An Interesting Day

Today: London Eye, River Cruise down the Thames, Tower of London, (Starbucks!), Herrod's, and The Prince of Wales (Pub). 

This morning we set out for the London Eye while the weather was clear and beautiful.  We got there and climbed aboard the ever-moving, Ferris wheel-like observation wheel.  It was...wow.  We could see FOREVER!!  The sky was wonderfully clear and I took so many pictures (you'll see some soon, I hope!).  It took about 30 minutes to make the full loop. 

After that we went to ride the river "cruise" that came free with the bus tour tickets.  On the way across the bridge we met a guy playing bagpipes and I took a picture with him.  He asked where we were from and when I told him he started playing Auld Lang Syne!! 

The cruise was a open boat ride down the Thames with a guide who told us what we were looking at.  It had gotten really cold and somewhat windy and sprinkly, so it was a little rough.  We saw lots of places on the hour long trip!!  We went from the Eye to the Tower Bridge.

We left the boat and got some lunch right near the Tower of London.  It was fish and chips, but they were "a little less authentic then we could get", according to Mrs. Becky.  I spent way too long trying to find change so I could use the loo :) and everyone was half done when I got to order mine.  Then they guy was just making a new batch so I had to wait for it.  Then it was super-duper hot so I couldn't eat fast now that everyone else was done!!  Then we noticed what time it was and that we had five minutes to get to the Tower for a tour...so I just took it with me and ate (most of) it on the way. 

The Tower was spectacular.  The tour was an hour long, and the guide was hilarious.  We saw the place where the prisoners were executed, the chapel, the white tower (the original tower), and the crown jewels!  The jewels were insanely beautiful and mostly quite impractical.  :)  We went in the white tower, where prisoners were held in the upper part and "officially tortured" in the lower part.  There was, apparently, "official" torture and "unofficial" torture!  Crazy.  The tower is like a museum, with tons of armour and weapons.  The lower level is a gift shop!  The guide said "the only thing burning down there now will be your wallet!"  

After the tower we went across the street to Starbucks and hung out a bit while deciding what to do next.  We were thinking about going to evensong, but they weren't having it.  We ended up going to Herrod's, which is, it seems, THE store to visit in London.  "If you only visit one store in London, you have to make it Herrod's, even if it is just to look."  It was pretty massive.  Five floors of anything you could want at way too high a price!!  But I did find a book...Murder on the Orient Express...and yes, that IS Agatha Christie, so I had to get it.  It wasn't too pricey.  :) :)

After that we went to the Prince of Wales Pub.  Wow.  I always knew I loved English pubs!  It was so lovely.  Funny, though, for some reason they didn't bring my food (fish and chips again...I was hoping for the real deal...and got it!) until everyone was almost finished!  Then it was piping hot, so I couldn't eat it fast.   (sound familiar??)Then everyone was done and just sitting around talking, which was fine, but eventually everyone but Mr. D went back to the hotel.  He stayed until I finished and then we walked back to the hotel.

So...that's about it!  It was fabulous, and I really have to get to sleep now...

Tomorrow: Westminster Abbey, A Museum (British Museum, National Gallery, or both, and maybe something else), rest at the hotel and then...Wicked!!  :)