Rick Steves' Best of England 2016
...accompanied by "The Bard "
London
Day 12
Our Best of England tour is fast coming to an end. The last leg of the journey, from York to London, will be made using the efficient train system. Robert has arranged to have all our luggage transported to the York train station via taxi while we walk the route. Bill the Quill has been invited to travel with us, but he still can't seem to wrap his tiny little head around all the 21st-century mechanization. After bribing him with a Kit Kat bar (the candy was originally created in York by Rowntree) and promising to show him the Globe Theater, he hesitantly acquiesces.
"Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt."
Measure for Measure (I.iv.77-79)
We disembark the train at Kings Cross Station and immediately board a local tour coach for a quick view of London's highlights. To a London neophyte the streets appear challenging, but the experienced coach driver has
us at Westminster Abbey, our first tour sight, in no time at all. Unfortunately, photographs are not permitted in the abbey, but the interior is just as impressive as the exterior.
The revered Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, Tomb of Mary Queen of Scots, and Poet's Corner where authors such as Geoffrey Chaucer, Lord Byron, and Dylan Thomas are buried, are only a fraction of the impressive historical sights. Knowing that we are walking where England's nobility has been married and enthroned since 1066 A.D. is rather surreal...
Kings Cross Station
Westminster Abbey
The abbey cloisters
St. George Slaying the Dragon
outside the abbey entrance
Inside a cloister
The Fielding Hotel
It's been a long day and we are really looking forward
to our accommodations at the Fielding Hotel
located in London's West End,
Covent Garden.
We will regroup in the morning for another sight-filled day, but until then the rest of the day is ours to enjoy relaxing, going to one of the many theaters or exploring Covent Garden's many attractions. One of Wendy's former co-workers has been on assignment in London for the past year and we have arranged to meet her for dinner at a Thai restaurant close by, Busaba Eathai...delicious food, but a little too noisy for these tired ears!
Day 13
Wendy and friend Kim
Today is the last day we will be enjoying sights with our group. Our two week tour has flown by and we are just getting comfortable with our new friends. Email addresses will be exchanged for future communication, but for now we just enjoy the time we have left together...
With day passes in hand, Robert orients us to the London Underground transport system (the Tube). We are touring the Tower of London this morning and board the tube at Temple Underground Station. Before you know it we're at Tower Hill Underground Station where we exit for our destination. Officially known as Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, the castle proper was begun by William the Conqueror in the 11th. century. Over time it was altered by succeeding kings to the complex seen today.
 A view of the Tower of London from the Thames River. |  The Tower's outer defensive curtain wall created during Edward I's reign. |
|---|---|
 The main visitor's entrance to the Tower of London. |  Visitors pass through the Middle Tower enroute to the Byword Tower and access to the castle. |
 Passing through Byward Tower at the main entrance. |  The Traitors Gate was built by Edward I to provide a water gate entrance to the Tower of London. Many prisoners entered by this route. |
 Bloody Tower, near Traitor's Gate, was given its name after the uncle of two young princes, housed in the tower, supposedly murdered them so he could have the throne. |  The half-timbered Queen's House built in the 16th. century. Anne Boleyn was beheaded on the grounds (Tower Green) in the foreground close to the Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula in 1536. |
 The White Tower, built by William the Conqueror in the 11th. century, is the castle's strongest military defense and contained the living quarters of the king and his representatives. |  Tower Bridge as seen from the White Tower. |
 Our informative and very humorous Beefeater (Yeoman Warder) guide. |  The catapult outside the outer defensive wall. |
 Exotic animals were often given as gifts to the royalty. A Mock-up of the Royal Menagerie is displayed near the main entrance. |
After a healthy lunch at Paul, we're off for a cruise on the Thames River from Tower Bridge to Westminster.
A view of the city's core
The Shard, a 95-story skyscraper containing a hotel, restaurants, and offices, is the tallest building in the United Kingdom.
Iconic symbol of London, the Tower Bridge, was built from 1886-1894.
London's unique City Hall built in 2002.
Westminster and the end of our cruise.
Sights along the Thames
Formal group touring for the day is over. Robert gives us suggestions for sights in the area and tube directions for those farther away. We're on our own until 6:30 this evening when we meet for our final group dinner together.
We make the decision to tour the Palace of Westminster, commonly known as the Houses of Parliament. A palace for the kings of England was built here in 1042, but fire destroyed much of it in 1512. After that, the parliament and courts of justice met on the site until an even larger fire in 1834 destroyed all but a few remaining medieval structures. Construction of what we see today began in 1840 and was completed 30 years later. Our photographs are rather sparse as they could only be taken in areas open to the public.
Houses of Parliament
"Hell is empty and all the devils are here." The Tempest (I.ii.214-215)
When the 1859 tower was completed it was called the Clock Tower, now commonly called Big Ben. It was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012 in celebration of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.
Statues of the kings and queens of England and Scotland decorate the Central Lobby.
"Hell is empty and all the devils are here." The Tempest (I.ii.214-215)
(hover over navigation arrows for description)
A day and a half is just not enough time to experience what London has to offer. We are extending our stay five days to see as much as we can. When planning our trip, Bill put together a list of "must sees." Although rather formidable, we hope to come home with the satisfaction of accomplishing our goal.
For now, we are returning to our hotel. Following Robert's instructions, we access the underground at Westminster and disembark at Temple. The Fielding Hotel is a short distance away.
Statue of Boadicea, the British warrior queen, near Westminster
We share our last time together with a lovely group dinner at Brasserie Blanc. Although the tour does not officially end until breakfast has finished in the morning, time constraints will prevent many of us from attending. Some will be spending additional days in London, some will use this trip as a springboard for further European travel, and others will return home to reflect on everything we've experienced together the last two weeks.
Saying our goodbyes
Robert, the good sport...
Cheerio, Mates!
