The Tower of London

On March 26, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn England13 Comments

The more formal name of Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London is probably a better representation of what you will see if you visit the Tower of London. It is actually a castle complex with several buildings and not just a tower as you might expect when you first hear the name. It is certainly one of the busiest tourist locations in London and has quite a fascinating history. Enjoying a tour by an expert guide dressed in colorful clothing will provide you an understanding of the almost one thousand year history of the Tower of London.

Construction of the Tower began in 1078 and the castle was enhanced and modified over the following centuries. The complex served as a castle, fortress, prison, and palace, but today it is a museum that is visited by hundreds of tourists on a daily basis. In 1240, King Henry III made the Tower of London his home and whitewashed the Great Tower, which is now called the White Tower. He also added a church, great hall, and several other buildings. It truly was a castle that was fit for a king.

Although it was considered a prison, it was really more of a place where prisoners were held before being executed. There is even an executioners axe and block on display from the time when crowds would gather to watch people being beheaded. One of the most famous executions, of which there were many, was of Queen Anne Boleyn in 1536. As it was also a fortress, one of the sights you will see when touring the complex is the armory. Seeing all of the weapons will give you a sense of the history of the instruments of warfare as well as the knights with their suits of armor.

It is hard to believe that it has been over a decade since we visited London, but certainly the Tower of London was a highlight of our time there. Not surprisingly, it was rainy while we were there, but we did have a great view of the Tower Bridge as well. With its interesting architecture as well as its complex and interesting history, the Tower of London should be on the itinerary of anyone planning a visit to London.

Looking Back on Some of Our Favorite Trips

On September 20, 2019 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Egypt, England, France, India, New York, South America, Spain11 Comments

We have said many times that every trip is special in its own way and we certainly can’t pick a favorite. Some are great for adventure, some for history, or culture, or because of the people that we met. As we enter our 5th year of hosting this site, we thought that we would take a quick moment to reflect on some of our trips that have been memorable for many different reasons. Having visited so many wonderful countries and cities, there were many to chose from, but these stood out to us.

Views of Central Park from the Top of the Rock

New York City – As much as we love traveling to foreign locations, visiting New York City was definitely a wonderful trip. Walking through Central Park, going to the Top of the Rock and the observation deck at the Empire State Building, the emotional experience at the 9/11 Memorial, and seeing a Broadway play were just some of the things that made it memorable.
Kapaleeshwarar Temple entrance in Chennai, India
Chennai, India – The first trip that took us completely out of our comfort zone, which has had a lasting impact on the way that we travel. Visiting the temples, learning about the culture, and tasting the amazing food were just part of the experience. The highlight of the trip was having dinner at the house of a local family and is a memory that we will always cherish.
Gorgeous View of Ronda, Spain
Southern Spain – We saw so many interesting places while spending a couple of weeks in Southern Spain including Seville, Granada, Ronda, Gibraltar, and even a day trip to Morocco. We went to a wine tasting, toured the largest bullfighting ring, and seeing the Alhambra Palace and Fortress were some of the many highlights of our time there.
View of the Quilotoa Caldera and Lagoon in Ecuador
Ecuador – With such a diverse ecology, it was almost as like combining three trips into a single visit. We stayed at an ecolodge in the Amazon where we paddled boats through the jungle, climbed to the top of the rainforest canopy, and saw wildlife everywhere we went. While we were in Quito we took time to visit two very different volcanos, hiked in the Andes Mountains, and stood on the equator.
At the Louvre in Paris
Our First Trip to Europe – It took us longer than some people to get to Europe, but have obviously been there many times and even lived there since our first trip. We were definitely tourists and not travelers during that trip to Paris, London, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Manchester, but that didn’t make it any less enjoyable. Walking the streets of Paris, staying in a flat in London, and seeing an EPL (English Premier League) soccer/football match made the trip truly special.
Empty Tomb in the Valley of the Kings
Egypt – Taking a cruise down the Nile River, seeing the Great Pyramids, climbing into tombs in the Valley of the Kings, and walking through temples that are thousands of years old is something that we’ll never forget. Obviously the history and amazing scenery were completely amazing, but the people that we met also made the experience one of our favorites.

Clearly these trips are just the tip of the iceberg and we have many other memorable experiences. We are also looking forward to creating many new experiences in the coming months as well. With busy lives and seemingly always planning an upcoming trip, it is good sometimes to sit back and reflect on how fortunate we’ve been to see some of the things that we have.

Stratford-upon-Avon in England

On July 29, 2019 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn England8 Comments

With the birthplace and gravesite of Shakespeare, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, and historic Tudor buildings, Stratford-upon-Avon is a wonderful town in England to visit. It gets its name because it is located on the River Avon and is sometimes simply referred to as Stratford. Located in the county of Warwickshire, there is also the Warwick Castle nearby, which is definitely worth visiting as well. Although it is definitely a tourist destination, we went during the off-season and enjoyed sharing the streets with more locals than tourists.

Shakespeare’s Birthplace in Stratford-Upon-Avon

Obviously, seeing the birthplace of Shakespeare is a highlight of any visit to Stratford-upon-Avon. The house where Shakespeare was born in 1564 is located on Henley Street, which is part of the historic section of the town. The timbered house has been restored and looks very much today as it might have in the 16th century when Shakespeare was a child. There is also the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and Swan Theatre where performances still occur throughout the year, but especially over the summer months featuring many famous actors. With over two million visitors per year, Stratford-upon-Avon can be quite busy.

We were in Stratford-upon-Avon during the holiday season, so there was a Christmas market and the town was decorated for the holidays. We also were there to watch the mayor kick off the holiday season as people gathered around the town hall. There were also many stores that featured holiday gifts as well as other typical shops selling items for tourists. Perhaps even better were the various pubs that were offering mulled wine to keep us warm on a cold autumn evening.

We spent a couple of days in Stratford-upon-Avon visiting the historic town and seeing the impressive Warwick Castle before catching a train to continue on to Manchester. Seeing the English countryside and the historic buildings was certainly one of our favorite parts of our trip to England several years ago.