tower of london

3/12/14

After a sleep in (until a whole 7:50) and getting very, very lost walking to the Underground (somehow I managed to miss Kensal Green and end up at Westbourne Park, missing about another four stations along the way), I made it to the Tower of London. 

I bought my ticket (with student discount), and headed to the entrance.  Obviously I had timed this perfectly thought because I was 4 mins early for the 11:30am Beefeaters Tour.  He was Awesome.  He walked up in all his livery and stated that the next tour was at 12pm.  Or we could come with him now.  Then proceeded to tell us all to get nice and close and that those with vacant stares about the fact that he was talking English should go and get a Virtual Tour for 4.99 Pound (my computer doesn’t have a pound symbol!!). 

We headed off and our first stop was Traitor’s Gate.  Initially this was called Trades Gate because it was the entrance that was used by the tradesmen who came in to work at the Tower.  When the Tower began to be used as a prison the name eventually changed to Traitor’s Gate as many of the prisoners would enter through the gate, but never leave. 

Second was the Bloody Tower.  Built in 1225, it was initially called the Garden tower however changed its name sometime in the 18/19^th century (I can’t remember the exact date –google it if you want to know!) when the Tower opened to visitors and the tourists of the time.  Therefore it is actually thought that the name was changed as a marketing plea!

After the Garden Tower was the introduction to the White Tower (the main icon when you think of the Tower of London) and St Peter and Vinicula Church.  Unfortunately you are not allowed to take pictures in St Paul’s Church.  It is still used as a place of worship and is a Royal Church.  Apparently the chair I sat in was the same chair that the Queen sat in! Front row on the left hand side, aisle seat, if you were wondering.  There are many historical figures buried there including Anne Boleyn.  One of the most famous adulterers in English history! Apparently there are weddings in that church almost every Saturday too. 

This is where the tour ended and I headed to the Crown Jewels next.  Again unfortunately you aren’t able to take pictures inside the exhibit.  The Crown Jewels were impressive as I knew they would be, but it was a bit of a downer knowing I would never have enough money to afford any of them.  My favourite was the mini crown made for Queen Victoria to mourn her late husband.  It was made to sit on top of her mourning veil. 

The armoury was extremely impressive.  The artefacts which had been preserved and maintained were incredible.  Here I was allowed to take pictures and I did.  King Henry the VIII’s cod piece is dramatically over sized as I was told it was and did you know along the skirt of his armour was entwined the initial’s H & K, for himself and is first wife Katherine of Aragon.

I wandered the rest of the Tower exhibits and then walked around the entire tower wall, before heading home.

On my way home I stopped at Harrods to pick up some more Christmas decorations. 

After a mix up of being locked out of a house, several phone calls in tears to mum at home, jumping the neighbours fence to see if the back door was unlocked (I was invited to!) and a trip to Paddington train station to see if I could change my ticket to Bristol, I got home to get my stuff to go out to Bristol that night. 

As I was no longer catching the 4:30 train and the next off peak train wasn’t until 7pm, I had time for a shower, tea and some food before setting off.  I left at 6.15 and got to Paddington St at 6.52pm.  Just enough time to walk briskly to the National Railway lines and Platform One where my train to Bristol left from at 7pm. 

I arrived at Bristol Temple Meads train station at 8:45 pm.  Danielle and her parents were waiting for me and we then drove back to their house.  Danielle is one of the other Winter Volunteers, coming with me to Our Chalet for Christmas.  We got to her house and chatted for a while before heading to bed.