At the Tower of London with Giles and Gillian

My darling wife came up with a perfect plan: get to the Tower early, first thing, and order family ticket online which saves some significant cash in this most visited of sites in the UK and pick them up when you arrive. This also means you can go in the group entrance, strolling past a growing line of human beings stretching around the ancient ramparts. Great time and few lines and jostlings.

London day one CHS

We landed in London after a rather bumpy flight in beautiful blue skies and sunshine, which lasted for... A while, then some mixed snow and rain, thunder and lightening while we talked with the students at St. Paul's about the earthquake synod in the 1300s intended to try and convict John Wycliffe. Then off with my group to Windsor Castle (though we did not connect with Hannah and Elsie until later).

The opening two days in London are so important for setting the stage for the rest of the tour. We encounter so many who suffered for Christ and the gospel at the Tower of London and Westminister Abbey and other places. Resting at Holland House (1622) YHA and sleep sounds really inviting.

Laura Cassis says of her first day in London, "I'd rather have a mini chapel attached to my bedroom like Henry III." The priority of worship impressed Laura.

Donny thought it was ironic that Henry VIII received a weapon from a French man. Ryan Gross was impressed with the Norman chapel at the Tower, jarring to be in a place where there has been so much torture and suffering and then see this wonderful gem of architecture where first Arthur Tudor then Henry VIII married Catherine of Aragon.