London three times

I've been to London three times: 1991, 2019, and 2024.  Each time, I saw different things. My mom and I went in 1991, as part of our European vacation. We spend five days in the UK and the rest of the time in Europe, mostly Germany and Austria. We book a bus trip from Dover to London. Once in London, we got a hop-on, hop-off bus. One of the places we got off was the Tower of London.

The Tower of London is a historic castle and citadel on the north bank of the River Thames. It was founded in 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest. It has played a prominent role in British history. The castle has been used as a armory, treasury, menagerie, public record office, home of the royal mint, and home of the crowned jewels. It's been more than 30 years since Mom and I visited the Tower of London. Mostly I remember seeing the crown jewels, learning about the beheadings, and being introduced to the ravens. At the time, there was one named Ronald Raven.

Tower of London

The River Thames flows through London. It is the chief river in southern England. It is 205 miles long. It has 45 locks. There are many notable London landmarks along the river, including the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye. The Tower Bridge is the most famous bridge that crosses it. I've never been up in the London Eye, the giant Ferris wheel alongside the river.

Cruise along the Thames

Love locks along the river

According to Wikipedia, there are over 40 statues and monuments scattered throughout London.

A statue to "Monty," WWII hero

A statue to the Women of WWII

George Washington

There is many things London is known for, including double-decker buses, especially red ones. Mom and I took a double-decker bus tour in 1991 (hop-on, hop-off). London is known for its iconic red phone boxes. Who doesn't want to take a selfie in one of them? They are considered historical now. In all, 2390 phone boxes have been listed by Historic England. They can be found throughout England.

In between my two recent visits to London, Covid happened. In London, there is a National Covid Memorial Wall that commemorates the victims of the Covid-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. It was started by volunteers in March 2021 and extends for one-third of a mile along the South Bank of the River Thames, opposite the Palace of Westminster. I think it jinxed me. I got Covid when I left England and got to Scotland.

National Covid Memorial Wall