Tower of London

We took an 8 hour tour bus ride today, the 5 of us. We toured London by bus and on the way saw the changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace. I think London is now one of my most favorite cities on earth. After going to Westminister Abbey I began to understand the psychology of the British people much better. Today we went all over the place in London by bus and wound up at the Tower of London on the Thames. The Tower of London is where the kings all stayed in the early years of England and where they defended England from invasion from up the Thames River by ship or walking or running army over the centuries. The Armor there and all the nooks and crannies of castle life can be observed there first hand still in this sort of living museum environment there. Many people both rich and poor were executed over the years there for crimes against the State of England and many tortured in the old days as well.

I was kind of tired even though the weather was warm by 4 pm when we finally arrived at the Tower of London. So, I wasn't able to enjoy it as much as I had the first time in 1999 because I was just too tired from walking and my feet hurt a lot. Next, we took a boat ride up the Thames river to where the London Eye is and got off there next to Big Ben and Westminister Abbey and caught a cab back to our hotel room. Luckily a cab will hold easily 5 people so it is relatively economical for 5 people to travel around by cab compared to train at least around London. By renting one triple and one double room we had enough for the 5 of us to stay in a nice London hotel.  London has become now one of my most favorite cities on Earth. I just discovered Paris two years ago and now London also is a town I find that I love also. Though I miss the wildness and experimentalness of California, there is something about the deep history and love of Country that I find in both Paris and London that is very amazing!

Also, if you find a good Pub that you like here in London, often both the food and the atmosphere are pretty fun. Most of the pubs date back to the 1800s and some before then. It may seem funny but I don't go to pubs for the alcohol, I go for the food and atmosphere which are great.