"To Be or Not to Be"... in London

London

In the 19th century, the British flag flew over one-fourth of the world. London was the world's capital, where women in saris walked the streets with men in top hats. And England "collected"(some would call it pilfer) art as fast as it collected colonies.

Big Ben is the nickname for the great bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, and often extended to refer to the clock and the clock tower. The tower is now officially called the Elizabeth Tower, after being renamed in 2012 (from "Clock Tower") to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.

The tower holds the largest four-faced chiming clock in the world and is the third-tallest free-standing clock tower. The tower was completed in 1858 and had its 150th anniversary on 31 May 2009.  The tower has become one of the most prominent symbols of both London and England and is often in the establishing shots of films set in the city.

     The British Museum is the chronicle of Western civilization. History is a modern invention. Three hundred years ago, people didn't care about crumbling statues and dusty columns. Nowadays, we value a look at past civilizations, knowing that "those who don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it."

Easter Island statue.

Assyrian winged lions.

The Elgin Marbles, from Athens' Parthenon.

The Rosetta Stone.

Peek-a-boo!  The massive columns at the British Museum.

The British Museum is the only place where you can follow the rise and fall of three great civilizations — Egypt, Assyria, and Greece — in a few hours.  A few famous items that can’t be missed are the Rosetta Stone, the famous Elgin Marbles from Athens' Parthenon, huge winged lions (which guarded Assyrian palaces 800 years before Christ), and a statue from Easter Island.  The Great Court within the museum is Europe's largest covered square, bigger than a football field.

The Tower of London has served as a castle in wartime, a monarch's residence in peace time, and, most notoriously, as the prison and execution site of rebels, and Henry VIII’s wives Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. The construction of the original White Tower, which is the oldest building, began in 1066 by William the Conqueror. 

William the Conquerer's White Tower.

The Crown Jewels are kept here, and denote the regalia and vestments worn by the sovereign of the United Kingdom during the coronation ceremony and at other state functions. The term refers to the following objects: the crowns, scepters (with either the cross or the dove), orbs, swords rings, spurs, colobium sindonic, dalmatic, armills, and the royal robe or pall, as well as several other objects connected with the ceremony itself. 

Elizabeth II Regina, Queen of Great Britain,  is the meaning of EııR.

The 105 carat Koh-i-Noor diamond is in the middle of the front cross of the Crown of Queen Elizabeth.  Additionally, the Cullinan I diamond, also know as the Great Star of Africa, which at over 530 carats is the second largest cut diamond in the world, is found in The Scepter with the Cross.  These are SERIOUSLY LARGE diamonds!

The Crown Jewels.  A photo I found online as taking pictures is prohibited.  It does not include everything.

We also enjoyed a witty Beefeater tour (the queen’s ceremonial guards at the tower), toured a torture chamber, a prison tower, a weapon's museum, and a church where a number of the executed are buried.

Protecting the Crown Jewels.

Leah eyeing the Crown Jewels at Hamley's.

Leah:        “The British Museum was cool and it had pieces from the Parthenon’s Frieze in Athens, which I loved.  It also had the Rosetta stone, which helped translate Egyptian hieroglyphics, and a statue from Easter Island along with mummies.  

I loved Hamley’s, the biggest toy store ever!  We spent many hours and dollars there, and I am most excited for my new craft and nail kits. 

 M&M World was so cool!  It had yummy M&M’s in every color imaginable.  I decided I want to work at Hamley’s and M&M World in London while attending college.

The London Eye was cool, but slow and I thought the view would be better.  I LOVED the crown jewels; they were so pretty and BIG!  The Beefeaters, who are the Queen’s personal guards, conduct tours at The Tower of London, where the jewels are kept.  They are so funny!  I learned many interesting tips; most were about prisoners, and executions.  There were 2 princes that “disappeared” and their remains were found many years later buried in a trunk.  Of course they were murdered, but it remains a mystery who did it.  Most likely it was their Uncle Richard III who became king once they had disappeared. 

Tower of London with Tower Bridge in the background.  So pretty!

       We saw “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Globe Theater.  It was really funny!  I did not know Shakespeare was so funny.  The seats were uncomfortable, even with our cushion.  We sat where royalty would have sat in the 17^th century.

       The changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace was cool, however the palace itself was not spectacular compared to others I have seen.  We joined a tour group for a bit, and the guide was really funny.  The tour guide taught us how to remember the fates of King Henry VIII’s six wives.  It is:  divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. 

       Westminster Abbey was really pretty!  Many authors, poets, and British royalty are buried there.  Rudyard Kipling, Lewis Carroll, and Sir Isaac Newton, just to name a few."

And the lion shall lay down with "the Lamb".  Only in London :-)