Day 39 - Saturday, June 2nd

At the Tower of London














Pirates!!!











KIDNAPPED!!!!




























A last view of the Tower Bridge










Michael was off today, so we all headed back to London for the day. The train was really full so Michael and I ended up standing for the trip. We had a good place to stand and enjoyed talking and swaying!!!

We first headed back to the Tower of London. Our tour guide was a different person this time, so we were able to hear about the tower from a different point of view.

After lunch, we decided to walk over the Tower Bridge. As we were approaching the bridge, Michael pointed out a “Clipper Ship” that was coming into the harbor and that the drawbridge was opening to let it through. We watched as it entered the harbor and then walked out onto the bridge once it had closed. While we were enjoying the view from the bridge, we noticed that there were a bunch of twenty-somethings dressed in Pirate clothes. They were having a great time and went around yelling “Argh!!” at each other . We asked one girl what they were doing and she said that a bunch of people had just decided to dress up as pirates for the day. When we pointed out the “pirate” ship and asked if there was a connection, she said “no, the ship is random!!”


We watched another guy and girl who were obviously enjoying being pirates for the day and I asked if I could take their picture. They said that I HAD to be in the photo and “kidnapped” me until a photo had been taken. The guy then offered us a “Slug of Rum” from the bottle that he was carrying. When we asked them about why they were there, the girl answered “we be pirates, that be a pirate ship, make the connection”!!!

Obviously you can NEVER get a straight answer from a pirate!!!!

Diane, however, ran into a woman who knew what was going on and was fairly affronted that we did not know about it. She said that the ship was a reproduction of a Swedish ship that had sunk in these waters some time ago.....we liked the pirate versions better.

After the ship had passed again through the draw bridge, we were standing and looking at our map and trying to figure out where to head next. One of the pirates stopped and looked with us and suggested that we go “pub crawling” with his group. We declined, but are all afraid that we missed out on a fun opportunity.

Instead, we crossed over the bridge and followed along the banks of the Thames river, stopping for ice cream and shopping (what could be better). We came back across the Thames via London Bridge and Michael and I headed back to the train station and to Oxford while Roy and Diane continued their sightseeing with a trip to Harrods Department Store.

Dinner consisted of Ke-babs that we bought from a street vendor....much thanks to Jimmy for alerting us to these delightful meals!!!