Out and About

You can’t go two steps in London without the history of this city making itself known. Whether it’s a national monument with hordes of tourists milling about or a pub that seems to have been around since the first Queen Elizabeth, it’s clear that this is a city that has evolved over hundreds upon hundreds of years. I notice this especially because it isn’t something that you really see in the United States. In New England you see the occasional house that was built in the 18th century and is still standing—and that’s impressive! Here, any building younger than 400 years is still a newbie. Ok, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, but consider this: today I stood within a few feet of the London Wall, which was built in 2 AD. Not only that, but I also toured the Tower of London, originally built in the late 11th century. This is history!

In order to avoid the crowds that would descend later in the day, our first stop was to the home of the Crown Jewels of England. Unfortunately, no pictures are allowed in the vault (seriously, there’s a vault with doors at least a foot thick) but I can assure you, these trinkets are extraordinary. Here, again, it was impressed upon me how long not only London’s but England’s memory extends. Most of the original crown jewels were destroyed in 1649 just after the English Civil War, but when the monarchy was restored new crown jewels were created. The present day Crown Jewels, though, are still heavy with age and importance (and literally as well- there are many, many jewels on each piece). There are a few pieces which date back to the 11th century, and one of those is the Coronation Spoon. A spoon?! you may ask in bewilderment. Yes, a Spoon. This Coronation Spoon, or Anointing Spoon, is used to anoint the sovereign with consecrated oil upon the hands, head, and heart. While very impressive, one could even say awe-inspiring, this visit was also a lesson in Pomp and Circumstance.

The Tower of London is also right next to Tower Bridge (not London Bridge as it is sometimes mistaken for) and I took the opportunity to pose with my mascot, Prating Angus. We’re having a blast, as you can see!