London Proper

So technically we have mostly been exploring Westminster. Today we made out way through London proper which is actually the heart and city of London. Now, the Queen has to undergo a specific ceremony and get permission to be able to pass from the city of Westminster to city of London. There is a monument in memory of when Queen Elizabeth 1 did this. We did another walking tour by Mr. Rick Steves. We walked past many a place. To start it off we walked to the tube and realized they had a statue of Paddington! So cute. We then stopped at Costa, which has become my favourite coffee while in London.

 

      

We walked past and into the Twinings (Twyninges) shop. A cute little place Across from their Royal Justice building, where pretty much everything but criminal cases gets tried. On a week day, we are told that you would be able to see solicitors(lawyers) and judges with robs and wigs walking around. If there is a celebrity case paparazzi can be seen. Some lawyers have even become celebrities. 

       

We have noticed a number of times that in the parks, the green space between buildings, and some random park like spaces, they have ping pong tables! It is pretty cool. Sometimes they are coloured, and surrounded by so many people. 

We continued the walking tour and strolled into the Ye Old Cheshire Cheese for lunch. It has been a tavern since the 1500's but was rebuilt in 1667 after the great fire. Here we sat in the chop room where Charles Dicksons always would sit. London has been hit by many devastations. They were hit in 1656 by the Black Plague. It is said that 5000 people were lost every week. The Black Plague was a devastating plague that put people in pure misery for a few days before they died, and when they did their skin was black, hence the name. From the street you would hear people walking in the streets calling to bring out the dead, as they were collecting the dead bodies. The year following a small fire started in a bakery oven that ended up wiping out the city. The Marlybow church is whereCaptain Jon Smith attended. In the centre of the steeple he can be seen smiling. He was apart of the 

American settlement in 1600's and was captured and saved by Pochahontis. But retired to London without her.

 

This church is said to have inspired the very first, tiered wedding cake. Apparently a baker was near and was baking a wedding cake and was staring out his window looking at the steeple of this church. Bam cake.

This is the financial district, the bank of London and many other bank of countries can be seen here. As well as the Mayor of London lives just down the street. There is 9 streets that connect at this intersection. Just before this intersection is what they call cheap side. Cheap meant market in the days of Shakespeare. Where it was fairly self explanatory as a market was set up in the street. Next was St. Paul's Cathedral. A beautiful Cathedral. 

The original London bridge actually did fall down, or get blown up, and was rebuilt again. An American living in Arizona actually bought it and it's new home is actually in Arizona in Lake Havesu. 

Anyways that was the extent of our day. From start to finish our tour was about 3 hours. Then throw lunch in there and it ended up being a little longer. That was mostly the day. Was interesting to again hear more about the history of London. These few days have been more facts and monuments that we have experienced rather then stories although that will be changing. It has been nice to have. Change of pace. We have definitely struck out with the he weather. WOW! We anticipated Ireland and London to be the rainiest places, and we really haven't had rain, it has been super hot and sunny. Hopefully that it continues to work this way for us! I am definitely a history person, so I think that Luke has been doing more of these factual history tours for me, and I love him greatly for it. 

Quote of the day, as seen on as an advertisement on the side of a bus: "Travel to Vegas, where your accent is an aphrodisiac" ahhh we have heard a ton of interesting random things here. 

Tomorrow we are off to Biarritz, France for the night. Hope we can find the airport alright, and more stories start as we are no longer in the comfort of being in the same place for a number of days, and getting our bearings. 

Wow I think I need to re-read my own blogs to remember everything. Well final night in London! 

And so the adventure continues...