21 April 2010
We planned 2 and a half days to explore London before our flight back home on 23 April 2010, assuming that flights would be resumed by then. This was too short a time for a place like London.
A call to our travel insurance agent reassured us that we would be paid compensation for any cancellations of flights due to the Icelandic volcano eruption. Not bad. We may be forced to extend our vacation in London but it will be partially funded by our insurance claims.
The plan for the day would be to visit the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and the attractions near the Thames, including Madam Tussauds. This time of year in London, we may get to experience all 4 seasons in a day. Although it was warm when we left the apartment, we lugged our warm clothing along as it would get cold at night.
Journey to Tower of London via subway was easy. Nearest station is the Tower Hill station and from there, a short walk to the Tower.
Once inside, Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters), dressed in red, will guide visitors and tells interesting and sometimes funny stories related to the places within the Tower of London.
We listened to stories about who gets beheaded and where, ghosts and some stories and legends too. We were also free to walk around on our own.
Fanciful cannon. Is this really a weapon used for war?
A pigeon flying from Ruins to Beauty.
Within the grounds of the Tower of London is the Jewel House where the crown jewels are displayed. No photographs were allowed for security reasons. When I visited this place back in 1986, the attendants at the entrance hung some confiscated photo negatives as a warning…half in jest. This time round, no such gruesome display of violence. Here we get to see some of the world’s largest diamonds.
The armoury was quite fun to visit. Suits of armour and weapons were displayed.
Armoured Horse in armoury museum, Tower of London.
Suit of armour of a king.
Fancy rifle.
Trying out how it feels like to have the Gauntlet around your arm.
Exploring the insides of the castle. Mechanism for the heavy portculis gate.
Lion of St Mark. We saw this in Venice!
All in all, we spent about 3 hours visiting the Tower of London and it was about 1 PM when we left the place. Right outside, we get to see the next London icon, the Tower Bridge.
There was a 62 gun salute near the Tower of London for Queen Elizabeth's birthday celebration. The guns seemed to be firing at the HMS Belfast, moored right across the Thames river.
Here is a video of the gun salute. Quite funny. Every time the gun fires, the baby will cry. LOL.
After watching the 62 gun salute, we walked along the Thames, across the bridge and try to shoot some photos of Tower Bridge.
Sculpture is the focus here, not the bridge.
Crossing the Tower Bridge.
River Thames as viewed from Tower Bridge.
After crossing over the bridge, we took our lunch in a small cafe by the bridge and then continued down the banks of Thames.
HMS Belfast.
Then we saw that the planes are flying again. There goes our free vacation extension.
Vapour trails of 2 planes flying on the blue sky, like 2 fireworks shooting out from the Tower.
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