otherwise known as the Tower of London, which is located on the River Thames. It was built by William the Conqueror in 1078. We walked up lots of spiral staircases and through a chapel and a maze of towers where we saw actual suits of armour, jousting lances, ravens, torture chambers, artillary, the Queen's Guard, Yeoman Warder (a.k.a. Beefeaters), 
and the Crown Jewels (I'm so jealous!). Evidently, the Tower of London is the most haunted building in England. Thank goodness we didn't see an apparition! What I found most interesting was the contrast between the old and the new, whether it be the buildings, the grounds, or some other oddity. Oh my goodness! I almost forgot to mention the Tower Bridge over the River Thames. How could I have forgotten that?We were close to Hyde Park, so we just HAD to go there. It was absolutely gorgeous with large beautiful shade trees, a rose garden, horses, and people everywhere from all walks of life.
The Serpentine River runs through the park and actually separates it from Kensington Gardens. I suspect it was busier than usual because of the big rock concert going on this weekend. Bruce Springstein is playing there Sunday night, while other bands are playing through the weekend. Unfortunately, we did not have time to see the famous Speakers' Corner, which is where people actually "get on their soapbox" and say exactly what they are thinking. That would have been entertaining!To the Underground again and off to Trafalgar Square. We didn't have a lot of time here because we needed to rush to meet up with Dr.E. and her husband, Harry, but we did get to see the fountains and the statues (from a distance). Hey, we were there - on the square!
Off to the Marlborough Arms to meet up with Dr.E., Harry, and our classmates for a well-deserved Pimms, a light citrusy drink that is VERY refreshing. Yummy! We had a fabulous time...good food, good drinks, good friends. And here it is that, at the end of this long and hectic day, I was able to find a new connection.
Dr. E. told us the story of a man who visited the pub every evening and he always sat at the very end of the bar in the corner, although he was not there at that time. This intrigued me, and I anxiously awaited his arrival. When he did arrive (and after a cocktail or two), Dillon, Connie, and I went over to "chat him up". His name is John. He is a 91 year old retiree and a very sweet man. What a honey! It seems he used to own his own bar and is a connoisseur of concoctions. His favorite drink? Beer! John has been coming to Marlborough's for fifty years and often comes three times a day. This might explain his age; it seems he is well preserved! He is so beloved in this bar, that when he leaves for the evening, he places his stool behind the bar. He pulls it out again when he returns. They even have a tribute to him that can be seen when he raises the counter flap. How cool is that?I can't stop there because this is just too funny. Two connections in one night. After leaving the pub, Laura and I walked to an unfamiliar store to which Dr. E. referred us to get some Italian sausage for dinner tomorrow night.
We got to this one road and were not sure what to do. Entering a nearby hotel to ask for directions was not helpful (even thought it was only like two blocks away). Upon leaving the hotel, Connie asked the first person she saw if she knew where Waitrose was and, lo and behold, she worked there! So, we not only learned how to get there, but what their hours were and that they indeed did have Italian sausage! LOL! It's one of those "had to be there" stories! I just love London!
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