06.21.06
An Eye Full of London
Matt and I began our first day in London with coffee! We finally found large coffees and we were so happy. It turns out that there is a Starbucks right on the corner across from the flat. So, after a very pleasant start to our day Matt and I headed straight for the London Eye. The weather was cool and clear so we thought it would be a great time to see the view of London from above –way above! The eye is 443 feet high and allows you to see 25 miles. The flight lasts 30 minutes. The experience was a treat; Matt and I had purchased a view guide and were able to use this to identify all of the major sights of London. I was even able to pick out Harrods from across the city – I guess that’s as close as I’ll get on this trip. Big Bend, Westminster Abby, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul’s cathedral, and St. James Park were some of our favorite sights.
After our sky-high view of the city Matt and I headed over to the Tower of London. The Tower of London is the ancient fortress founded by William the Conquer. Within the walls of the castle Anne Boleyn was executed. The tower, which is actually an entire fortress for the Royal family with the tower in the center, is a full day attraction. There is so much to see. Matt and I started with a tour of the medieval palace; the kings of England when in residence used this part of the Tower. After touring the palace Matt and I moved over to the White Tower, which is the oldest medieval building at the Tower of London. The tower now houses the Royal Armories’ collection, telling the story of the building, as well as of arms and armor at the towers. Touring this building took a large chunk of time – I only regretted that Matt did not have another male to talk war with. We ended our time at the Tower with a trip through the jewel house. During this tour we were able to see the Treasury where the Crown Jewels are held. The tour was nice but I was hoping for more information on each of the crowns. How much do they weigh? How often are they worn? How many carats? How many jewels? So many questions for the Royal family, I guess I’ll have to do some Internet research!
Matt and I realized we were starving after touring the Tower. We had missed lunch and set to find some traditional fish and chips. The Anchor restaurant, which is located on the south bank of the River Thames, had just what we were looking for. Matt and I sat outside on the terrace, admired the river and enjoyed our meal. It was the perfect close to our sight seeing day.
After returning to the flat we settled in to watch the Netherlands play Argentina in the world cup match. Hup Holland! We’re definitely rooting for the orange! Tomorrow we’ll gather up all our things and head back to the United States. Matt and I have had a wonderful honeymoon and start to our married life. We have managed to get our passport stamped twice and are looking forward to getting back. Thanks for following along in our journey. We’ll continue to post as we make the move to California and tour the West coast. Keep in touch we will blog often. Until Then!