With our London Pass we have quite a variety of venues to explore. One of the places we saw early on was Tower Bridge. It's of course an icon of London and a beautiful thing. You may know that it's a drawbridge, designed to allow large ships to go further up the Thames to dock.
A view along the sidewalk - or the footpath as the English call it.
And some structural as well as artistic detail.
Up above, the crossing over the river now has a glass floor for those intrepid enough to step onto it.
Like me.
And there are mirrors above - for those afraid to look down?
The views of course are dramatic if the weather is good. There's The Shard - visible from many parts of the city. The igloo shaped building in the foreground is London's City Hall.
In another direction, The Gherkin (or as I call it, The Pickle).
Part of the tour of the bridge includes the engine room where the hydraulic works to raise the bridge are located. They are gleaming bright. And still in use.
I sometimes think that the designers were making art as well as functional machinery.
The firebox where the coal was shovelled back when that was the fuel used to fire the steam engines.
After we left we walked along the south bank of the Thames where I captured a selfie with another iconic skyline building. Again, the British do love to name their buildings as they see them. The one on the left is The Walkie Talkie.
Further along the river we came to the museum ship HMS Belfast. She's seen a lot of action including patrolling the Arctic during WW II.
Inside we got down into the bowels of the ship.
And high up on the bridge where someone had the opportunity to play Captain.
Signs indicate where the Belfast saw action. This was just months before Geordie was born.
And she also saw action while my mother was giving birth to me.
Yes if you were injured you got to go to the sick bay, and if things were serious, the ship's Doctor might have a go at you.
Although there were bunks on the ship, there were also times when the navy men slept in hammocks too.
Off we are again - a new day, a new tour. The Globe Theatre - a faithful reproduction. You may be surprised to learn that until Sam Wanamaker, a young American actor, arrived in Londn to see the home of Shakespeare in London, there was no historic building - merely a plaque on a wall.
Wanamaker made it his life's work to see that Shakespeare's memory and legacy were honoured by creating a society whose goal was to recreate the theatre which once gave life to Shakespeare's plays, in his time. Surprisingly, no funds from historic trusts or the British government were provided to see the theatre reconstructed.
We were led into the theatre and got to sit inside for a silent running. This meant that we were witness to a practice by the actors with the director as they ran through parts of the play they were rehearsing - in our case, The Taming of the Shrew. What a great opportunity - alas, no pictures allowed, so I leave this section with one of the faithfully reproduced costumes used by the players, instead.
Now, on to Southwark Cathedral which was nearby. (It's pronounced suth erk), by the way). The central nave is so beautiful.
A quote from their own website: "We believe there has been a church on this site since AD 606. There may well have been a church here even earlier. Southwark Cathedral is the oldest cathedral church building in London, and archaeological evidence shows there was Roman pagan worship here well before that."
This is one of the roof bosses, shown as a display piece on the wall. This is the Devil swallowing Judas, a piece from the 15th century, which was rescued after a fire damaged the roof in the 1800's.
As with any cathedral, stained glass is used to great effect.
Another view of the nave with the lovely lighting of the roof.
And Geordie's patron Saint - St. George slaying the dragon.
And look, even closer to The Shard.
Another day, another tour. This time we took the train out to Hamoton Court, built by Cardinal Wolsey, but confiscated by his King, Henry VIII, who did live here for a time.
The approach is lined with carved fantasy animals, like these two, a unicorn and a dragon.
Inside buildings like this, always look up. Sometimes you will see masterpieces of art, sometimes masterpieces of sculpture.
We were entertained by a travelling band of minstrels who sang, danced and orated.
Another wonderful ceiling detail.
The King, Henry VIII himself.
And his commode. Because even kings need to go. (In one spot I saw a sign that advised that if one had to go when other people might be in earshot, one should cough and make other noises so as not to sully the ears of others with your business there.)
On the dining table in a couple of rooms were these fantastically folded linen napkins. They were apparently created by the staff for the delight of the diners. They certainly put towel swans to shame.
Down in the kitchens a man was turning a spit over a real fire, with several joints roasting. The soot and smoke of centuries is on the wall above the fireplace.
In a courtyard is this clock tower. It's quite ornate and tells the seasons and the zodiac as well as the time.
I leave you here as we left Hamotn Court, along the Rver Thames in Richmond on Thames. Did you know that, by law, all swans n England are the property of the Queen?
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