I figured I would like all of these places, at least to some degree. Some were pleasant surprises, such as Liverpool, which was far better than I thought it was going to be. Some didn’t have the impact I thought they would, such as Stonehenge. It was cool to look at but you can’t really get close to the rock formations as they are roped off. So many of the cities I visited were great such as Cork, Belfast, Edinborough, and I’d happily visit these locations again. The one place that absolutely took my breath away was London. I am from New York City, so I don’t impress easily, but this city completely captivated me. I’m not sure if it was the history, the grandeur, or the majesty that got me, but I cant wait to go back!

Prior to our sailing we knew we would only have a few hours in the city, so we purchased tickets to the Tower of London. My travel buddy, Gloria, has been there before and knew this was a good idea to do. As soon as we got there we got on a river Uber Boat that you scan into using your credit card, and then scan back out when you get off the boat. A great way to see the Thames and all of the bridges. As we were pulling up, Gloria pointed out Traitor’s gate. This is where people were brought into the tower directly from the Thames. 

The Yeoman Warders, commonly called Beefeaters regularly do tours and tell the stories and history of the Tower. The tours are included as part of an admission ticket and there is no need to book in advance. Chris was our guide and he was awesome. He spoke movingly about Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Jane Grey and many of the other stories surrounding this location. The highlight for me was seeing the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula, which is a chapel that Henry The VIII had dedicated to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, so she could attend church and pray. Many of the more prominent people who were executed on Tower Green are buried in this chapel. Only prominent people were allowed to have a “private” beheading on Tower Green inside the walls. Common people were executed in a large public spectacle.

We wandered around the Tower complex, as it isn’t a single building, and I could have spent many more happy hours checking out all of the historical exhibits, hearing the stories of the Tower from the Beefeaters, and watching the Ravens which are kept at the complex. There is a myth that if all of the ravens ever fly away from the Tower, London itself will fall. Luckily, they look pretty happy and are well taken care of so they don’t show any signs of leaving soon. 

Unfortunately our time was running out so we had to get back to the tour bus to go back onboard our cruise ship. I fully intend on taking a longer weekend trip to catch all the sights I didn’t see this time. I do believe London is calling!