Rhea Cool Travel Guide: Day Out: Tower of London part 2

Part 1 of my trip was here. I had to stop last night because X Factor came on.

We visited the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula. One thing that did occur to me on this outing was just how tied up England's history is with religion and how that religion still plays such a strong role today. This shouldn't be a surprise to me, the Crusades changed the face of history and everyone knows how Henry VIII started his own church in order to escape the Catholic restrictions on divorce. You can just forget it sometimes in this seemingly multicultural city. Nevertheless, we weren't allowed to take photos inside of the chapel.

Anyway, our Yeoman Warder took us into the church and explained how many, many people who died on the scaffold and in the Tower were buried here but they were only able to identify the remains of 34 people when they exhumed the bones during the 1876-7 restoration of the chapel. In times like this I am glad to be living in the 21st century where we supposedly have more respect for human life.

There are Queen's Guards outside Queen's House and Waterloo Block where the Crown jewels are kept. Ooh, I found a link about the Tudor style and Queen's House! The Tower of London hasn't been used as a royal residence since Elizabeth I was held captive there but I guess they still have the Queen's Guard just in case.

So I saw the Crown jewels but alas, no pictures allowed there either.

We then went into White Tower. Wow. This building is 930 years old. That is just amazing - it is a phenomenal building. In this building are the royal armouries (including suits of armour) and the 'Spanish Armoury' (instruments of torture).



Click on the pictures for higher res photos

My my my. After spending time in the air-deprived turrets and dungeons of this splendid building, you really appreciate the crisp, fresh air as you exit the White Tower. On the top floor of the White Tower is the most interesting interactive history of England, by the way. I was very tired by the time I got there and it is one of the reasons why I am so keen to go back to the Tower of London some day soon so that I can play with all the gadgets.

No story of the Tower of London is complete without touching on the ravens. The legend goes that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, then the White Tower, the monarchy and the entire kingdom would fall. I found these birds to be fascinating in a morbid kind of way. I was reading Lirael at the time which has pretty vivid descriptions of death and near-dead creatures. Seeing the ravens feasting on raw meat turned my stomach a bit so I have no close up pictures of them. I do have a nice shot of Jude and Leo though:

All too soon the afternoon was over as I hurried home to study and Jude and Leo explored the torture chambers. I think I will definitely try make it up to Belfast soon and am sort of thinking of the Spring Bank Holiday.