Day Three: Tower of London & More!

What a busy day three! This city is bustling getting ready for two major events. You know all about the Olympics in July but before that, in June, Great Britain will celebrate the Diamond Jubilee, that is, the 60th anniversary of the ascension of Queen Elizabeth to the throne! That is a big deal here.

This will be only the second time in this nation's history a monarch has reigned more than 60 years. The first being Queen Victoria.

As for the Olympics, we didn't have much opportunity to see the venues but one thing you will notice is all the construction. Everything is being repaired or cleaned. Take a look at the statue of Prince Albert. That thing is gold-leafed and colorful and just a month or two ago it was gray and drab. Our guide also tells us that everything is being converted to apartments and hotel rooms. Local residents are also leasing their flats for $2,000 a week! Or they could erect tents in their yards and lease those for $80 a day...a tent!

Today we had the opportunity to tour the Tower of London, which looks nice but from what I understand if you were invited to the Tower of London back in the day that meant you were going to lose your head.

After tea and scones, which is English for crumbly biscuit, we took a river tour which was awesome on this beautiful day. That tall pyramid behind Camille is the shard of glass (locals call it). When finished it will be the tallest building in Europe.

Kristie enjoying tea and scones.

There is just too much history in this city and there's no way we can see it all but Lord we tried. We also tried tea time at Harrod's. Brother is this place nice...and expensive! I got a little nervous when Camille was checking out the $2,000 Pradas.

Tonight we'll be on our own to check out the local flavor, then to tomorrow it's off to Bath and Stonehenge. Can't wait!

One more thing...well two actually.

These Brits are very superstitious when it comes to ravens. They say there has to be at least six ravens at the Tower of London or the city will fall.

Well, during the height of WWII the caretaker phoned Winston Churchill and told him there was only one raven left! Churchill immediately dispatched a crew to Scotland where they rounded up the necessary birds and brought them back, and London was saved.

As for that sign that says "way out"? They don't use exit here...all the signs say way in or way out. Don't know why I found that interesting.

Oh, Greg, Mallory, Wendy and crew...I gotcha some good stuff already!