London

We finally arrived in London and started visiting all the popular tourist sites. I was last here about 20 years ago, and this is Carrie’s first visit. London is a vibrant modern city but it is still defined by its rich history. Everywhere you look in central London you are reminded of centuries of its great kings and queens, its wars and its global reach, from its early Roman settlements through the current monarchy.

There is tremendous diversity here. London has alway had colonies scattered throughout the world so it’s no surprise that the city is filled with a variety of nationalities, foods and communities. At our first dinner our friendly waiter Ricardo reminded us that there are more than just Brits in Britain. He is originally from Lisbon and has worked in London for about eight years, but plans to return home soon. He was excited to discuss politics in the UK as well as the US. When we talked about movies and US culture he was proud to display his Johnny Cash tee shirt hidden under his starched white uniform.

Cultural changes aren’t always accepted here. On a recent taxi ride we noticed dozens of horse drawn carriages, similar to the type they use in harness racing in the US, racing up a busy London street, disrupting the normal traffic flow. Our taxi driver complained that these were gypsy travelers, who camp outside the city, but occasionally venture into the busy urban areas just to create chaos. He griped that the travelers use the British social system but don’t contribute to it as everyone else does.

Guided tours of the main attractions can be a hit or miss thing. If you are lucky enough to get a great guide it can make the event fun and memorable. Our guide at the Tower of London, one of the famous Beefeaters who are full time service men who also guard the tower and the Crown Jewels, was wonderful. He regaled his large audience with bloody tales of bloody beheadings and regal intrigue. We loved his story telling but I think the kids there enjoyed it the most.

After a few days in London we ventured out to Highclere Castle to visit the real life setting of the television series Downton Abbey. We both enjoyed the series, and the two movies, and were excited to see the real thing. When reading about the family who own and live in this famous estate we were surprised to see that the fictional story followed some of the historical events of the real family. The estate did indeed help out as a hospital after WWI!

Another surprise was that the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, the historical owner of the estate, helped finance his friend and archeologist Howard Carter in finding the tomb of Tutankhamen in Egypt. As a reward for his sponsorship the Earl received numerous pieces from the dig, which are actually on display in a separate section of the estate.

The weather was drizzly and cool while we were at Highclere so we weren’t able to walk and explore the property as we wished. We weren’t allowed to take photos inside the estate. However, we relaxed and enjoyed the afternoon tea with all the goodies.