poppy day and the Tower---------

Walked down Farringdon Street past St Pauls , through the city with all its new restorations and new builds and onto the embankment. From here we walked along the tow path towards the Tower of London.

The shard was popping  in out of the clouds with dam great jumbo planes circling around it in their constant holding platform before heading into Heathrow. 

 The Shard an 87-storey skyscraper 309 metres (1,014 ft) high,and the tallest building in Europe. And now operated as the deluxe five star Shangri la hotel.
According to the speal: After a morning’s stroll through London’s bustling Borough Market, you enjoy a short walk back to the comfort and elegance of Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London. The 34th to 52nd floors of Renzo Piano’s iconic building house the hotel, which is Shangri-La’s first property in the UK.
But it does look gorgeous and well worth a visit.

The Globe theatre sitting on the far south bank

Peace and tranquillity first thing in the morning before the city wakes up. Believe the ship behind is HMS Belfast.

The sea of poppies are just amazing. So pleased we managed to get there before all were removed

Started the morning with a big bag of freshly cooked jumbo chips with mayo. Not bad for breakfast. This was washed down with an Americano and chocolate twist pastry from another vender along the embankment.

Its now 10am and the place is heaving with visitors to the poppy memorial. 888,246 ceramic poppies created by artist Paul Cummins, with setting by stage designer Tom Piper. The vision is breathtaking, especially the canopy of poppies that seem to float in mid air over the entrance to the tower.

Yes , another selfy - we will get the hang of it soon

These animals have been sculptured out of chicken mesh, they are so realistic from a distance.

Evening approaches and the poppies take on a different persona. More and more people keep arriving to view the spectacular memorial to the fallen

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam

St Katherine s dock next to Tower bridge, full of expensive yachts, bars , restaurants and shops.