London, The Tower of London

When I visted the Tower of London last year I found it extremlt intersting. So much history packed into a relatively small place.

We might not have gone up to London had it not been for the Olympics, but the thought of watch the Marathon (after not getting ticket to anything else) was too enticing so we booked a hotel (ouch) and made the travel up.

The one thing the kids where desperate to see whilst we were there was the Tower of London. Jake, my eldest, was learning about the Normans at school before the holidays so everything has been castles, princess and the like all summer (and my wife always likes to look at diamonds!).

Strangely there were practically no queues (perhaps because the Olympics were getting the attention) and given the global attraction it clear is I thought the prices were actually reasonable (I've seen far worse in London!).

As an attraction, it more than lived up to expectation. The place comes alive with a cast of actors who made the experience so vivid my little ones have spoke of it practically every day since and the sparklies enchanted the wife (in fact she's spoke of them every day since too!).

Given there is so much for free in London it did seem a little odd paying £50 to get in somewhere but for the whole family it didn't seem excessive. Almost no queues to get in or even to see the jewels (hint: go early the queues later were very long!) The scale of the place and the quality of the exhibits were good value for money and my boys (6yrs and 8yrs) had a great time. Lunch was good value although coffee and cake was almost as much! The actors talking about the beasts added to the authenticity. To top it off the iPod Touch app let them save some prisoners when they got home! All round fun family day out (with a bit of education as an added bonus!)

Arriving by waterbus from Big Ben at the Houses of Parliament, you pass by many historic buildings that can be seen from the river namely St Paul's Cathedral, The London Eye (huge ferris-wheel) and pass under and back through Tower Bridge, surely the towers of the bridge gave the ideas for Disneyland. The Tower of London was not designed as a tourist centre but as a fortification, prison and palace. Don't expect to have hotdog stands around each corner. Each building had a specific purpose such as the Royal Rooms, Prison, Kitchens, Armoury etc and there are clear guide notices everywhere. You can of course join a group taken around by a guide. Each King or Queen seems to have had made a lifesize statue made of themselves sitting on their favourite horse and lined up together, spanning 800 years, this display cannot be rivalled. Nor can the rooms housing The Crown Jewels. These are not replicas but the actual Crowns of the Kings of England. You will notice the heavy security and armed Royal Guards. Simply unique, you'll love it!

Don't try to eat or drink anywhere near The Tower, it's all mass fast food of the worst kind and expensive too.