The tourist slog never ceases. Today was Westminster Abbey, The Red Lion Pub, The Jewel Tower and finally our big dinner out at Oblix at the Shard. After topping off the Oyster Card for the Tube we set off for Westminster. Westminster Abbey is about 1000 years old and is the center of all British monarchal coronations, royal weddings and funerals and other great state events. It is also the burial place of many great British monarchs like Edward the Confessor, Richard the Lion Hearted, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I as well as other famous and not so famous Englishmen (and women). Poets Thomas, Tennyson, Browning, Eliot and many others are also buried there. It frankly is a little gauche in many ways because of all the monuments that have been installed over the years. However, the base cathedral is amazing. The work in these buildings given the technology of 500-1000 years ago is hard to overestimate.
Nothing says quiet contemplation after visiting one of the world's great religious sites like a ponderous perch and Guiness. We hit the Red Lion Pub for a libation and a lunch of meat pies. Quite good actually.
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| Red Lion Pub |
Refreshed we headed off to The Jewel Tower which is essentially a big rock safe for all the king's valuables and later was the location of standards and measures (why a pint is a pint) as well as the clerk of records for a time. We also walked by Big Ben on the way.
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| Jewel Tower (sans jewels) |
After jaunting around all day we returned to our abode and got ready to head out for dinner at Oblix. It is housed on the 32nd floor of The Shard, the tallest building in London. We had a phenomenal dinner--the food was very good and the view was stunning.
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| Prawns |
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| Enjoying our cocktails |
Afterwards, we treated ourselves to a champagne night cap at Gong on the 52nd floor.
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| The Gong Bar at the Shangri-La Hotel |
Tomorrow is our last day in London and we have some items to tick off the list. Time for some sleep.
Until then, keep on rambling.
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