After a quick nap to relieve my jetlag, I was ready to hit Londontown! I started my tour by walking along the Thames to soak in London's historical sites and visit museums. Tower of London was my first stop and if my trip to London had to end here, that would be fine with me. This place is great!
I learned so much today about kings, queens, sorcery, moats, religious disputes, treachery and ravens. Did you know that there are 8 ravens kept in the Tower of London at all times? King Charles II was told by a sorcerer that if the ravens ever left, England would fall. So, now they've got to have ravens there all the time. They're kept by an actual person called the Ravenmaster. The oldest raven to live at the Tower was named Jim Crow (for reals) and lived to be 44! I wonder what you have to have on your resume to become the next Ravenmaster!
Second on my top museum/historic places list was The Clink. This is one of London’s oldest prisons and the namesake for all other jails known as “The Clink.” This place is much smaller, but still pretty entertaining due to its old school displays and descriptions of London’s prison system, inmates, old laws and torture devices. Picture bad wax dummy displays of dudes trying to catch a rat for dinner and people in balls & chains. At the end there is an interactive display where you can put your foot in “the boot”, feel how heavy a ball & chains are and place your head on the executioner’s block. There’s even a sign that says “Photo Opportunity”… I’ll say!
No museum tour is complete without a gift shop visit. Here’s the skinny in case you’re going just for souvenirs:
Best Gift Shop: Tower of London
- On directory list, it says "Kings and Queens", "Armoury", "Bookshop", "Tower" and "Torture." Sweet!
- China animals like foxes and rabbits dressed in Victorian outfits...classy!
- Toy where you can re-enact a beheading
- Chainmail!
Worst Gift Shop: The Click Prison Museum
A handful of pencils and some ghost figurines. I was really hoping to add to my patch collection with one that said “I Survived the Clink” or something cheesy like that.
