Westminister Abbey The history of London is fascinating. None more so that the famous abbey where the comings and going of kings and queens and their entourages have been recorded for posterity. The abbey and all its add-ons has been here since the 9th century. It even survived the WWII bombings. If you have (or had) power, influence, money or were born into the right family, were particularly fiendish or really devious, this is where you ended up. All the world can then gawk and marvel at you. The place is immense. So was the line of tourists outside the entrance. It reminds us of why we usually keep away from cities. What followed was a slow walk around the various crypts, annexes and cloisters as we listened to a Jeremy Irons commentary on our audio phone. So many stories and far too much pomp and ceremony. The inevitable crass, gaudy, over-the-top engravings and statues. The most poignant for us was the burial, one on top of the other, of devoutly protestant Queen Elizabeth I and devoutly catholic Queen Mary. Each at the complete opposite ends of the religious spectrum but forced to rest together. - for eternity.

LONDON BRIDGE Rebuilt in 1970’s. Earlier bridge sold to an American who rebuilt it stone by stone in USA - in the desert. He thought he had purchased Tower Bridge!!

NEEDLE Second highest building in Europe. The designer was never paid a cent. Instead he opted instead to get a penthouse at the top of the building. Today’s value - over $80mill

CHURCHILL “Trying to maintain good relations with a communist is like wooing a crocodile. You do not know whether to tickle it under the chin or beat it over the head.”

ENGLANDN E W S L E T T E R

SIGGY AND HEATHER | EUROPE 2015 | SATURDAY, 28 MARCH 2015

Tower of LondonWe went to this tower with the kids in 1983 and just came here today because our London Pass gave us free entry. Once again the crowds were immense - not to our liking. We listened to one of the beefeaters give a lively description of the history of the place. Blood and gore , beheadings and intr igues . Charming.

One i n te res t i n g d i t t i was the explanation for the words “severance pay” which the chopper received. According to the guide, the condemned would pay the executioner to do a good quick job of removing their head! The most interesting part for us this time around, was the armoury display and the overall beauty of the complex. We didn’t try to view the Crown Jewels. It was a 40 minute wait!! It is a fascinating place but we were very tired (is it old age?) and it was actually very cold too. We made our way back via the bus system to our hotel for a much appreciated rest and some hot food. The trip through “London Town” - only one square mile apparently - was the most interesting part of the morning.

Winston ChurchillNow, this was more our cup of tea - Winston Churchill’s War Rooms. The masses apparently don’t share our interests so it was much more enjoyable being there. It is located in a basement under Whitehall, just off the banks of the Thames. The rooms are as they were left after the war. Much of it has apparently never been touched. Even the huge maps (with original pins) are still on the walls. There was a section on Churchill with recordings of his great speeches, and recordings of interviews with the women and men who worked here in administrative roles. Quite fascinating. We spent over 2 hours here. When we left, on closing, it was 6 pm and we strolled in the park nearby. Despite the chill, there were heaps of people doing the same thing. The light was fading and the lighted glow of the buildings gave the area a totally different feeling to daylight hours.

Because we have the London Pass, we have been travelling via the Thames. We would not normally do this, but have discovered that it is a great way to see the city and put various points of interest into perspective.

PHOTOS

GOLD PLATED ARMOUR

KING ON HORSEBACK

ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL

London’s tourist attractions

TOWER OF LONDON

PHOTOS