London, Day Four; Westminster Abbey and a Boat Ride!
We got a bit of a late start today, as I am moving SLOW! Feet swollen and legs with some blotchiness. Guess I over did it a bit, yesterday! Lol Are you surprised?
After a lovely breakfast at "home", we headed out the door and to the tube; to Westminster Abbey! I was very excited to see this well renowned church, to see what all of the hoopla, was about.
It did not disappoint, although I found it annoying,, that once again, I could not take photos...so you are stuck with my commentary....sorry!
When we first entered the Abbey, I was impressed with all of the marble statues that were literally floor to ceiling! It was massive in size and stature; as we continued through the church, there were more, and more and more statues, which I began to realize were memorials for dead people! Kings, Queens, poets, writers and even Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin; apparently all you needed was a whole lot of money to put up a memorial, and to fill the openings of the church; there are over 3,300 people either buried, or commemorated there.
The strangest ones were the husbands and wives with statues, laying on top of their caskets! It was a little weird and even creepy, with all of those people/statues, lurking in every nook and cranny of the entire Westminster Abbey! It seems as though many moons ago, the Abbey had a lot of open spaces, and walkways, which has now been filled with monuments and statues; EVERYWHERE!
We spent the better part of the early afternoon there, looking at tomb and marble statues. The rest of the Abbey, including the alters and the organ pipes were spectacular, and imaging all who have been baptized, married, corronated and buried there was quite contemplative. It is an amazing Gothic structure that is steeped in more than one thousand years of history.
Much to my delight, we were allowed to take photos in a small chapel on the grounds, as well as some of the gardens. I personally loved seeing the old paintings that have not been covered up, and/or destroyed. They also cannot keep us from taking photos of the outside of the Abbey either, which is truly amazing; the architecture, steeples, archways and even the gargoyles are a sire for sore eyes; so I snapped away!
After the Abbey we went to Churchill's War Room Museum; they had a handicap line, which made it do-able, as their was no wait, and a "lift" down to the museum, which must have been underground, for safety.
I guess I am not a huge Churchill fan, as I found the War Museum on the boring side, although if I had seen Dunkirk PRIOR to visiting the museum, I would most likely have found it more interesting. Since my feet were already swelling and I was tired and miserable, we didn't stay long.
We made the short walk across the street to St. James Park, were we sat and ate our most delicious baguette; (ham and cheese sandwich) under the trees, while watching pelicans frolic in the pond, just a stones throw away. After relaxing and eating for a while, we decided to head over to the City Boat Tour.
We thought it would be a great way to sight-see; from the Thames River, without having to walk around, as I really needed a break. God knows, I couldn't go home yet! Lol
We took the boat from Westminster Abbey, all of the way to Greenwich and back, which put us right next to St. Stephen's Tavern, where we had awesome fish and chips, earlier in the week, so we stopped for supper, before heading home; they truly had the BEST Fish & Chips that we found in London.
I was grateful that we were only a few tube stops from home, and for the first time, I was actually ready to go. I could hardly wait to jump into a nice hot bath with Epsom salts, eat my yummy gelato and chocolate cake, and get off my poor feet for the rest of the night!
I really think that all of my fun, is beginning to catch up to me and that I will be sliding into home plate, in Boise, on my last legs! Lol It is so hard to accept the fact my body jut can no longer keep up with my heart and soul.
BUT! Tomorrow is another day!
Much love to all......and thanks for reading and sending me so much love and encouragement, I gain strength knowing I am traveling for all of us that are living with CML!
After a lovely breakfast at "home", we headed out the door and to the tube; to Westminster Abbey! I was very excited to see this well renowned church, to see what all of the hoopla, was about.
It did not disappoint, although I found it annoying,, that once again, I could not take photos...so you are stuck with my commentary....sorry!
When we first entered the Abbey, I was impressed with all of the marble statues that were literally floor to ceiling! It was massive in size and stature; as we continued through the church, there were more, and more and more statues, which I began to realize were memorials for dead people! Kings, Queens, poets, writers and even Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin; apparently all you needed was a whole lot of money to put up a memorial, and to fill the openings of the church; there are over 3,300 people either buried, or commemorated there.
The strangest ones were the husbands and wives with statues, laying on top of their caskets! It was a little weird and even creepy, with all of those people/statues, lurking in every nook and cranny of the entire Westminster Abbey! It seems as though many moons ago, the Abbey had a lot of open spaces, and walkways, which has now been filled with monuments and statues; EVERYWHERE!
 |
| Harked from Google Images |
We spent the better part of the early afternoon there, looking at tomb and marble statues. The rest of the Abbey, including the alters and the organ pipes were spectacular, and imaging all who have been baptized, married, corronated and buried there was quite contemplative. It is an amazing Gothic structure that is steeped in more than one thousand years of history.
 |
| thank you google images |
Much to my delight, we were allowed to take photos in a small chapel on the grounds, as well as some of the gardens. I personally loved seeing the old paintings that have not been covered up, and/or destroyed. They also cannot keep us from taking photos of the outside of the Abbey either, which is truly amazing; the architecture, steeples, archways and even the gargoyles are a sire for sore eyes; so I snapped away!
After the Abbey we went to Churchill's War Room Museum; they had a handicap line, which made it do-able, as their was no wait, and a "lift" down to the museum, which must have been underground, for safety.
I guess I am not a huge Churchill fan, as I found the War Museum on the boring side, although if I had seen Dunkirk PRIOR to visiting the museum, I would most likely have found it more interesting. Since my feet were already swelling and I was tired and miserable, we didn't stay long.
We made the short walk across the street to St. James Park, were we sat and ate our most delicious baguette; (ham and cheese sandwich) under the trees, while watching pelicans frolic in the pond, just a stones throw away. After relaxing and eating for a while, we decided to head over to the City Boat Tour.
We thought it would be a great way to sight-see; from the Thames River, without having to walk around, as I really needed a break. God knows, I couldn't go home yet! Lol
We took the boat from Westminster Abbey, all of the way to Greenwich and back, which put us right next to St. Stephen's Tavern, where we had awesome fish and chips, earlier in the week, so we stopped for supper, before heading home; they truly had the BEST Fish & Chips that we found in London.
 |
| the "real" London Bridge |
I was grateful that we were only a few tube stops from home, and for the first time, I was actually ready to go. I could hardly wait to jump into a nice hot bath with Epsom salts, eat my yummy gelato and chocolate cake, and get off my poor feet for the rest of the night!
I really think that all of my fun, is beginning to catch up to me and that I will be sliding into home plate, in Boise, on my last legs! Lol It is so hard to accept the fact my body jut can no longer keep up with my heart and soul.
BUT! Tomorrow is another day!
Much love to all......and thanks for reading and sending me so much love and encouragement, I gain strength knowing I am traveling for all of us that are living with CML!
I just simply LOVED reading your post and enjoyed all the wonderful pictures that you have posted on your blog post. I will visit London one day.
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