Tower of London Ceremony of the Keys

Posted on November 22, 2017 by oriana77

The Tower of London houses the Crown Jewels, so one assumes it is a secure facility, with the gates locked at night.

How about an opportunity to assist closing and locking the Tower gates in the evening!! Well you don’t actually assist, but you do get to watch this long standing daily ritual, known as “The Ceremony of the Keys.” Having taken place daily, rain or shine for over 700 years, I believe long standing is an apt description.

Continue reading →

London – Tower Bridge, HMS Belfast and Fire of London Monument

Posted on November 21, 2017 by oriana77

On our 2nd day in London, we had tickets for the Ceremony of the Keys, at the Tower, in the evening. Judi opted for a quiet day, while I visited some of the locations around our hotel.

I planned a round trip – Tower Bridge, south embankment, HMS Belfast, London Bridge, the Great Fire of London Monument, then back to the hotel along the north bank of the Thames.

It was a pleasant day, so I enjoyed an excellent walk, visiting some interesting attractions.

Continue reading →

London: Ho-Ho Tour and River Thames Cruise

Posted on May 20, 2017 by oriana77

With 4 full days in London, prior to jumping on the train to Southampton, our objectives included – Florence Nightingale Museum (Judi), National Maritime Museum (Andy), Royal Observatory (Andy) and a Ho-Ho tour (Judi). Yes, we have taken the big red buses in London before, but when the weather isn’t the best, they are usually a great way to see the sights. The Met. Office forecast rain on day # 1; therefore, we started with the Ho-Ho tour, followed by a couple of days in Greenwich, with the last day walking to the Florence Nightingale Museum, Westminster Bridge and along the south bank of the Thames, around Waterloo. We have additional visits to London for a couple of days prior to and after the cruise, so will visit Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, London Eye and hopefully the Palace of Westminster/Parliament on those days.