Earlier start today!  We were keen to see a few sights!
First up: a Tube ride to Tower Hill so we could visit the Tower of London.  Wow, what a fascinating place.  Built for William the Conqueror some 940 years ago.  The Tower has gone through a few changes.  Of course there was the gory stuff... Anne Boelyn etc were executed inside the grounds and are buried in the Tower Chapel.  We took a tour with one of the Wardens (ex-military folks who work and live inside the Tower... they have some classic humour... insulting as many nations as possible.. but especially the French!) or Beefeaters (Tudor era party outfits... don't call it a 'frock').

Breaking up the Tudor et al history lesson was a viewing of Lizzie's Jewels.  The Crown Jewels are ... impressive!!  Where they are stored is also impessive - very big vault.  It was a spectacular display of history and wealth.

After the jewels and the Warden we did a walk around the castle.  The Tower has been used for everything from castle to zoo to barracks to tourist attraction.  The Royal Fusiliers have a museum inside the walls as well.  Before we knew it, over a half a day was gone.  But wait there's more...

Seeing that the Tower Bridge is all but adjacent... off we went for a visit.  An interesting history but is was overshadowed by the Tower.  We climber the stairs to the pedestrian overpass.  The overpass had a couple of sections of clear, toughened (I hoped) glass floor.  You could see the roadway and the Thames below.  Karen was a bit concerned!

After the Bridge it was time for a trip down the Thames and a visit to Westminster Abbey.  The narrator for the 'river cruise' was working the tourists hard for tips.  His jokes had the air of... I've told this joke sooo many times and if you don't like it you can leave.  But he was still funny!

Got to Westminster at 3:36 pm... it closes at 3:30 @#$%!!  Karen was upset that there were others who work teachers hours., ie a part day!  Ah well, we'll go back tomorrow.

I had a contingency plan (of course!!)... we would go to the Guards Museum.  Only to discover those bunch of stand-arounds close their Museum at .... 3:30!!!  Ok Contingency Plan B... the Household Cavalry. To my pleasant surprise, the Cavalry keep real hours.  And we scored a End of Day relief of the Guard drill.  Well done the Blues and Royals!! The Household Cavalry Museum was small but excellent.  The story of the division is well told with displays and walk-around video.

Not quite the day we had planned but close... and another great day.

To finish off, we thought we would try some of the local food.  So it was off to the Light of India for a Butter Chicken, vege korma and soma pappadums . A green mango chutney came with the pappadums.  I've only tried one better (Jackson!).  

The weather was beautiful today.  Blue sky, even a little bit warm.