Tower of London

The Tower of London is an iconic landmark situated on the north bank of the River Thames, home of the Historic Royal Palace and The Crown Jewels as well other prominent and powerful entities through the years since it was built in 1078. Tricia and I embarked on a tour lead by a spirited Beefeater, wandered the green (noting the legendary ravens) and explored the Royal Armory. We were engrossed in tales of beheading among others told of London's past, and fascinated by the visual displays of all that accompanied a life of majesty.

The tower is worth a visit especially (or specifically) for a glimpse of the jaw dropping collection of Crown Jewels. The sheer beauty of these gems - among them diamonds, rubys and emeralds to name a few, set in regal purple crowns and gold encrusted wands with their perfectly cut shapes, massive size and intense sparkle factor, is unreal. (Too bad you can't photograph them.) What you can photograph is just about everything else, as shown in the Instagram collage below.

The majestic Tower Bridge can be seen from atop the fortress walls and around the outer perimeter of the area. This famous landmark is commonly mistaken as London Bridge, which is actually further down the river and not nearly as poignant. We didn't have time for a tour of the bridge on this trip, but to marvel in its presence felt like enough.