We had reservations at Simpson's Tavern,"the oldest chophouse in London," built in 1757. We love old restaurants (like Jacob Wirth in Boston and John's of 12th Street in NYC), and this one definitely raised the bar on longevity. Charles Dickens actually ate there.
Marsha found it online while researching the trip. We had originally tried to book it for dinner with no success, which was quite frustrating until we realized they're not open for dinner. Since we were planning to visit the Tower of London, which is nearby, it was the perfect choice.
Getting there was quite a challenge. We left late because we were trying to change our rental car pickup time with no success. This was compounded by a very long Tube ride. Then we got confused trying to find it.
It's in a section called "The City," which is the oldest part of London. The streets are narrow and the whole place is like a maze. It's just like in the movies, except without the beggars, prostitutes, and sewage in the streets.
I had to turn on my precious cell data, which didn't help at first because my position on Google Maps was incorrect. I finally got a good connection and followed the turn-by-turn directions down several streets, followed by several alleys. We eventually found it in a narrow alley and were directed upstairs where the waiter welcomed us and chastised us for being late.
He led us to a table cramped booth with perfectly straight backs and a coat rack where we were rather surprised to learn that we'd be sharing a table with three others: a man and his daughter, and his brother who showed up a few minutes later. They were equally surprised that we'd found the place, since it's largely frequented by locals.
Turns out we actually had a bit in common: the daughter had also just finished her first year "at University" (like Madison) and the brother had visited several cities in the U.S. It was hard to hear due to the noise level (tight spaces and hardwood interior), but they were really nice and welcoming.
Thanks to Google Maps (and a little more precious data), we found our way to the Tower of London, which was high on my list of things to do. I'd already watched a documentary on it some months back and was anxious to see it in person.
We arrived just in time for the walking tour given by the Yeomen Warders (aka Beefeaters), who still guard the Tower, even though it's no longer an official residence of the Queen. Our Yeoman Warder, Bob, did a wonderful job telling us the history of the Tower, which is actually a collection of towers built over several centuries.
He also told us about the many animals that were kept at the tower (usually acquired as gifts), such as lions, an elephant, and even a polar bear. None of them seemed to fare very well, except for the lions. The Yeomen Warders also care for the ravens that live there. It is said that if the ravens ever leave, the Tower will crumble. These days, their wings are clipped so that they can't fly away. He also explained that Tower ravens live about three times longer than their brethren in the wild.
Of course, everybody wants to hear about the executions. Bob explained that they actually took place on Tower Hill, where the victim had to pay the executioner, hoping for a good clean chop. He'd also have to offer a full confession to save his wife and children the same fate. Afterwards, the head would be taken back to the Tower and placed on a pike to serve as an example.
The worst story was a fellow who's executioner was a "part-time executioner, part-time butcher, and full-time drunk." The poor victim finally died after five wildly inaccurate blows, but still had to saw through the neck bone to fully sever the head.
A few executions were actually done within the grounds on Tower Green. This was reserved for people of high rank, such as two of Henry VIII's wives, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. These people are also buried in the Tower chapel.
Up in the infamous Bloody Tower, we also learned of the two Princes, who were locked up there by their uncle, Richard III, in his quest to claim the crown. They were never seen again, though their skeletons were likely discovered in a wooden box many years later.
The most popular spot is viewing the Crown Jewels, which are kept at the Tower (of course, no pictures). We got to see priceless plates, scepters, swords, orbs, diamonds, and crowns dating all the way back to the 1600s. After such an immense display of wealth, I was really surprised to see the donation box at the end.
Our last stop was the torture chamber. I was surprised to learn that despite its well-earned reputation (executions), they really didn't do much torturing there. The room was incredibly small, too. Inside they have reproductions of three devices used: manacles, the rack (the most used), and one of which I'd never heard, the Scavenger's daughter. It's an iron contraption shaped like a well that forces the person into a crouched position.
On a happier note, we walked next door to Tower Bridge. Despite its medieval look, it was built in the 1800s, but designed to match the Tower. It's also frequently confused with London Bridge, which is just down the River.
Next came one of my favorite parts of the day: following the Jubilee Walk along the riverbank and through more parts of the old city. There are so many spots that look like Disney World, but they're real. We also loved the juxtaposition of old and new in the London skyline.
We walked all the way down to the Globe Theater (a reproduction, of course) to get a few photos and move on. It was getting late and we needed to get over to Covent Garden (our new favorite place) to find a pub for a quick dinner before show time.
I wanted to cross Millennium Bridge (seen in several episodes of Spooks) and find a Tube Station on the other side, but a security guy who gave us directions sent us further down river to the Blackfriars station instead. We found the rail station, but not the Tube station. After a bit of wandering, we finally learned it was on the other side of the river.
Madison, the new master of the Tube, got us back to Covent Garden via three trains. Despite their incredible efficiency, we were still short on time, so we just opted for a quick bite at Shake Shack. The burger was pretty good, but the best part was that they had unsweetened iced tea! I was so happy.
With our few remaining minutes, we popped into the Disney Store we'd seen before when it was closed. Turns out it's the the smallest Disney Store we've ever seen. Just one tiny room.
On our way to theater, we saw Willa Holland, who plays Thea Queen on Arrow, walking through Covent Garden with a friend (I assume). That was quite a surprise.
Made it to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory right on time and thanks to Madison's choice of tickets, we had great seats. Finally saw a show on the West End. Another item off my bucket list. The sets were really impressive, and the little boy who played Charlie was wonderful. Madison really wanted a Wonka Bar and was really surprised they weren't selling them. They did have lots of other candy, though, and especially Haagen-Dazs ice cream. They even sold it in the auditorium during intermission (yes, we got chocolate and cookies & cream), and carried around trash bags to collect the rubbish. So proper!
After the show, it was straight back to the hotel to pack up and get our last night's rest in London. We already wish we could stay longer.
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