QUINTESSENTIAL LONDON--DAY 2

According to my beloved iPhone, it should be partly cloudy today and for the next few days.  However, the weather map on TV is showing an unrelenting  mass of rain moving in from the west, and I have just remembered my very preppy bright green raincoat is hanging in our Arizona closet. Exactly where I had put it so I wouldn't forget it.  I sense discomfort and dampness ahead.

Today's itinerary will take us to The Tower of London, followed by a cruise on the Thames to Westminster, and Westminster Abbey.  Following that, we will walk to the London Eye and experience the view from that most controversial but not-to-be-missed attraction. Finally, we will have dinner in the Sherlock Holmes Pub which, we are told, has a number of authentic Sherlock Holmes' connections.  It's a full day. 

After watching  the entire series of "The Tudors" again and again on Netflix,  I feel a bit queasy as we approach the Tower of London, passing very near The Traitors Gate.  I have witnessed way too many scenes of unlucky souls being rowed into the Tower under this ominous portal.

In and of itself, however, the Tower is quite lovely.  The grounds are well kept, the buildings are nicely maintained, and the history always interesting, if just a bit dark.  When I researched the Tower (you know I love Wikipedia) there really weren't as many executions here as I had presumed, but the ones that did occur were  high profile.  Anne Bolyn, of course, lost her head here, as did Lady Jane Grey.  Lady Jane is an interesting soul.  Edward VI, on his deathbed at the tender age of 15, named her (she did have some claim to the throne) to be his successor.  You know, we always forget about Edward VI, the son of Henry VIII. His attempt to thwart his two nasty half-sisters, Mary and Elizabeth, by naming Lady Jane as his successor, while well intentioned, failed miserably when she was hauled off to the Tower nine days into her reign.  She was a prisoner here for some time, but finally executed along with her husband.  Another sad story to add to the growing pile of sad stories.  Being a member of royalty isn't all it's cracked up to be

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The much photographed Yeoman Warders--actually the official title goes on for three or four sentences--wearing their familiar uniforms.  Actually, this uniform, which I think is pretty spiffy is their "everyday undress uniform."  You could have fooled me.  They have a much fancier one called the Tudor State Dress, although I don't know the protocol for its appearance.

Until I saw a few, I had forgotten about the Ravens that are kept at the Tower, under the care of a Yeoman Warder known as "The Keeper of the Ravens."  Legend has it that if the ravens ever fly away from the Tower of London, the Tower as well as the Monarchy will crumble.  Into. Very. Small. Pieces.  To avoid this disaster, the Ravens' wings are clipped and they are fed raw beef daily that is purchased at an upscale meat market.  Don't you love traditions that grow from legends.  No wonder I was a good Catholic for so many years.

I would have to think that Tower Bridge is the most handsome of all the bridges that cross the Thames.  But then, I'm a traditionalist.

We've just arrived at the London Eye after touring Westminster Abbey.  No matter how long you spend at the Abbey, you will miss a grave or memorial you really wanted to see.  Everyone who is anyone is there in some form or another--with some notable exceptions, of course. Princess Diana comes to mind and Winston Churchill.   There is a memorial stone for Winston, but I'm not sure about Diana.  Winston himself opted out of Westminster while Diana's family simply took her home to Althorp.

The line of folks waiting their turn at the London Eye is a long and winding one but, on the side of serendipity, gave us Road Scholars time to get better acquainted.  Since each capsule holds 25 people, we all fit inside, with room to spare.   The capsules provide seating in the middle but, unless you're afraid of heights, it's more fun to stay next to the glass sides.  I have absolutely no sense of direction when I'm away from home, but it was interesting to note that to my left I had a bird's eye view of historical London fronted by Westminster, while on my right I was viewing wildly imaginative skyscrapers and dozens of construction cranes.

A single circle on the Eye lasts 30 minutes, and it's a quick 30 minutes. I noticed that most of my photos were a bit hazy, so I decided my time would be better spent simply enjoying the view and savoring the moments.  I do highly recommend the Eye.

If I haven't said it before, I'll say it now.  The London skyline is pure not what one might expect.  I love history and tradition and the buildings that witnessed it all, but some of the most creative architects in the world have chosen London to exhibit their work.  Alone, each modern skyscraper is remarkable if rather irreverently nicknamed:  The Cheese Grater (on the right, above); The Walkie-Talkie (above left); and The Gherkin (below right).  I love them all (and marvel at their engineering) but they are messing up my historical imagination.

As the sun is going down, we board our coach and settle in for a continuation of Kevin's non-stop stories of London--past and present.  My notes are sketchy, but he did point out an historical pub, "Bunch of Grapes" where drunk and homesick American loyalists hung out during the revolution.  It was a very picturesque pub--as was The Sherlock Holmes.  We ate there in an upstairs dining room, surrounded by Sherlock Holmes memorabilia.  I wish now I'd taken more time to explore it, but we were busy figuring out the unknown vegies on our plates.  Research revealed it was Samphire which grows in northern UK coastal areas.  It's a beautiful green color and, if you ever find any, it goes quite well with Salmon.

We'll sleep well tonight!