Hokie Stone v. Roman Stone

This is a piece of the original Roman wall that protected the city around AD 50 when it was called Londonian and under Roman rule.  The stone was incredibly beautiful (and incredibly ancient), but I don't know if it holds a candle to Hokie stone!

So I watch the Bachelorette.  It’s a guilty pleasure I don’t like to admit, similar to licking the batter bowl or listening to ABBA.  Nonetheless, I'm a fan.  This season on the Bachelorette, Emily Maynard has traveled to London “in her quest to find true love,” and if you can recall from several weeks ago, she had her notoriously awkward two-on-one date in the Tower of London.  Today, we visited the same monument and rest assured that I had a much more exciting and comfortable experience.  Aside from being a gorgeous castle, the Tower of London has a rich and somewhat morbid history.  The Tower was built during William the Conquorer's rein and was used to protect the royal family during threatening times plus lock away high-status prisoners and preform execution during wars. There is a torture room and even a special entrance for those who won't be coming back out of the castle called Traitor's Gate.  Although we did not have time today, I am extremely interested in touring the Tower to learn the full story that rests in the walls and beneath the moat.

The more recognized monument in this area is of course the Tower Bridge.  There are many bridges that cross the River Thames all through London, and I think the Tower Bridge is one of the most beautiful.  It is particularly very special this summer because the official Olympic rings are hanging from the bridge to gear up for the games!

Fresh, organically grown food is hard to come by in my lifestyle back in the States so today when we had lunch at Borough Market, I felt spoiled.  Borough Market is an open air food market with incredible vendors and the most diverse range of food guaranteed to hit the spot.  I wandered and tasted everything that I could before committing to a pork roast sandwich with an applesauce spread that was signature to a meat shop.  It was so tasty, and I really liked the meat/fruit combo, which seems to be more of a trend here than in the States.  We will undoubtedly be back to Borough Market to find new favorite dishes and delectable desserts.  Until then, I will dream of lemon green tea and Turkish delights!