I really enjoyed visiting the Tower of London and seeing the exhibits. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but if I had to pick one, I think the crown jewels would be my favorite because I love glittery shiny things. There were spotlights on all the pieces to show off the sparkle of the gems. It was the most dazzling glamorous sparkle that I have ever seen. Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to take pictures. I also liked learning why each piece was important and who it belonged to/who it was made for. My favorite part of this exhibit was the crowns and scepters on display at the end. Guests stand on a moving walkway and get to see all the glittering diamonds as they pass by each item. I ended up buying a hairpin with a jeweled crown on it. I also liked seeing the Sword of Mercy, which is part of the crown jewels. This sword is currently only used in coronation ceremonies of British Kings and Queens and has a blunt, squared end. I was particularly drawn to this sword because it represents mercy. As for British history, a rule to live by was, do NOT go against the monarchy. Kings and Queens would not hesitate to imprison, torture, or kill someone for the smallest of crimes, or even just suspicion of a crime. A bad joke could land you in jail. Furthermore, the Brits had a weird relationship with religion. There was only one correct religion and if you had different beliefs you’d be put in jail. For example, Father John Gerard, a priest of the Society of Jesus who was imprisoned for his religious beliefs, was kept in the Salt Tower. He escaped by using orange juice to create invisible ink and write secret messages on regular letters. After escaping, he continued to preach for many years and lived to be 72 years old. Many people have been imprisoned in the Tower of London and I saw the exhibit that showed graffiti that these prisoners etched in the walls throughout the years. Interestingly the tower hasn’t been out of use for very long. It was last used in 1952.
(Sorry for the absolute state of the photo. It didn’t transfer well)
After spending some time at the Tower of London, I got the sense that the British love traditions. For example, there has been no change in how the coronation ceremony is conducted for many generations, including the style of clothing everyone participating wears. They might even care about the tradition more than the actual reasons for doing things. One of the regalia pieces used in the coronation ceremony is there purely for tradition. The original reason for its presence was lost a long time ago. Another example is the ravens they keep at the tower. The original purpose of the ravens was to be scavengers and keep the tower clean by consuming waste. However, during the reign of King Charles II, the legend about the ravens was started. The legend states that if the ravens leave the tower then the kingdom will fall. This worried the King so he declared that there will be at least six ravens at the tower at all times. Whether the legend is true or not, the ravens are still kept for the tradition.
Theatre in London U of A 