As promised last week, we've been on another trip to my lovely London town which in part was to show you the installation of the poppies at the Tower of London. This trip was a real marathon which took us from the Tower of London all the way to Waterloo! Lots of shoe leather was worn down but, my oh my, so many wonderful delights to capture along the way and share with you! However, if I put them all into one post it would take forever to get through, so I am going to do this in sections over the next couple of weeks (also, by then my legs and feet will be back to normal!!). So, here we go again, grab a glass of Pimms and a bowl of fresh strawberries and cream, are you ready? Here we go to the first part of our trip - Tower Hill...
The Tower of London on its own looks formidable, a fortress to imprison traitors and Royalty (even the Kray twins!) as well as the protector of the Crown Jewels. A place to torture and behead. An imposing place indeed! One entrance would have been terrifying, arriving through Traitors Gate from the Thames. The lapping of the tide against the stone walls and the boat that was the carrier of the condemned on dark, foggy nights.
Can you see the steps through the wood? These would take you from the boat to your place of doom. Today though, it was a tour at the top of the stairs with one of the many Beefeaters.
However, the reason we were here was for the poppy display "Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red". The photos I took, and the images on the TV can't prepare you just how huge this display is. Thousands of people lined the 11th century moat of the Tower, mostly in silence just trying to take the spectacle in.
The poppies cascade out of one of the windows and then pool around the moat.
Each poppy represents one life that was lost in World War I.
Volunteers arrive each day to add to the installation which will continue through the next couple of months until Armistice Day in November. 888,246 ceramic poppies will be placed in the moat.
Going past the entrance to the Tower you can see a wave of poppies making its way over the bridge.
The queues were huge to get into the Tower! How times change!!
The welcome is a lot more friendlier too!
The installation of this amazing artwork is a thing of beauty, reflection and grateful thanks to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. The shadows of their time on earth forever remembered.
If you are planning a trip to London in the next couple of months, this really should be on your list to witness even if you only had ten minutes to spare. It is a piece of history that will not be repeated, unfortunately this is not the case with War.
Next week, I'll share with you our walk from the Tower to Tower Bridge and along the South Bank. A colourful and varied trip!
(I hate taking a panoramic shot and a lamp post decides to make an appearance!).
Have a wonderful, reflective, weekend and week.
Take care
Next week, I'll share with you our walk from the Tower to Tower Bridge and along the South Bank. A colourful and varied trip!
Have a wonderful, reflective, weekend and week.
Take care
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Absolutely stunning. They were preparing to start on this project when we were in London just over a couple of weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteReally want to go again to see this, utterly amazing.
Helenxx
Hi Chel, wow the poppies are amazing and so many of them! What gorgeous pictures you got of everything. Boy would I have loved to have been there with you sightseeing. I can't wait to see more of the photos and your next blog post. Have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteJulie
I am glad that you got to witness this as it is obviously a very moving sight. xx
ReplyDeleteWow, amazing! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWonderful series, The poppies are amazing. It is a lovely way to remember the veterans of the WWI.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos, enjoy your weekend!
This display is absolutley breathtaking. Such dedication from all the helpers and so very moving. Thank you so much for sharing. Have a blessed and beautiful weekend my friend.
ReplyDeleteHugs, Vicky
How well said: "The shadows of their time on earth."
ReplyDeletebeautiful!
ReplyDeleteWhat a moving tribute to a terrible time. Both the tower, and the poppies...
ReplyDeleteJen
Oh my Chel this is amazing! I can only imagine what a gorgeous sight it is. What a wonderful tribute!!
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
What a wonderful display of poppies and how touching that each poppy represents a life lost in World War One.
ReplyDeleteI especially love your capture of the poppies cascading out of the window.
Stunning. I saw it on TV - the sheer number of poppies really puts the number of fallen into perspective, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your lovely photos, that poppy display is amazing. A fantastic tribute to all those brave soldiers xx
ReplyDeleteI love the way the poppies seem to tumble from the window.
ReplyDeleteThank you Chel, for this post. I saw photos of it on TV but couldn't figure out how the poppies were there. It is a beautiful remembrance and I'm glad they are saving it until November 11th. We visited the Tower of London in 1992. Our kids thought it great of course, and I found it very interesting. I even have a very very distant relative that lived within the walls and was knighted by Charles II! Beautiful photos. Thank you for sharing. Hugs, Pam
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing you wonderful photos. It was great to see how they have cascaded the poppies down the tower. I've not been able to make it out on other photos. The yeoman are great chaps with a cheeky sense of humour, can't wait to see the next instalment. Hope the shoes are holding up.
ReplyDeleteAli xx
Thanks for sharing such poignant pictures. The Poppy display is truly stunning. Having grown up in London and done all the sight seeing stuff many times over I find I no longer have the desire to visit these places. However seeing your pictures brought back many memories, x
ReplyDeleteWonderful tribute to the soldiers of WWI. Beautiful display of poppies cascading out of the window and around the moat.
ReplyDeleteWow, that is so incredible. I am thankful to you for showing us this display.
ReplyDeleteI may be visiting England in the next few months, if I get to London, I will most certainly make sure I see this.
Thanks again.
That is stunning, Chel, especially given what it represents. It must be something to see in person.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness. This post took my breath away. Literally. The art installation is such a beautiful way to honor those who lost their lives and the visual display of the poppies create such strong emotion. Thank you for sharing friend...Nicole xoxo
ReplyDeleteHi Chel, thanks for your comments. I've no idea how to enable you to reply direct or how I could email you privately...such a dimwit at these things. It would be great to swap memories. I grew up in Eltham and moved to the North West in 1990 when my boys were small, x
ReplyDeleteI'm so pleased I came for a visit! This is a beautiful tribute and your photos are breathtaking! Those poppies are something else.
ReplyDeleteHave a beautiful day.
Joy! Debbie
The poppies are so stunning, Chel. It's such an amazing way to honour the men and woman lost all those years ago.
ReplyDeleteWow, those poppies are incredible! I have never seen anything quite like it - what beauty and such a unique way of honoring those men and women.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures, dear Chel :) Enjoy your week. Hugs to you!
That poppy display is so impressive and to think each poppy is a life lost. A bit overwhelming. We loved the Tower of London when we were there.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy I was able to see the poppies thanks to your post!
ReplyDeleteI saw them a couple of weeks ago and it is incredible how many more there are now. Living in London means I am able to visit the Tower frequently and will post photos every few weeks or so.The visual impact of this installation makes the huge loss of life more real somehow.
ReplyDeleteThe poppy display is one of the most incredible sights I've ever seen and your photos are fantastic!! They truly took my breath away! I would so love to be able to visit there, but your pics are the next best thing!! Thank you so much for sharing these!! Awesome!!
ReplyDeleteI'm speechless at that amazing display! It brings a visual to the enormity of the loss suffered. I'm following you now so I don't miss a bit of this fascinating tour.
ReplyDeleteOH my - what a stunning installation! Gorgeous shots.
ReplyDeleteLovely shots. I was there at the beginning of the month, and there's an appreciable difference in the number of poppies. The moat is much fuller now than it was then. It's a great installation for remembering the centenary. All the best, Bonny
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and impressive!
ReplyDeleteThe poppies are a wonderful and dreadful thing. So many lost possibilities.
ReplyDeleteCheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
Wow! that's quite a job.
ReplyDeleteSuch a pretty sight. Love the idea of the poppies starting out of a window.
That's an amazing and thought-provoking installation. Love the poppies cascading down and out into the moat. The idea of a moat as protection for the castle parallels the lives that were lost trying to protect Britain and freedom.
ReplyDeleteNo.2 son and I are going to Twickenham to watch Rugby in a couple of weeks, we have decided to make a good day of it and go and see the poppies, I think it will be an emotional sight.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you had a great time on your London day out
ReplyDeleteChel! I am just speechless! That display was something else. Truly. Were the poppies representing all of the allies' lives lost in WWI or all lives? It is hard to believe that many people died in one war. It was a lovely tribute.
ReplyDeleteThe last time I was at the Tower was over 25 years ago with my mother and husband. I loved seeing the ravens that were HUGE. And got pictures made with the beefeaters. Loved them. They are so quintessentially English.
Thank you for sharing this. I am just awed.
xoxox
Sheila