Showing posts with label Tower of London. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tower of London. Show all posts

Thursday, January 3, 2013

London Enbankment...............

Did you know that what we know as "the enbankment" along the River Thames was once 22 acres of water meadows. The land was reclaimed and the walls built to enclose the river so that at high tides or flood time the city remains safe. It had to be an amazing challenge at the time. Now of course the Thames Barrier is the big wonder, but without the enbankment London would not exist as it does today. The River Thames is the life blood to London. The wharfs along the river hold the Markets. World famous, and you sure know when you get close to Billingsgate, the fish market at Canary Wharf. This was not what I was going to write about though. When I was "courting" and living in London we would walk through the East End and I learned a lot just walking around the city. I knew my way around back then, could not do that today but I do sometimes dream about it. My boyfriend was from Dagenham in the East End...........I learned a lot from him about the city, not all good. Dont ask me now why I was with him its a long story but at least I got to know London.I also learned about life. walk-along-the-embankment-at-chelsea-frederick-brown The enbankment walks are much used in the same way as they always were. Strolling along the river on a sunny afternoon or starry evening,For me it was a magic place. Especially at night. We would stroll through back streets, you would be amazed at some of the architecture of the hidden places. The Enbankment itself has history for those who look, and maybe that is part of my fascination. Egypt. Egyptology. Cleopatra's Needle, that has nothing to do with Cleopatra but is authentic and has quiet a story behind it. It was over a thousand years old in Cleo's time. Then the Sphynx who watch it, they were set the wrong way apparently and do not guard as they are supposed to and are forever destined to look at the "needle" a bomb came close to destroying them in WW2. You can still see the marks from shrapnel. enbankjpg When I talk of the embankment thats the part I mean, in fact there are enbankments all along the Thames but the City of Westminster is what I was familiar with. banojpg I used to know the area inside out but not any more. I would not be able to negotiate the streets now. Maybe once I spent some time there. Bodicea she still stands there as she has for a very long time bodijpg You can gaze down at that river and know its the same old river that the Romans first saw and the Vikings lost a ship in. They found that one hot summer when the water went down. We would walk from there across Tower Bridge and (shame on us) we carved our initials on the bricks. You walk past the Tower where traitors used to be executed and I would often get the tube at Tower Hill to go back to Putney Bridge. So very long ago now. No I didn't marry that person and he is gone now. I was in love for a brief time and maybe its because I loved London rather than him???? How do I know I was 18.


Linking up with Little red house, mosaic Monday

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Last Day....off to London.......

When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford. -Samuel Johnson Photobucket We got up early to catch the train into London. Its so nice having public transport. I think those who do, can not realize how difficult it can be without it. We started the day at the Tower of London, we wanted to try to avoid the rain. So decided we would do all the inside things first and dodge the showers. If you have not been to the Tower its a must for history buffs. If you don't know about it I will let you read up on it because there is just so much history in that one place. Suffice it to say it was started by William the Conqueror.For nearly 1000 years the Tower of London has stood in its place on the Thames, serving over the centuries as a royal palace, prison, place of execution, stronghold for riches, and the symbol of the monarchy in England 105_0305 Tower Bridge from the Tower of London 105_0304 The guards....They look so young. Photobucket The Yeomen........and they are real soldiers not just tour guides. 105_0320 Always on duty and always watching and yes they will give you information and spin yarns for you. 105_0326 No pictures in here...........The vaults for the Crown Jewels and other treasures. Magnificent.
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105_0328 This was new for me............the place of execution. Prior visits just had a plaque on the green. This is nice. 105_0331 105_0333 105_0334 Ann requested a sword "I have but a little neck and I hear the swordsman is very good" The rest got the axe and if they were lucky a good headsman 105_0362 It's very moving to see the carvings in the stones on walls in the tower rooms where the high born's were kept. Thinking of them as they waited not knowing sometimes what their fate would be. Traiters Gate............damp,dank and mysteriously threatening. Very intimidating. The access from the river is now bricked up but does not detract from it on the inside. 105_0367 In the tower there is a museum with just so much to see its a place to keep going back to. There is armour worn by Henry VIII and I could go on there is just so much to see. Photobucket We next stopped at the British Museum. Again there is way too much to show here but my favourite is always the Egyptian exhibition. Although this time I was thrilled with the Persian and Assyrian 105_0381 Out and about here is a British Icon........... 105_0390 Trafalgar Square still had stuff up from the Olympics. 105_0393 We walked a lot but this day we took cabs too. We did pass this shop and drooled 105_0379 Here are some street entertainers. Another thing I love about London. The way that the people interact on the streets. We saw some people with really good voices singing in the area around Covent Garden but this was not in that area. 105_0376 Anyone seen the Mall this empty? The barricades still up and no traffic (from the Olympics and Jubilee concerts.) 105_0409 Photobucket This is the Palace. Buckingham Palace that is. 105_0408 Isn't she beautiful? 105_0413 These are the gates to St James park and the flowers in the gardens outside. It was raining so we missed walking through the park 105_0411 Photobucket 105_0412 So very tired, we took the train back home to Mark and Maries. What a great day out. So much we did that I have no space to write it all. I know I will remember things and probably add things to they posts as time goes on. Meanwhile none of this could have been possible without Liz and Rodney, Mark and Marie and of course Jason who bought the tickets and got me involved. I hate to fly but I have to say it was not that bad................could have done without the 8 hour wait at Chicago on the way home but everything went well. This last picture is of the trip over as we came in to Dublin Ireland. 105_0421