Goodbye, London

This was our last weekend in London, so we decided to make one more trip into the city to see some of the sights we hadn't gotten to yet. Malcolm asked to see the Tower of London, and both kids wanted to take a boat ride.  We also wanted to see the Tower Bridge decked out with the Olympic rings. We took our usual trip from Sunningdale to Waterloo, and from there we hopped on a Thames River cruise.

Waiting for the train

Walking down the pier

Cruising the Thames

I've taken tons of photos of Big Ben this summer, but this one, taken from the river, is my favorite.

The royal family on the side of a building along the river

It was a beautiful day, and this was a perfect way to see the city.

We disembarked at the Tower of London, braced for long lines. But where was everybody? Maybe they were all at the Olympic village. We had the least crowded visit to a tourist attraction of our whole summer. We toured the Tower at a leisurely pace, glossing over the history of torture and execution and focusing on the bright side, like the crown jewels. I did not expect to be impressed by the crown jewels, but they really were amazing-- beautiful, ornate, encrusted with massive jewels. In addition to the crowns, scepters, maces, and orbs, we saw some of the gold tableware used at the post-coronation feasts. There was a solid gold punch bowl, decorated with unicorns and lions, that was large enough to hold both of our children or a couple hundred bottles of wine.  

The Tower of London, as seen from the water. Note the "Entry to the Traitors Gate", where traitors to the state were brought for beheading.

A Yeoman Warder at the entry gate

The moat is now a grassy lawn where they hold plays and concerts.

On the other side of the Traitors Gate. The audio guides may have been a bad idea. "What's 'drawn and quartered', Mommy?"

The Bloody Tower, where Sir Walter Raleigh was imprisoned for marrying one of Queen Elizabeth's ladies-in-waiting without the queen's permission.

Guard outside the building where the Crown Jewels are kept

This building displayed arms and armor, including Henry VIII's suit of armor.

When we left the Tower, we had a great view of the Tower Bridge and the Olympic rings. We walked across the bridge to get the view from below, as well.

The rings are folded up under that top piece of the bridge when a ship needs to pass underneath.

Another view from the other side of the river

There are different versions of Wenlock, the Olympic cyclops mascot, all around the city. This is the sprinter version, which is also made to look like the HMS Belfast, which is docked nearby.

We stopped briefly at the Tate Modern on our way back to the train station. It was packed, and we were tired, so we didn't stay long. We did get a lovely view of the city, including St. Paul's Cathedral (the domed building) from the Tate, though. We also liked the sculpture in the courtyard below, which is intact on one side and shows muscles and bones on the other.

The weather was still lovely when we got back to Sunninghill, so we hit the Rose and Crown, a nice little pub with picnic tables and a playground out back. Parents can enjoy a meal and a beer while the kids run wild. Why does this not exist in Indiana?

Soren playing chase with an adorable English boy

Aaah, beer.

I have mixed feelings leaving the U.K. We've had some amazing adventures this summer, and seen more than we could ever hope to take in on a vacation. We have a summer's worth of stories to remember over the years, and that's got to be better than day camp, weekends at the swimming pool, and another summer wishing we weren't stuck in the office all day. But we have missed our people and our home. We are tired of temporary living and having to think through every interaction and outing. It will be nice to get home to the familiar and see all of you.

And now I must get back to putting things in suitcases. This will be my last post from this side of the pond. We hope to see you soon!