exploring the new and old of tower hill

(originally posted on 6.18.11)

Our first full weekend we were together, after a full week of work for me, we explored our temporary neighborhood, called City. It's a couple blocks away from The Monument, which pays tribute to the great london fire (yes, London had great fires as well, but for some reason they didn't rebuild on a straightforward grid system like Chicago did).

We then visited The Tower of London, which is a historic castle on the north bank of the Thames. Amazing history lesson here -- many important British rulers are buried here, The Crown Jewels have been housed here dating back to when King Henry III was in reign, The Beefeaters give the tours --- they're so cute and candid.

Tower of London from The Thames. 

 The Beefeaters and their families all live within the Tower walls still to this day. Our guide's daughter was getting married at the Tower later this summer. 

Just a boy.  

The White Tower 

Traitor's Gate, the prisoners entrance to The Tower of London. Queen Anne Boleyn entered through here. 

And after that, we walked over Tower Bridge, which is actually much newer than one would think (less than 200 years old) and many times confused for The London Bridge. We walked over London Bridge afterward to get home...it's a plain cement roadway. Surprising to hear there's a nursery rhyme after such a drab thing. Read the real London Bridge Story.

Looking out at Tower Bridge from The Tower of London.