Pole to Pole with Silversea- Just London

 5/31

I have taken so many photos last night and today that I am doing a page just for them. 

Last night we were able to take photos of the private tour of the Tower of London grounds.  We had the head Beefeater as our guide.  A Beefeater would have served in the armed forces for at least 22 years before they can work at the Tower of London.  They also live at the Tower with their families.  

You can see the Wind.

It is said that the kingdom and the Tower of London will fall if the six resident ravens ever leave the fortress.  Charles II is thought to have been the first to insist that the ravens of the Tower be protected after he was warned that the crown and the Tower itself would fall if they left.  The names of our current Tower ravens are Jubilee, Harris, Poppy, Georgie, Edgar, Branwen and Rex. They are kept in cages on the south lawn at night.  This one didn't want to go in for the night.

We were able to go in the chapel.  He had to get the keys from the chaplin's house.

Views walking back.

On Tuesday I had a caramel and lost half a tooth.  The ship could not arrange a dentist, but luckily I had been messaging with Pat (that I toured with in Santiago and did Antarctica with) and she lives in the UK.  She called her insurance and found an ER dentist and she called and made me an appointment.  Only a 20 minute walk from the ship.  I am very happy that she is getting back on in Reykjavik and will tour Oslo with me!  So my first photo is of the dentist!  I am fixed and ready to continue.  Luckily, I didn't have any pain but didn't want to chance anything the next month.

  

I couldn't do the in-transit tour so I got up and out this morning and started walking.

First I walked by St. Paul's Cathedral

Love the buses and statues along the way

Royal Courts of Justice and Trafalgar Square 

Horse parade grounds.  Will be celebrating the King's birthday June 17th. The "official" birthday.  His real birthday is November 14th.

I enjoyed a walk through St. James's Park

Was able to see the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.

I continued my walk

Continued past Westminster Abbey

Past Parliament and Big Ben and the London Eye

Continued my walk towards the dentist.  It ended up near Borough Market, which is a great place to eat and shop.  Saw a fox by the trash.

There is a big game going on tomorrow and I went by the fan event on my way over Tower Bridge, past the Tower of London and back to the Wind.

Tonight we have a Pole to Pole dinner at a place called Charterhouse.

It was a lovely evening!  

There are no longer rooms that housed the monks, but this is one of the doors and the small opening is where lay workers would bring the monk food.

Dinner was in a room with a view of the garden.  The food was delicious and the young girl playing the harp was wonderful.

    

 

View from the back of the ship of the Tower Bridge.  Tomorrow we sail for Guernsey and I will begin the London to Reykjavik page.