedia nicely shared the newspaper illustration since the bus window cut off half the tower in my picture.

These are just some random shots I took as we toured London on the bus.  I loved all the details in the architecture and the mounted soldier was a plus. 

Harrods is THE store in London and you could tell by the crowds around it.  We didn't go in but supposedly they have fabulous food courts as well as merchandise.  My husband brought me back a piece of Waterford from there when he was over many many years ago. 

This statue is a "put your thumbs in your ears and waggle your fingers" to the destruction of treasures going on in the middle east by militant groups.  The guide was talking and pointing at the speed of light so I didn't get all the history but it is a temporary statue and will be moved somewhere after a period of time.

Glouchester Tube Station was right around the corner from our hotel and from the looks of the number of people spilling out of there all the time a very popular stop on the tube (subway) route.

Nothing more cool than a horse adorning a building, unless it is red phone booth on the street corner, an emblem carved above a door, or random towers, steeples and row houses (that went as far as the eye could see). 

The London Eye is an observation wheel, they were quick to tell us it was not a Ferris wheel.  It was opened in 2000.  It was built to be easily disassembled and moved to another location after 5 years, but after it became such a popular attraction the lease was extended.  It is the UK's most popular paid for attraction.

Trafalgar Square is a popular gathering place for families and tourists.  A column, again not photographical from the bus window, is dedicated to Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson.  Lord Nelson was killed during the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.  The square was opened to the public on May 1, 1844.  Just a icky aside...the sailors didn't want to give Lord Nelson the standard sailor's burial at sea, so they put his body in a barrel of brandy and pickled him to get him home for burial.  ICK

There are four lion statues, the largest, save one, in the UK, surrounding Nelson's Column.  They were designed by Edward Landseer, a noted artist best known for his dog and horse paintings.  Originally, another artist was to do them but his were not impressive enough so they gave the job to Landseer.  Kids love to climb on them and they are a favorite photo spot for tourists.

We had lunch at Lord Raglan's Pub.  Fish and Chips of course with the standard peas (a sweet wonderful fellow tour mate ate my peas - the last night she gave me her avocado in exchange - I won!) and a delicious Apple Crumble for dessert.  I've always loved the hanging signs in the towns we have visited in Europe.  They just seem so neat to me.  The one picture is a mirror hanging above our table. 

When we came out of the pub these two were just walking down the street pretty as you please.

Have no idea what this gate was but I loved it and the sculpture just in the middle of the sidewalk. 

The Admiralty Arch is the ceremonial entrance to the Mall which is the road to Buckingham Palace that you see on TV during weddings and funerals.  The center arch is reserved for use by royalty only.  The arch was commissioned by King Edward II in memory of his mother Queen Victoria.

Pat and I walked over to Kensington Palace the home of William and Kate with their children and it was the home of Princess Diana until her death.  William and Harry were brought up in Kensington Palace.  Prince William's apartment is 4 stories and has 20 rooms.  Prince Harry had a one bedroom apartment at Kensington Palace until he married Meghan Markle.  Princess Eugenie of York lives in the Ivy Cottage at Kensington Palace and will reside there after her marriage. 

The home was bought by King William III and Queen Mary, joint monarchs, as a better location for King William's health - he suffered from asthma.  The air was cleaner and less foggy and he could breathe better.

We weren't able to go in due to time restraints, but looked around at the grounds and the swans and of course paid our respects to Queen Victoria. 

Just a few things that caught my eye as we toured The London Museum.

Roman ruins, a private urinal for Victorian men, a happy face and coffee grinder.

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These are spectacles!  The illustration shows you how they were used.  I thought they were handcuffs at first. 

There was a placard that read:

Medieval spectacles

Antler frames (missing lenses), Trig Lane waterfront, c. 1435 - 40

These spectacle frames excavated from a medieval rubbish dump in the city, are the earliest and most complete English examples known.  They are riveted to pinch the nose and were worn relatively low so the owner could peer over the top and look down o read.  The design also allowed one lens to slide behind the other so they could be used as a hand held magnifying glass.  Evidence for the use of spectacles lenses in combination occurs in a contemporary poem:

Calle unto you your owne secretary

Maister Grombold, that can handell a pen, 

For on booke he skrapitty like an hen, 

That no man may his letter know nor se,

Allethough he looke thrugh spectacles thre.

Colyn Blowbol's Testament c 1500

The horse and the fountain were outside the museum

Then came the good stuff!!!  Westminster Abbey.  There is no way to describe this place, Kristal, it is just glorious.  I wasn't allowed to take photos inside but took a couple in the Cloisters and the exterior.  Inside is just an overwhelming sense of awe.  Many notables are buried within the abbey and I stood on top of Sir Isaac Newton looking over at the latest gravesite, that of Stephen Hawkins.  Surreal! 

So the outside, I took several shots but no way could I get the whole building from the street level, again thanks to the internet this is what it looks like:

The lantern was over the doorway where we entered the Cloisters

Between the door and the window was this guy checking us out.

This is a drainpipe, even it is decorative - nobody knew what the number/date on the top meant.

Taken from inside the Cloisters of the outside.

Memorials lined the hallway - look at the fine etching on the big one.  Do you see the waves and the bird?  How about the map on the right?  Exquisite!

This reads "Dean Stanley records that beneath this stone are interred twenty six monks of Westminster who died of the Black Death in 1348"   The Black Death was also known as The Bubonic Plague and killed one-half of Europe's population and about 100 million people worldwide.

This one made me smile and wonder a bit:

"Near this place layth the body of M. Elizabeth Jennings, the pious, discreet and loving wife of Thomas Jennings, one of the gentlemen of his majesty's chapel royal and an ancient member of this church.  She departed this life the 12th of July, 1720 in the  57 year of her age, very much lamented by her loving and beloved children who have caufed this monument to be erected in memory of their dear mother. 

Alfo

Lyeth interr'd the body of the above mentioned Mr Thomas Jennings who departed this life the 26th of March 1734  in the 74 year of his age."

Sooooo do you think the children didn't care for their father, ole what's his name, that barely got mentioned?  Or did they run out of room on the monument?

Inside is Britain's oldest door dating back to 1050's!  Amazing

Shots outside waiting for our group to gather so we could head to the hotel.  Being a good little Methodist girl I had to grab a picture of the Methodist Central Hall.  I don't know what the yellow brick building is but has something to do with Westminster Abbey; and the little guy was just cute.

Talk to you later, be sweet.