London Attractions Explained: Part 1 - Tower of London

TOWER OF LONDON - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_London
I begin my London series with perhaps the most out-of-the-way attraction - the Tower of London. Most of London's main attractions can be found closer to the Westminster District of the city. You could walk in a circle that measures roughly 7.5 km from the Parliament Buildings to the point where Charing Cross Road meets Tottenham Court Road, onto the Marble Arch on Edgware Road, then south to Buckingham Palace and finally back to the Parliament Buildings. Within this area, you can see most of the best sites London has to offer. So I suppose I am choosing to work from the outside, in.

Information:
- Founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England
- The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078
- The Tower is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat
- The castle was used as a prison since at least 1100
- The Tower has served variously as an armoury, a treasury, a menagerie, the home of the Royal Mint, a public records office, and the home of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom
- The Crown Jewels are held in the Waterloo Barracks
- The ghost of Anne Boleyn, beheaded in 1536 for treason against Henry VIII, allegedly haunts the chapel of St Peter ad Vincula, where she is buried, and has been said to be walking around the White Tower carrying her head under her arm

Directions:
As I said in the introduction, the Tower of London is not located near many of the other sites you will most likely spend your time seeing. However, just outside the castle walls is a site that would be at the top of many must-see lists for London.

As you can see, in the centre of the photograph is the Tower of London, located just off the Thames. At the top of the photograph is Tower Bridge which - if you are spending 3 days or less in London, will most likely serve as the most easterly site you will visit. Most sites you will rush to see will be west of this area or from the perspective of this picture, to the right.
Primary Route: (Tube)
For the sake of simplicity, we will use Leicester Square as our starting point when organizing directions. Leicester Square is a meeting point for two different tube lines - The Northern Line (black - runs north to south) and the Picadilly Line (runs northeast to southwest). You will want to jump on the Northern Line, heading southbound. You will remain on the train through Charing Cross Station and exit the train at 'Embankment'. At the Embankment station you will switch to either the Circle (green) or District Line. You will get off at the 5th stop which will be called Tower Hill. The Tower of London will be directly in front of you as you emerge from the underground station. Follow the crowds to the admission booths located on the western side of the tower. Voila!
Scenic Route: (Tube + Walk)
Again, we will use Leicester Square as our home base. Board a southbound train on the Northern Line and instead of getting off at 'Embankment' this time, exit at the Waterloo Station (immediately after Embankment) and transfer to the Jubilee Line. Board an eastbound train and get off at the 2nd stop called London Bridge (note: you are traveling a fair distance between Waterloo and London Bridge stations despite there only being 1 stop in between [Southwark]). Exit the train and leave the underground altogether to arrive at the famous London Bridge (not to be confused with Tower Bridge). You will exit onto Borough High Street where you will continue in the direction of the Thames. Once you reach the London Bridge, you can do one of two things: a) cross it or b) remain on the south bank of the Thames. You can get some great views in either direction if you choose to cross London Bridge, but personally, I would encourage you to remain on the South Bank and head in the direction of Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. You can get some great pictures of both sites from this perspective. Here are a couple of my own to prove my point.

Cost:  http://www.hrp.org.uk/toweroflondon/admissionsprices/toweroflondonadmission
This section will be less wordy than the direction section. If you use the above link you can visit the Tower of London website and purchase your tickets directly from them. Here is a basic rundown:

For visits 1 Mar '11 - 28 Feb '12 incl.	Individual rate*	Individual online rate+	Group rate (min. 15 visitors)
Adult	£19.80	£17.00	£16.20
Child (under 16) Under 5s are free of charge. Children must be accompanied by an adult.	£10.45	£9.00	£8.55
Concessions Full-time student, over 60 with ID	£17.05	£14.50	£13.95
Family Up to 2 adults and 6 children	£55.00	£47.00

Please note my original post on 2 for 1 admissions to many of London's attractions. Click on this link: http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/tower-of-london and you can get a 2 for 1 pass emailed to you and when paired with a national rail pass will save you £19.80 as an adult which at this exact moment represent $30.84 CDN. London is one of the most notoriously expensive cities in the world and if you can manage to save $30 here and there on admission, you can manage to afford additional time in the city. This admission price provides you with entrance to the castle as well as a guided tour by one of the resident Yeomans or Beefeaters. Not sure what either of those words mean? Basically, the tour guides live with their families within the fortress walls and it is their job to protect the fortress and maintain it. They have their own church and Doctor within the walls. Today there are 35 Yeomen Warders and one Chief Warder. All warders are retired from the Armed Forces of Commonwealth realms and must be former senior non-commissioned officers with at least 22 years of service. You may have heard term 'Beefeater' in your local liquor store.

While I was taking the tour, the Beefeater presenting the tour explained to us that there is no official connection between the guards of the fortress and the gin company. However! He did inform the group that each of the Beefeaters receive a complimentary bottle on their birthday. Cool fact! If you choose to skip the Beefeater tour (45 - 50 minutes) which I definitely do not recommend, you can purchase audio tours which would provide you with headphones and some sort of device that will tell you where to walk and what you are looking at. Unless you are a history buff extraordinaire, the Beefeater tour will be all you want! Word of advice. Don't go on Sunday. The lines might be slightly shorter, but you will not be granted access to the chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula onsite.

Secondary Sites:
Again, the Tower of London is out of the way from the rest of the main attractions, but I will list the other worthwhile sites that are in walking distance.
1. Tower Bridge - As explained above, this spectacular sight is just outside the southern walls of the fortress.

2. The Gherkin - is a skyscraper in London's financial district, the City of London, completed in December 2003 and opened at the end of May 2004. With 40 floors, the tower is 180 metres (591 ft) tall and stands on the former site of the Baltic Exchange building, which was severely damaged on 10 April 1992 by the explosion of a bomb placed by the Provisional IRA (Irish Republican Army). It is a business building, not a tourist attraction, therefore walking into the building may not be allowed. There is an observation deck at the top of the building which I'm sure will provide incredible views, but I am unable to find the price of this activity.

3. London Bridge - The bridge from the famous song "London Bridge is Falling Down". Often times you will hear people refer to Tower Bridge as London Bridge. London Bridge is actually quite unimpressive to look at, but the history of the bridge is what some people will find appealing.

Summary: (And Personal Opinions)
The Tower of London is something I missed out on the first time I was in London. Really, at the time it was the only thing I had regretted missing. When I returned, I realized there were many more things that I still wanted to see, but I was able to satisfy my curiosity and visit the Tower. My dad and I utilized the 2 for 1 admission despite the fact that my rail pass was a day old, it was still accepted. Unfortunately, we took our tour on a Sunday which prevented us from seeing the St. Peter ad Vincula chapel, but it really wasn't a big deal. We mainly wanted to walk through the White Tower and check out the Crown Jewels. The Beefeater tour explains the history of the Tower, but trust me when I say, they make it interesting for everyone. They tell of bloody stories of torture and murder with a hint of drama - just enough to be interesting and not enough to be corny. If you have 1 day in London, you would be better off seeing other sites simply because this one is time consuming and a little out of the way. If you have 2 days in London, again, you may want to reserve your limited time for other sites, but if you can, make time. If you have 3+ days in London, this is a must. It is a ton of fun and offers great background on the history of the city as a whole. Again, please let me know what you think of this overview of the Tower of London. Also, if you have requests for any sites in any city (I would prefer to stick to Europe), simply let me know and I will do my best.

London Attractions Explained

Well folks, this is my passion. I have been trying to determine how I can create a career out of researching attractions for people as they plan to travel. Whether or not it is a realistic ambition is TBD, but obviously it is my passion because I thoroughly enjoy doing it. SO, I will begin today a series based on the city of London. I will be providing addresses of the attraction which will include how to get there by foot from other attractions or how to get there using London's tube line. I'll also attempt to collect cost of admission as well as any additional costs. Finally, what secondary sights are nearby that can be enjoyed either before or after the preferred site is visited/seen. Please, please, please provide feedback in the comments section of each entry, or on facebook as I use this link as my status update. If you have been to London and can lend me advice/corrections/adjustments for any of the information I provide, I would be grateful. Enough of that and on we go! PLEASE SEE NEXT POST FOR PART I - TOWER OF LONDON

Blimey! Bloody Brilliant Britain! [UPDATED!!]

After reading through my cousin Brittany's Tea and Crumpets blog about her experiences in Leeds, England, I feel it essential for me to point out how envious I am of her. If anybody has yet to visit England, I suggest you make it happen soon. I personally have not spent a whole lot of time in England and in fact, I have never been anywhere outside of London. But for me that has been enough to convince me that it would be an awesome place to live temporarily or even permanently. I traveled to London in April of 2008 with Sarah and her family and it served as our springboard to the rest of Western Europe.
We spent three days at a Youth Hostel on Euston Road... about a 5 minute walk from King's Cross station and platform 9 1/3. We spent three days seeing most of the major sights that quintessential London for tourists has to offer. The fantastic thing about London is that free admission is offered to many museums and other attractions. Now, I'm not one for museums usually, but there are some essentials that you wouldn't want to miss. I would recommend that an hour is spent in the British Museum which is found on Great Russell St. The atrium of the building is worth seeing on its own but as you walk into the atrium, head to the left side and pass through the doors to see directly in front of you the Rosetta Stone... Not the software, the actual stone which has been used to translate between ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, demotic text and ancient Greek. This piece of granite is 2206 years old. It is also worth taking a look at the selection of Greek, Egyptian and Roman sculptures.
Another must in London, is the London Eye. The lineups may be long in the summer and it can also be a little bit pricey for some. The cost of admission is roughly £18 per person. HOWEVER... Most attractions in London can be had at half price!! WHAT!?! How?? Head on over to this site www.daysoutguide.co.uk and pick an attraction that you will visit and sign up for a 2 for 1 deal (There are also savings deals on some of the theater shows). You will need to provide a UK address, but simply pick any address at all in London and it will be satisfactory. Once you have signed up for the attraction you will receive an email with a printout ticket that has your name on it. Print it out and take it with you. Finally, you will need to pick up a rail pass at any of the rail stations in the city (I purchased a 3 pound day pass from Charing Cross Station which is located on The Strand [street running toward the Thames from Trafalgar Square]). This rail pass combined with your printed out ticket will be required when purchasing your admission ticket. Also, technically the rail pass can only be used on the day you purchase it, however, I bought my rail pass on Saturday to save money on the London Eye admission, but used it again at the Tower of London on Sunday without any problems.
Fortunately, we busted our behinds around for three days in order to get to all these sites. Reason being, the second time you visit the city you can really enjoy the greatest it has to offer. My favorite thing to do in London is simply walking through the squares and watching the people. The beauty of the streets and the architecture is spectacular. I would recommend you walk from Picadilly Circus to Oxford Circus and check out the buildings as they bend and wind around the corners with the streets. Below is a picture of Regent Street as viewed from Picadilly Circus at your back. Follow this street and you will be walking through London's best shopping district in about 10 minutes.

I've gotta run now, but I will be back to continue my advice on touring London. Until then, happy reading!

Foot in Mouth is Pure Alchemy

Ever say something that completely misses the mark? Perhaps you've said  a word similar to the word you meant to say, but had a completely different meaning? I have.

Picture it, youth group at Main Street Baptist Church. Halloween party and 15 years old. Forgot to wear a costume. Over walks a timid girl who shall remain nameless. Dressed in a cow suit. I looked down to see a lifelike utter. Unfortunately, at the time, I couldn't think of the word 'utter' as I was trying to concoct a worthy compliment for the stellar cow suit/outfit. So instead, I dropped the next best thing and said "Great costume! You have a beautiful uterus...". owwwwwww. Fail! At least I was in the right vicinity...

I have another book recommendation for all the readers out there. This is the only fictional book I have ever read, that has changed who I am as a person. This book offers a simple wisdom that is inspiring. This isn't a hidden gem that I found and am now sharing with the world. In fact, it has sold over 65 million copies worldwide and is considered to be one of the best selling books of all time. The reason, I bring it to your attention now is because I think that our (my) generation has missed out on it's lessons. The book is called "The Alchemist". It is a story about Santiago, an Andalucian shepherd boy inspired by a dream to go in search for treasure. During his adventures, in which he travels as far as the pyramids of Egypt, he meets a wide range of advisers in the forms of old men, intellectuals and farmers. All of whom, not only help Santiago in his quest but also in gaining an understanding of his identity and the meaning of his life.

Moving on.... For those of you who are curious, we have the River Elbe in Dresden, Germany as the background today.That is all. READ THE BOOK!!!

Use of "Shawsome" and Other Derivatives

I started to think that it might be a little self indulgent to persist with the term "Shawsome".

Not my goal - person reads my usage of "Shawsome" to express pleasure in a catchy song (hypothetical scenario). Person assumes that I consider myself to be awesome and thus, they derive that because I consider myself awesome and also the song to be awesome it can now be termed "Shawsome".

Goal - hmmmm. Now that I think about it... That is exactly what I'm going for.

I kid of course. The term was unsurprisingly coined by my bro and the following is the proper meaning

Definition:
Shawsome - I (Andrew [or any other Shaw for that matter]) am of the opinion that something/someone is awesome.
Usage:
"Of course Freddie Mercury was Shawsome!"

As fun as it is to use the word, I think it wise - for the sake of my ego - to tone the usage back for a while.

Background Photos & PCA

Starting now, I will let everyone know the location of my background photo. Alesund, Norway is my feature today. In case you missed it, the first two days were represented by the British Parliament buildings in London and the Seine River at dusk in Paris.

Side Note: I hate to admit this, but I'm actually watching the People's Choice Awards and I have two comments.
Comment 1 - Comedic actors must get all their material from the writers because they are NOT funny. I am generalizing thanks to Adam Sandler's acceptance speech.... uhh BRUTAL!
Comment 2 - Faith Hill looks SHAWSOME! and sounds SHAWFUL!!

My Favorite Recipe and a Book Worth Reading

Now some of you will find this mixture a little bizarre, but this is one of my all-time favorites which can be enjoyed at breakfast, lunch, or snack time. All you will need is a bowl full of frozen berries (blueberries or raspberries are my preferred), lightly sprinkle half a tablespoon of sugar over the berries and fill your bowl to the 3/4 mark with milk. For best results, chuck the bowl (minus the spoon) in the microwave for 18 seconds. This frozen treat will change your life. Bag of chips? No thanks, give me a bowl of this healthy and delicious any day. Shawckingly Shawsome! Please see half eaten sample below:

Don't be fooled by the fact that it has taken me an entire year to complete this book. For some reason, when it comes to reading I develop ADD or ADHD... whatever. The fact is that I have been fascinated by this book from front to back cover. Anybody who struggles to understand Muslim perspective on war and Middle Eastern conflict should read this book. Anybody who would like to to get a better grip on Jewish perspective should read this book. Anybody who is a Christian and would like to empathize with both ends of the spectrum should read this book. I give you..... Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue and Unthinkable Choices. Mosab Hassan Yousef is the son of an Hamas founding member and throughout the book explains how he went from Hamas activist, to spy for the Shin Bet, to a baptized Christian. The beauty of this book is the love, respect and understanding Mosab has for all three of the major religions.

Do yourself a favor and give both of these recommendations a try. Food for the body and food for thought. Eat up!

Ain't No Thang But a Chicken Wing

You know what is Shawsome? When a restaurant/pub has wing night.

The Great Gold Chain Debate

So I have a gold chain. I don't wear it. But it's there - sitting in my desk drawer. It looks kinda cool. It's subtle. I wouldn't wear it outside of my clothes... you know, hanging down on the outside of my crew cut sweater. I don't have a big gaudy jeweled cross dangling on it. Nope... just the chain. It isn't heavy or bulky. It is delicate. It doesn't hang down so far that it gets caught in the patch of chest hair between my pecs/moobs. Nor is it so short that it leaves an imprint around my neck. It is just the right size and weight and the sparkle to dullness ratio is spot on.

Here's the question... Should I leave it in my drawer?
Pros: Sarah won't laugh at me and call me a gangsta wannabe. I don't have to go through the 6 seconds of coldness when the chain is fastened (miniscule I know, but a factor nonetheless).
Cons: Being robbed of the manly feeling that takes over, when wearing a chain. Missing out on feeling like a Turkish playboy.

Perhaps I could cut it into a bracelet. Is that even more lame? I know regardless of my justifications for wearing a gold chain... it won't happen. I think I can accept that it just ain't cool.

Poll:
Andrew should slap that gold chain around his neck
Andrew should melt the chain into a golden ball

Highlights of the Day

1. Finally managed to start a blog. I haven't managed to find a direction for my posts at this point, but I have to say, it's been a lot of fun already. I have received positive feedback from my friends on facebook and I am currently struggling with the idea of maintaining interest. I know that I am the type of person who casually follows the people I am interested in... mainly celebrities and such. But how on earth do I convince people to keep reading and checking in on a regular basis? People, in general don't care what I am doing on a day to day basis. So I think the real challenge is finding things during everyday life that has caught my attention and I know will catch the attention of others. I suppose that is what makes an entertaining blogger - someone who can continue to draw readers day after day.

2. Went for a ride with my bro in his new Ford Ranger. Usually, this wouldn't be such a big thrill for me as we only managed to go to the Irving and back. The truck isn't the memorable part of this highlight, nor is the drive itself. The reason this makes the highlight of the day list is because it represents what my relationship with my bro has become in the past year. I would NEVER have said that my brother and I weren't close. In fact, we've always gotten along great! It just seems like over the course of the last year, he and I have been able to have a friendship in addition to a brotherhood. We are both passed the age that requires looking out for each other in terms of dangerous decisions and choices and can now focus on being buddies. I am confident that he has the brains to make good decisions on his own and therefore I don't have to monitor him as an older brother. Instead I can be confident that he is being the best person he knows how to be and as a result, we can just hang out. We've never really been the type to have deep conversations and let emotions out around one another. But one thing I know I will never forget occurred about a month ago when I decided to ask Pete to be the best man at my wedding. I had just gotten the question mark out of my mouth and Pete had already jumped out of his seat to give me a sincere and appreciative hug. He backed away with tears in his eyes and told me how much he was hoping I would ask. Really cool feeling. So in summary.... A drive in Pete's new truck allowed me to realize that I have a pretty cool brother and that IS spectacular.

3. I killed a mouse. Can't really elaborate here. Ummmm, glad he didn't come in my house...?

4. Began looking into accommodations in Maui. Sarah and I aren't set on Hawaii at this point, but it seems to be emerging as an early leader in the honeymoon sweepstakes. We really had our heart set on southeast Europe for a honeymoon destination when we were first engaged but since we had to delay the date of our wedding until October 13th, that option became less likely. Sarah and I both enjoy sightseeing and were hoping to mix a week of Italy's sights with a week of Crete's beaches. But by the time the middle of October rolls around, the temperature in Greece hovers between 18-22 degrees. Fantastic for sightseeing, but not so much for beachin'. Hawaii certainly offers plenty of relaxation, but is a little light on the history and architecture that Europe so proudly boasts. I can hardly remember being in Maui as a six year old, and again as a ten year old, but the thing I remember best is the smell of flowers and fruit. I have been trying to convince Sarah that Maui is a good choice for the smell alone, but I think I will need to come up with a more compelling argument than that.


I hope four posts on my first day as a blogger isn't overkill. I figure the first step in keeping people interested is by providing new material often. I hope you have enjoyed reading as much as I have enjoyed writing.

PS - If you are interested in WWII or Holocaust reading material, check out this book. True story, but written like a spy novel. SHAWSOME!!!

The Subway Monkey, The Ramada Jingle and Hall & Oates

I don't consider myself to be a marketing master by any stretch, but WHAT on EARTH were the geniuses at Subway thinking when they decided people would be more willing to eat a 6-12 inch tube of scrumptious by starring that idiot monkey in their commercials? Anybody who has already eaten a "Subway" (as labeled by my dad) is already hooked. The monkey is annoying, adds nothing to the product, successfully convinces people to change the channel whenever he screeches on your television. The monkey is not Shawsome. The opposite............ Shawful!

Next? The Ramada Jingle..... Anybody? *Do your thing, Do what your gonna do now*. This series of commercials consists of two successful businessmen playing mini golf getting a little over-excited about draining a putt. Next, while the narrator explains that Ramada will take care of your trip while you do the things you want to do, a woman is riding a mechanical bull in a bar.... Ok Ramada, who are you marketing your hotel to? Women that will go to a bar and ride a mechanical bull? That is a very specific demographic. A demographic that the local motel has pretty much locked up. Swing and a miss Ramada. Finally, in the third installment in the series of "Doing what you wanna do", a crowd of businessmen and women dance across the screen. The dance where each person holds the waist of the person in front and is being held on the waist of the person behind. Unless I'm mistaken Ramada, you would love to host a raucous crowd of party animals at your hotel. Interesting strategy, or........ a MASSIVE FAIL.

"Wow, Andrew, you are very negative tonight, please write about some Shawsome commercials to lift our spirits!"

To be honest, I was just about to publish my two bad reviews, but just before I hit the publish button, a Telus commercial came on. You know the one. Cute tropical birds, the occasional meerkat (What up Timon from Lion King) and hippos all dancing to 1 of 2 catchy Hall and Oates songs. Here's what Subway can learn from Telus: Get a real monkey OR play a boppin' 80's pop song to smash a little nostalgia at your audience. It's a good thing "Subways" are breathtaking...

2 Shawful and 1 Shawsome.

Wondering why I have used Shawsome and Shawful twice each in this post? Refer to my first post about being hilarious  :)

That should be enough for now. Time to lock it up!

Proof of My Desperate Obsession with Travel

Anybody else in the entire world consider this worth the $80 investment? I consider this to be one of my most prized possessions.

If anybody has "Shawsome" travel experiences, please feel free to share in the comments section. I would love to hear them.

The Start of Something Beautiful

Oy,

It really was only a matter of time before I decided to commit to this medium for unleashing rants and providing commentary on things that interest me. I have taken considerable time in deciding the theme of this hobby, and to be quite honest, I am such a scatterbrain that it may not be wise to limit myself to any one topic. However, travel, movies, and a couple of sports teams - namely, the Detroit Red Wings and the Boston Red Sox, are a few of my favorite topics of conversation.

Who am I? Well, if you poll all the people who like me best (no idea who they are, but my fiance Sarah would probably be a good place to start.... I hope), and ask them to provide you with their reason for Andrew appreciation, you will get a number of different answers, due to my many admirable qualities.

Quality:
1. Hilarious - To confirm this, please ask my friends Kevin Simpson or Dan Power.... Why? They laugh at everything that anyone says. So if you have extremely low standards of humor... I may make you laugh from time to time. Also, if you enjoy hearing jokes/impersonations thousands of times until they wear out their welcome, again, you will love me :)
2. Handsome - Ask Sarah. She will be honest and unbiased..............Don't ask anybody else.
3. Intelligent - uhhh, I haven't any accomplishments to suggest this quality is true. But just take my word for it.
4. ......Ok, so I only have three admirable qualities that may or may not be entirely legit.

All kidding aside, my name is Andrew Shaw and I live in Saint John, New Brunswick on the east coast of Canada. I love my family and friends, my Red Wings and Red Sox, Main Street Baptist Church, and travel shows (preferably in HD, and preferably in Europe).

I have no idea how I am to promote this blog and entice people to read, but in the end, I feel it is a selfish endeavor that will allow me to embrace my joy of writing while venting on the things I care about most.

I hope you all enjoy.

Andrew