Nevermore

On Wednesday, I went to the National Art Gallery. I only got through about half of the galleries, so I'm going to have to go back again before I leave, but I saw some really awesome stuff in the galleries that I did back it to including some original Reniors, Monets, Manets, and a sketch by Leonardo da Vinci. I really wish that I could take photos in these museums because I really want to show you guys all the things I've seen. Unfortunately, since I can't show you the inside of the building, I'll just have to content myself with giving you this picture of the outside.


After the National Art Gallery, I went to see a performance of Hamlet starring Jude Law. It was the most incredible live performance of Hamlet that I was ever seen. In fact, it was at least as good as the Kenneth Branagh version, which for me is saying a lot because I absolutely love the Kenneth Branagh Hamlet!

In other news, Sacha Baron Cohen came to Leister Square for the premier of his new movie, so it was pretty nutty with all of the fans and the media. Let's just say that the crowds were quite impressive.

Yesterday, we went to the Tower of London, which, incidentally, had the best gift shops of any of the places that we've gone so far, with the exception perhaps of the V&A.

Anyway, our Tour Guide (a member of the tower guard, also known as a beef-eater) was not only extremely informative, but also a ton of fun. Below is a photo of one of the "Beefeaters".


We visited Tower Green, which is where seven people, including Lady Jane Grey, Anne Boleyn, and Catherine Howard were executed. I was also able to see the final resting place of these three queens of England in the chapel of St. Peter Ad Vincula.

Coincidentally enough, the Tower Hill tube stop (pictured below) was formerly the public execution spot. I feel like there is some sort of the commentary on the public transport system hidden in that fact and I'm not sure that I like the implications.


Anyway, we visited all of the towers in the fortress and saw the Crown Jewels, the original armor of King Henry VIII (this is the 500th anniversary of his coronation), and some drawing etched into the walls of the towers by the prisoners. Pretty stinking cool. The walls of the towers were also decorated with these sculptures of knights which I though were fun.


Since the Tower is right on the Thames, we also got to see Tower Bridge, which is fun to watch go up when the boats need to go under.


On the way back to the tube, we also came across these fragment of the original walll surrounding London, along with this statue of the Emperor Trajan.


Anyway, my mom wants to go see the changing of the guard, so we are off to Buckingham Palace right now!