In Which Karen's Sight-Seeing Train Runs Out of Steam

We started Saturday by waking up early-ish to get breakfast and catch the Tube back to Tower Hill. We got to the Tower of London at 9:30 am and went straight to the Crown Jewels. 

After getting our fill of outrageously large diamonds, more exhibits about the Queen's 60th anniversary Jubilee (of her coronation) and a viewing of a small bathtub-sized punch bowl we moved on to the Beefeater tour. 

We then toured the armor in the White Tower (the oldest part of the tower). 

After NOT purchasing the world's greatest souvenir (a rapier-style marshmallow roasting stick) for $30, 

we left the tower and took a boat ride in the Thames to Westminster Pier. 

We picked up some lunch at Pret a Manger and we ate it standing in line for Westminster Abbey. 

We toured the Abbey and then sat on the steps to finish the remains of our lunch. 

We walked down Whitehall St., past the Prime Minister's house. There was some cycling event going on and quite a few streets were closed to traffic (why we walked instead of taking the bus). 

After passing a protest by some Middle Eastern group, we went to the National Gallery to see highlights of the collection. 

At this point, my sight-seeing train -- which had been functioning in overdrive-- ran out of steam. Both of us were tired, thirsty, and completely exhausted. So we took a break for afternoon tea. We went to Brown's Hotel (Winston Churchill's favorite). We took our sweet time and just sat. And sat. And ate. 

Afterward we slowly wandered for a while, browsing at a British grocery store. Then we tubed (is that a verb?) our way home and crashed. Bed never looked so good!