It took us a little longer than planned to get there, but after a few hours delay (alleviated with bubblegum) we finally made it across (or rather under) the Channel and into St. Pancras train station. We literally hit the ground running, with just enough time to make it to the Rose theatre in Kingston for a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream starring no other than Dame Judi Dench. It was well worth the sprint too. The Rose theatre is a small space not unlike the Globe, with two levels of balconies that wrap around the sides. We could only see half of the stage from our seats on the edge, but even half of the production was fantastic. Judi Dench as Titania was fabulous (who knew she could do giddy and love sick so well?), but the real star of the show was Bottom the Weaver. It was an excellent production, everything that Shakespeare ought to be.
The next morning had a slow start, but we finally made onto the double decker bus into town. First stop: Westminster Abbey. I've been dying to visit the Abbey for years and years, so I was ecstatic to finally make it. It was a cold, rainy, grey day (what else would it be in London in the winter?), perfect for spending a couple of hours wandering around a centuries-old abbey full of tombs and ghosts and stories. The British have a different approach to touring churches than the French; in France you usually don't pay to get into the church itself, although there may be areas like treasuries or crypts that require a ticket. Photography sans flash is almost always allowed except during a service. In London they charge an arm and leg to get into everything (yay for student discounts), and they are quite strict about photography.
Whether or not pictures were allowed, Westminster was perfect. Audio guide in hand (narrated by Jeremy Irons; again, perfect) I wandered around reading inscriptions on tombs and monuments that ranged from inconspicuous to theatrical. As long as I spent in there I didn't see everything the Abbey has to offer; the place is crowded with tombs, monuments, chapels, etc. Here are the highlights: The Lady Chapel is breathtaking, lined with emblems of knighthood and topped with a breathtaking Gothic ceiling; I'd never seen anything like it before. A small radiating chapel is dedicated to the RAF, with stained glass windows showing pilots at the Resurrection. There is a hole in the stone made by German shrapnel, left unrepaired after WWII as part of the memorial to the brave souls who fought for Britain.
Perhaps my favorite part of the whole abbey was Queen Elizabeth I's tomb, tucked away in a small room to the side and as grand as any other in the abbey. I've always been rather partial to her (she was a redhead after all), and being there with her earthly remains sent me over the top. When she died the whole country went into mourning, and I found myself crying too (only about 400 years late for the funeral). She's buried with her sister Mary, an unexpected and touching gesture. Between intense pressure to produce an heir and incredible religious tension, their family was dysfunctional in every possible way (divorce, attempted murder, hysterical pregnancy, estrangement, execution, imprisonment...). Maybe there is hope for reconciliation in the next life, where they don't have the burden of the crown to carry.
After stopping by Poet's Corner and paying my respect's to Laurence Oliver and George Frideric Handel (one of my favorite composers ever) I wandered outside into the cloister. This moment was too perfect, and I was outside so..... I snuck a picture. With the green grass, gentle rain, cold winter air, how could I not?
The Coronation Chair also resides in Westminster Abbey, a symbol of a living monarchy in contrast to all the dead monarchs. It's fairly unassuming on its own, but it's a great symbol of stability enjoyed by few other nations. More about coronations and monarchy later.
I reluctantly left the Abbey, and we jumped back on the bus for the Tower of London, after a couple of pictures at St. Paul's.
The Tower of London is another spot I'd been dying to see (again, forgive the pun) for years, and I was not at all disappointed. Note: the Tower of London is NOT a tower, although there are lots of towers there. It's actually a royal palace (Queen Victoria's initials are on all the rain spouts), although not a royal residence. We arrived just in time for a tour led by a wonderful old Scottish Beefeater. Westminster is all about royal ceremony, pomp, and circumstance. The Tower is all about royal death, torture, and execution.
Our tour guide was an old Scottish Beefeater. No photograph could capture his accent, his dramatic storytelling, or his charm, so just imagine.
He reminded us several times that we were walking where Kings and Queens of England walked. I was geeking out the whole time (as you have probably gathered, I do that a lot here in Europe). At long last I saw Traitor’s Gate, where three Queens, the young Princess Elizabeth, and Sir (or Saint if you like) Thomas More entered the Tower, almost all to meet their deaths.
The British seem to be really into tradition and legend, and legend has it that if the ravens ever leave the Tower the whole thing will crumble into dust and catastrophe will befall the nation. King Charles I or II decreed that 6 ravens should be kept at the Tower at all times. They keep 8 there now, all with their wings clipped. They aren’t taking any chances.
The Crown Jewels are also there, well worth a visit. The tradition, ceremony, symbolism, and history that those items is truly remarkable. After watching footage from Queen Elizabeth's coronation, then seeing the crowns, swords, and scepters, that she and her predecessors have used for centuries, to be honest I was a little miffed about the American Revolution. The whole monarchy thing is REALLY cool and seems to work just great for Great Britain. Stupid Stamp Act. God Save the Queen.
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