Day 24 (22.08.11) began my London adventures. I purchased the London City Pass which allowed me to go to basically anything that costs money in London. So I set about making sure I got my money's worth. I began the day at the Tower of London. This is where they used to keep the weapons of England and where they beheaded some people, most famously Queen Anne (I think). The best part was the retired military guard who was in his dress uniform giving a tour. He took us in the chapel and talked about the various tombs and people who were buried/not buried there. Next I walked over to All Hallows Church. The church is basically a collection of famous stuff (read: random crap). But in the basement there is a portion of tiled sidewalk that was actually part of Roman London way back when. It's kind of cool to realize that there is city built on top of city here. Additionally, John Quincy Adams was married there. William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania was baptised there. They still have the cover of the baptismal font that William Penn was baptised in. They do not, however, have the original font because they gave it as a gift to Pennsylvania. The woman giving the tour said "We'd sure like to have that back." I thought to myself "I can think of a LOT of countries that would like their stuff back" (just ask me about the Parthenon if you're confused by this comment).
After the Tower I walked over to the Tower Bridge Experience. Which allowed me to walk from one tower of the bridge to the other on a walkway over the bridge. I also got to see the original engines and how they worked to raise the bridge. That was pretty cool. They're huge steam powered engines and there was something about hydraulics. I clearly didn't retain a lot of it but I did think it was cool.
The last activity of the day was the London Bridge Experience. Remember when we went to Edinburgh and we did the Underground city tour? I think I wrote about that. It was sort of spooky, ghost story, magic oriented. That's what I thought the London Bridge Experience was going to be with the history of the London Bridge mixed in. Not so much. The first half of it consisted of various characters reenacting the history of the bridge. That was semi-interesting. There was one really funny butcher guy, a human butcher. Ick. But funny. I found out that the bridge used to have houses and shops built all across it. They were built out over the water with supports sticking out from the bridge to hold them up. Also the bridge was torn down (prior to the houses) when the Danish (I think) invaded. Hence, London bridge is falling down... The second half was a haunted house. Why did I need to go to a haunted house in London? I'm not sure. I was chased by Freddy Kruger and a dude with a chainsaw. When I told Jeff about it, he just laughed at me. Apparently he knew that it was a haunted house and thought that's why I wanted to go. No, Jeffrey! I like creepy things not men chasing me in dark corridors, thank you very much.
I've realized that I really should have kept up with this better because a lot of what I learned has obviously not stayed in my head. Oh well.
P.S. This picture is hideous.
After the Tower I walked over to the Tower Bridge Experience. Which allowed me to walk from one tower of the bridge to the other on a walkway over the bridge. I also got to see the original engines and how they worked to raise the bridge. That was pretty cool. They're huge steam powered engines and there was something about hydraulics. I clearly didn't retain a lot of it but I did think it was cool.
The last activity of the day was the London Bridge Experience. Remember when we went to Edinburgh and we did the Underground city tour? I think I wrote about that. It was sort of spooky, ghost story, magic oriented. That's what I thought the London Bridge Experience was going to be with the history of the London Bridge mixed in. Not so much. The first half of it consisted of various characters reenacting the history of the bridge. That was semi-interesting. There was one really funny butcher guy, a human butcher. Ick. But funny. I found out that the bridge used to have houses and shops built all across it. They were built out over the water with supports sticking out from the bridge to hold them up. Also the bridge was torn down (prior to the houses) when the Danish (I think) invaded. Hence, London bridge is falling down... The second half was a haunted house. Why did I need to go to a haunted house in London? I'm not sure. I was chased by Freddy Kruger and a dude with a chainsaw. When I told Jeff about it, he just laughed at me. Apparently he knew that it was a haunted house and thought that's why I wanted to go. No, Jeffrey! I like creepy things not men chasing me in dark corridors, thank you very much.
I've realized that I really should have kept up with this better because a lot of what I learned has obviously not stayed in my head. Oh well.
P.S. This picture is hideous.
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