June 23, 2025 - Today we have tickets to the Churchill War Rooms, which is a historic underground complex that housed the British Government command center during WWII. It also includes a museum of Churchill's life. After the War Rooms Museum, we walked through St James Park, had a picnic lunch and wandered by Buckingham Palace. We then walked to Westminster Abbey for a tour there. We've been using the Underground to get where we're going. Today it took longer than expected because of some train delays, but to get to downtown London, it's been taking us about 45 minutes to get there from our apartment in Notting Hill.
My first sighting of Big Ben, past another man on a horse statue.
The War Rooms Museum came with an audio tour that was quite good. The place was packed though, so it wasn't as enjoyable as it should have been. This was the map room which was staffed 24/7 during the war.
This told the staff what the weather was like above them, since they didn't have any way of knowing
lots of reminders everywhere to keep things quiet
NOOOOO whistling!
This was the door to Number 10 Downing St. It was changed to a blast-proof door in 1991 due to security concerns after an IRA mortar attack
Churchill's dining room
As more staff was needed they split some of the quarters to accommodate the growing numbers of people living there.
this is a map of where the war Rooms is located (a small black side-ways T) and the red holes are where bombs hit.
Much of the war Rooms were left as-is and were made into a museum in 1985.
the map of the war lines, updated with pins, as the war was happening
different colored phones for different things in one of the command centers
ice cream in St James Park after lunch
gardens and flags in front of Buckingham Palace
Not the changing of the guards (that happens at 11:00 each morning and lasts 45 minutes) but a little pomp and circumstance as they change out a guard or two.
those are some massive gates
the Union Jack is flying, which means King Charles is not home
It was decorated around Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Colour on June 14th
more Big Ben
A walk by Parliament
more Parliament
Next our tour of Westminster Abbey
Stephen Hawking's ashes are buried in Westminster Abbey
I didn't love Westminster Abbey. It seemed to me it was over-run by memorials.
pretty flags and ceiling
The Coronation Chair is at Westminster Abbey. It was made by King Edward I to hold the stone of scone which he brought to England in 1296. The chair has been used at every coronation since 1308. The stone which filled the space below the seat was returned to Scotland in 1996 but will come back to the Abbey for future coronations.
We walked by Big Ben on our way across the Westminster Bridge over the Thames.
we walked along the river for some views
The London Eye
Beers and a break on the rooftop of the Bow Street Pub (it was 5 flights up, which we didn't know when we headed up there)
Next a walk through Covent Gardens, which had lots going on, with shopping and restaurants
Kev trying to get free chocolate at Neuhaus
Covent Garden
the stairs into the underground look like piano keys
Narrowboats on the Regents Canal!!
June 24, 2025 - Our last day sightseeing in London! Tomorrow morning our 1 hour flight to Dublin leaves at 9:50 and then we have an 8.5 hr direct flight to Indy from there (after a 3 hour layover). Today we have tickets to the Tower of London, then St Paul's Cathedral. After today we can no longer say ABC (another bloody Cathedral, another bloody Castle). We've seen a lot of both on this trip, but the UK is certainly full of them. We're sad to be heading home, but it's sure been a great trip! Five and a half weeks was barely enough time!
The hidden entrance to our apartment complex
Kev's double (Kev's on the right)
Tower Bridge
such a cool bridge!
the Tower of London
We did the Youghman's tour, which lasted about 45 minutes and then wandered on our own with the hour forty five minutes audio guide that came with the ticket ($48/each). And another nice clocktower.
where Ann Bolyn was beheaded
long line to see the crown jewels (no pics allowed inside)
the armory museum-Henry the VIII's suit of armor
the BIG book that kept track of all the armaments for 3 years (900 pages)
punishment for a gossip
a chopping block that looked like it had been used twice. Usually they were used once and burned after use
it turned into a sunny day
and before we left, we did a walk along the wall, which was quite winding
the white palace (which houses the armory museum), which was the first building on the grounds. If the tower was under siege they would burn the wooden stairs to protect the king.
,
from the wall
On the wall were towers used as prisons. Prisoners would carve their names in the walls. This was Henry Walpole
Tower Bridge from the wall
nice bench and interesting wall
doesn't this building look like the triangle you hit for "play"?
guard on duty
happy guard on duty
you need a telephone booth in the tower of London
one more pic of Tower Bridge
view of the Tower of London on our way to the subway
mind the gap
St Paul's is our last ABC
The architect was Christopher Wren. When it was built it was the largest dome outside of Italy (second to St Peter's Basilica in Rome)
These are the original doors which are 27 feet tall and only opened on special occasions
We took a tour in St Paul's and the guide told us about the group of people who worked to save the church, during the war by putting out any embers
we're going to climb to the top of this dome...all 528 steps
mostly white windows (instead of stained glass because Wren wanted lots of light)
this section was a memorial to the Americans of WWII, with a window with all 50 states' flags. Here's Indiana...we couldn't find NJ's
hearts
View from the Stone Gallery, the second view point. The first stop was the Whispering Gallery, which looks down onto the cathedral floor.
View from the top, the Golden Gallery! It was a crazy little circular staircase to the very top and the girl in front of us was not taking the climb very well
view of the Thames and the London Eye
nice skyline
Tower Bridge
pretty mosaic floor in St Paul's as we leave
They love the curved buildings in the UK
Chicken Kiev at The Cow a pub around the corner from our apartment
Our last time through the gate to our apartment at 11 Shrewsbury Mews
Last Guinness of the trip!
And we started our trip with the Brakes with Prosecco and decided we should end the same way! What a great trip!
