England: Tower of London,

September 2001

I remember just bits and pieces of that first journey to London since Brian and I returned to New York and 9/11 occurring directly after. However, one memory remains: the Tower of London. That visit stands out perhaps because it was so completely not what I expected.

First and foremost, I always thought it was a castle/prison when in fact it is a fortress/palace. Not only that, it is the oldest royal residence continually in use (although I doubt any modern royals have lived there in a very long time). In my mind the Tower of London was where the worst criminals of yore were locked up and the key thrown into the Thames. In fact, it was far more than that.

The Tower of London is an internationally famous monument and one of England’s most iconic structures. William the Conqueror built the White Tower in 1066 as a demonstration of Norman power, siting it strategically on the River Thames to act as both fortress and gateway to the capital. It is the most complete example of an 11th century fortress palace remaining in Europe. A rare survival of a continuously developing ensemble of royal buildings, from the 11th to 16th centuries, the Tower of London has become one of the symbols of royalty. It also fostered the development of several of England’s major State institutions, incorporating such fundamental roles as the nation’s defence, its record-keeping and its coinage. It has been the setting for key historical events in European history, including the execution of three English queens.

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/488/

The beefeater guards, the fields of poppies in the former moat, and the views of the Tower Bridge nearby are all very impactful images from a trip of which I remember little. However, the strangest part of the visit for me was standing on a conveyor belt to glide slowly by the Crown Jewels. I was, of course, curious to see them, but I also thought it was silly to stand on a belt that ensured I didn't linger too long since the queue was enormous. Part of me was put off and part of me found it a very practical solution. I can think of dozens of places I visited in my travels that could have benefitted from such conveyor belts (not implying I hope they are installed).

Within that experience, seeing the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond was also impressive. Given that each successive owner recut it for their on purposes, I wished to have seen it after its first discovery (significantly larger). Who on earth would take something valuable due to its size and make it smaller? That seemed to be the very definition of madness to me.

The Crown Jewels in the Tower of London and the Old Royal Navy College along the Thames are my two strongest memories from that trip. We actually saw and did a lot more (including seeing a show and visiting many other famous places), but nearly the whole visit has been lost to overwritten memories.