Abby had to return to Denmark on Monday (she has class on Tuesday evenings), but we had a good chunk of time in the morning before she had to leave to catch her flight after lunch. We decided to use it to see the Tower of London, partially because it was fairly close to our hotel. I don't think either of us realized how huge an attraction this is, or how much time it would take to really see it all. We got there right at opening and made the most of our time, seeing the crown jewels, the white tower, the chapel, and about 2/3s of a Yeoman Warder tour:
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| One of the many functions the Tower of London over the years was as a menagerie. They have these metal animals all over to represent that |
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| View of the Tower from outside (as we waited for it to open) |
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| Opening ceremony - the warders getting the keys |
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| Outside view of the Jewel House (you are not allowed to take any pictures inside) |
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| Outside the White Tower. White Tower was originally built by William the Conqueror and was the royal residence for 500 years. It later became the armory, royal observatory and a prison at various times |
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| Many of the displays were devoted to the armory and showed off highly decorative weapons like this cannon |
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| The stairs give a sense of how old the castle is |
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| The chapel |
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| There was a whole floor where you could "try" your skills with the weapons |
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| The beefeaters, or Yeoman Warders, are the king's guard. You must have 22 years of military service in order to qualify for this position, which is a great honor |
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| These crows are special to the Tower. If you look closely, you can see he has a tag on his ankle |
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| Looking out at Tower Bridge |
After a quick lunch near Borough Market, Abby and I jumped on the tube and parted ways -- she to Heathrow and me to Paddington.
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