Today, Laurel and I were planning to go to Abbey Road and Baker Street. Abbey Road, because of the Beatles. And Baker Street because of Sherlock Holmes. However, we realized that we’d have to choose between these and the Tower of London — and the Tower won.

We took The Beef-eater’s Tour and were very glad we had done so. The tour guides are actually military men who have served long enough to be considered for this position. Our guide detailed many of the activities that had happened in or near the Tower, but mostly spent time telling of various beheadings.

At the close of his presentation, he did a sort of FAQ and said, “…and no, I’ve never seen a ghost. I don’t believe in ghosts.”

Man — it’s been years since I have heard someone say those words, “I don’t believe in ghosts.”

Me neither. I believe in imaginations.

Before we left the States, Laurel downloaded a walking tour from http://www.southbanklondon.com/walkthisway/TheGuides.html.

We felt like this was a safe walk, though I would not want to walk it in the evening. Turns out the walk was just under four miles in length and eating along the way at St. Martin on the Fields — in the crypt — was a bonus. It’s always nice having lunch while sitting at a table atop someone’s dead body. 😐

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Along the way, Laurel dragged me through The National  Gallery where we saw works from Da Vinci and Rembrandt.  That probably added a half mile to our trip. It was nice seeing these images, but I’d have been just as happy seeing them in a book. As you may or may not know, I don’t understand a lot of what it is that makes art art.

London is an amazing place with neverending places of interest.

Today we climbed some steps. Lots of steps.  Like maybe 500 steps. But it was worth it.

We went to Saint Paul’s Cathedral and took the ten cent tour. However, the tour was more like the £ 12 tour.  The building is amazingly constructed — particularly when one considers its age. We climbed the stairs to the Whisper Gallery and while Joella and Esther went around to the other side and whispered. Sure enough, they could hear us and we them.

We said goodbye to the girls and went for lunch at Eat. Chicken pot pies. Sometimes I feel that if it weren’t for leeks the poor Brits wouldn’t have any flavors beyond salty and black peppered.

Then Laurel dragged me through The British Museum. It was quite fascinating. I seeing things like The Rosetta Stone (the real one) and a statue from Easter Island were a couple of the highlights.

Then near supper time we went to The Slug and Lettuce. It’s a pub in Angel (which is a district I recommend all men skip since, apart from the pubs, all that is there is places for your wife to spend money).

I had fish and chips again. I love that. It throws me back to my chidhood, when as a toddler, “fish and chips” was the first thing I learned to order in a restaurant.

Finally we came home and relaxed while waiting for Es to come home. What a great day!