We were up fairly early this morning so that we could head over to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guards ceremony. We had breakfast at our hotel, which was wonderful, and then off to the Underground to catch the Tube to St. James’s Park. It was just a short walk from there to the Palace.
The Queen was in (the flag was flying above the Palace) and the pomp and circumstance of this ceremony are impressive. There were thousands of people everywhere.
Once the parade/ceremony was over, we walked to Westminster Abbey. This was – by far – the most incredible experience we’ve had in London. I can’t begin to describe the beauty of this place. The architecture – inside and out – is so intricate. Carved wood, jeweled floors, stone-carved ceilings, marble tombs and so much more. It was founded in 960 AD by the Benedictine monks and since the crowning of William the Conqueror here in 1066, it has been England’s coronation church. The Coronation Chair – the original chair from 1066 – is on display here and is still used, moved to the altar when a new person becomes King/Queen. As you walk through this spectacular place, you are in the middle of history – English poets, royalty, and scientists are buried here – and it is still a working church with daily prayer and worship services.
From the Abbey, we walked toward Parliament Square and found a little cafe to eat a late lunch. With Big Ben in sight, we walked over to check out the Parliament Building, the heart of the British government, and Big Ben, the most famous clock in the world.
Since we are truly “stumbling and exploring” our way through London, we decided we would head to the East side of the city and check out the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. You cannot walk through the streets of this city without admiring the buildings, the history, the monuments, and the people – everyone here is so nice and friendly. We caught the Tube to Tower Hill and made our way out to the street.
Among other things, the Tower of London houses the Crown Jewels (something Cindy really wanted to see). But it is also a place with a very bloody history. It has held many famous prisoners and lots of them were executed on the grounds by removing their heads! The central tower or White Tower was completed in 1100 and was William the Conqueror’s palace. In total, there are 20 towers that make up the fortress. We wandered the grounds for a while and explored the buildings.
It was an easy walk from here to the Tower Bridge. We did not take a tour of the Bridge because we needed to get back to the West End area to take a ride on the London Eye.
The London Eye is a great way to see the entire city from 178 meters in the air – spectacular views of everything! From here, we made our way to Leicester Square for some coffee, tea, and dessert before heading back to our hotel. It was a LONG day! Tomorrow will be our last day in London and we’ll take it easy.