Today is Tower of London day and this is Reginald, our tour guide.
I decided to sack in today. After a late breakfast, I took a look at my trusty map and penciled in a route to the Tower of London that would take me through some new neighborhoods.
This is the free breakfast buffet at the hotel.
The breakfast buffet includes orange, apple and pineapple juice, coffee and tea, regular and chocolate croissants, different kinds of muffins, a wide selection of fruit, cereal and cheese and lunch meat. And I’m not talking Oscar Meyer bologna or corned beef. I’m talking thinly sliced prosciutto, Genoa salami and chorizo. No American “cheese” on the cheese platter. I’m talking Brie and Gorgonzola and a very strong Stilton cheese. I am starting to enjoy lunch meat and cheese for breakfast. Baked beans are a regular staple on an English breakfast buffet. Thank God the hotel decided to eliminate the baked beans from the buffet offerings. Eating baked beans in the morning is just asking for trouble.
As I was ambling through one of the fashionable London neighborhoods on my way to the Tower of London, I realized that I really do need another set of traveling clothes. Do I make a detour to Saville Row and buy some fancy duds or do I stick with a store where I have always found fashionable clothes at a reasonable price? You guessed it. I am sticking with the Army, the Salvation Army.
This is the International Salvation Army Thrift Store so I thought I could pick up a nice James Bond, shaken not stirred, Saville Row suit. No such luck. After a half hour of perusing their selection of fine menswear, I realized that they didn’t have anything in my size. Bummer! Well, I tried.
As we got closer to the Tower, we entered The City of London.
The City of London is actually a very small part of the London metropolis. The City of London might be small, but with a fire 🔥 breathing dragon as their mascot, they do seem to mean business.
This is the memorial to all the firefighters who lost their lives during the German bombing campaign of World War II, called the Blitz.
I would like to thank my brother in law Mark Fernandes and my good friend Bob Bartnick, and any other firefighter and/or first responder who is following this blog, for your service.
We finally arrived at the Tower of London at about 10:15, just in time for Reginald’s 10:30 tour.
This is the White Tower where the royal family lived until they moved into Windsor Castle 🏰.
During medieval times they had quite a zoo at the Tower.
After four and a half hours at the Tower of London I decided it was time to head back to the hotel.
On the way I spotted a sign indicating that the Peanuts gang is making an appearance at the Somerset House Art Gallery. It is a long story but suffice it to say that St. Rita and I go way back with the Peanuts Gang.
This is me and Abe and St. Christopher with Charlie Brown and Snoopy.
When Abe and St. Christopher told Charlie Brown and Snoopy about our trip, they said they wanted to come along the next time the Three Amigos do the Camino. Abe and St. Christopher said that would be fine with them. I said I would have to check with St. Rita.
As I was walking along the Victoria Embankment on my way back to the hotel I spotted a World War I memorial to the Imperial Camel Corps.
I didn’t even know there was an Imperial Camel 🐪 Corps.
As we were walking by Trafalgar Square, St. Christopher wanted to stop at St. Martin in the Fields and say a prayer for Anna. I know that this is an Anglican church and we should be limiting our praying to Catholic Churches. But, on this trip, St. Christopher is the final word on all matters ecclesiastical and he said that we can pray in Catholic and Anglican churches. He said it’s the same God in both churches.
When we went inside a string ensemble was practicing for a performance tonight.
Well, St. Christopher saw the program and realized that “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” was on the program. This is one of his favorite songs. St. Christopher wanted to go to the concert and the guy at the ticket counter comped Abe because he is the greatest President there ever was or ever will be and he comped St. Christopher because he’s a saint. So I figured, why not. The Belmont Ensemble of London is a very accomplished 10 person string ensemble and the English Chamber Choir is a forty person choir. The Three Amigos loved the string ensemble, the choir and the venue!
That’s it or today.
I hope everyone had a great Tuesday.
Good evening from London.
AbeAndMarkontheCamino 