Today was my last full day in London. I spent the day trying to pack in as much as I could before I have to leave this city. There’s so much to see here – I could easily spend two weeks (or more) just going to the museums. Plus, another fabulous thing about London – almost all of their museums are completely free.
I started the day at the Tower of London, which was the first place I’ve gone that I actually had to pay admission for in this city. It was expensive but worth it; as a history lover, the Tower was super cool!! I got to see the Crown Jewels, which are still in use today, as well as the old armour of the kings (including a very large suit of armour for King Henry VIII). The Tower is also where many people have been put to death, including three queens of England, and where two young princes died mysteriously (it is suspected that their uncle murdered them, so that he could take the throne after the death of their father). As well, over 8000 people have been imprisoned in the Tower, even though it wasn’t built to be a prison.
Outside the Tower of London:
Panoramic view from within the tower grounds. On the left is the White Tower, which holds the armoury. The famous Tower Bridge is visible in the background.
After the Tower, I went to the Natural History Museum. I’ve mostly been going to see attractions that have something to do with history, art, or culture, and it was surprisingly relaxing to go to the Natural History Museum. Three hours went by in a flash as I looked at dinosaurs, moon rocks, and the mammal exhibits.
Front foyer of the Natural History Museum.
I finished off the day at the National Gallery, which holds so much amazing art. Another cool thing about London’s museums – the majority of them are open late on Friday evenings, usually until about 9pm (and they’re still free at that time!). I was there only briefly in the evening, just long enough to see the works by Van Gogh (my personal favourite, especially after spending two weeks in Holland), Monet, Pisarro, and Cezanne, among others.
This brings an end to my solo adventures for this trip. Tomorrow, I’m off to the university program, and the next chapter of this adventure!
-Caelan
THE WANDERING YEARS 