London Bridge is Falling Down...

Dear Grace,

Today I saw London Bridge for the first time. I didn't realize that it was right next to the Tower of London, but then, it was dark the last time I was here and I was on the other side of the Tower.

 (I'm getting really good at taking selfies!)

I never realized that the Tower of London was more than just a castle, and I had the chance to explore everything for half a day. One thing I've noticed more and more as I've been here in London is how much of a cultural melting pot the city is. The Tower of London is no exception. As we walked throughout the castle grounds and explored the different chambers, I noticed how different sections and rooms of the Tower had been altered or restored or added on to.

There are very few places where the castle is still the same as it originally was when it was first built, but in a way it's cool to see the different additions each monarch contributed to the Tower that make it such an architectural collage of each era.

(Outside the Tower)

(Inside the Tower)

Something really cool that we found out from talking to one of the guys working there is that apparently 50 or so people still live in the cute little flats all around the castle!

Another awesome thing we got to participate in was a "Torture in the Tower" show. Basically, these actors dressed as people from the 1600s took us into the holding cell of the Salt Tower (one of the turrets where they kept maximum security prisoners). All over the walls there was protective glass covering things scratched into the walls by the many prisoners who had awaited their fate there.

I can't imagine the terror those poor prisoners must have experienced in that cold, bare room; not knowing if they would live or die; constantly living in fear of being tortured. We were told that the room was never furnished or decorated and was kept bare. No wonder those prisoners spent their time carving things into the walls!

Then we were taken down to the base of the tower where another actor played the part of a real historical figure named John Felton. Felton was arrested after he assassinated the Duke of Buckingham. It was debated whether or not to use torture to interrogate Felton, but in the end the judges voted not to because torture was contrary to the laws of England.

One thing I've never been able to understand is how people can be capable of doing such unspeakable, monstrous, cruel things to another human being. I feel like you have to have a lot of evil inside of you to do things like that to another person.

Well, I like to end things on a positive note, so one thing I want to write about is how I feel I've been blessed with a gift for feeling so calm in new and scary places. I keep waiting for some shock factor to hit me at some point, but I think now I'm starting to accept that maybe I adjust easier and more quickly to these things than I realized.

The other thing I've been extremely grateful for here in London is the amazing and unique group of people we have in our little family. Some of these girls are the last people I would have picked to be my friends, but as I've gotten to know them better it's been such a pleasure to make so many new friends and have such a great time with so many people. I really do feel like God is watching over us.