Last week we took a trip to London to see the poppies in the moat at the Tower of London. The moat has been slowly filling with red poppies since the centenary of the outbreak of World War I back in August and will keep being filled until 11 November. The moat is now looking quite full and it is very sobering to think that every single poppy represents a life lost in the British forces during World War I.
With the heaving crowds around the Tower of London all trying to see the poppies, it felt a little too ‘touristy’ to be moving, but it still has quite a visual impact and certainly made me stop and think again about the devastation of war.
Jessica seemed quite fascinated by the poppies but the nearby ice-cream van was much more interesting for her!
After we saw the poppies, we took a walk across Tower Bridge just before it opened. Despite having lived and worked in London for several years, this was actually the first time I had seen Tower Bridge open. We got to see it open twice – once just as we’d crossed and then again an hour later when we were near City Hall (which was a much better place to view the bridge opening!)
We finished off the day with dinner at Wagamamas (yummy!) and a walk along the South Bank where we discovered some bus sculptures. Over the summer, we had been busy hunting book benches and now that the book benches have been auctioned, there are several trails to find the various bus sculptures instead. We managed to find three of them but won’t be trying to find them all as we’re planning to find all the Paddington Bear statues that will be appearing from next month instead. If we tick a few buses off the list though whilst doing it that will be a bonus!
My parents were at the tower last weekend & saw the poppies.i wanted to go but couldn’t. Hard to believe that every poppy represents a life 🙁 Sounds like a good day out x
It was a lovely day out but very sobering to reflect on the poppies – there are so many of them
Those poppies are quite a sight! I remember watching the same scenes on the news but it looks more colourful here on your blog. I would love to stroll down the south bank after dark, so much to take in and I love the buses, a little different to our country lanes! Thank you for sharing your London day on Country Kids
They were quite something – very colourful and quite a sobering reminder of how many lives were lost. Loved our night stroll – it’s been a long time since I’ve seen the river at night and the buses were great 🙂
Wow, those images of the poppies are incredible, and very sobering. Sounds like you had another lovely day out in London! I always like your London posts as they bring back good memories 🙂 We love wagamamas too! #CountryKids
Thank Sara – love living close enough to be able to have days out in London easily. So many things to go and see and glad we got to see the poppies – they were quite something x
I would love to get a chance to see the poppies – what a thought provoking display. Your post has got me thinking that I don’t think I’ve ever seen Tower Bridge open either, despite also passing over it regularly for a while – glad you’ve posted a pic. Looks like you had a fun family day out!
Would definitely recommend going to see the poppies – they are quite something to see. We did have a fun day out, thank you 🙂
It looks really amazing. Some of my friends helped set it up and it always reminds me of them as well as what they represent x
Wow that’s quite an amazing thing to be involved in. We saw some of the volunteers planting poppies. There are just so many of them – so many lives lost
I haven’t seen the poppies in person myself, but I can imagine it is a little sobering up close. I love the bus sculptures, they are pretty cool! x #countrykids
The poppies are very thought-provoking and sobering. We loved the bus sculptures – was lovely to stumble across them 🙂
What a sight. Must be amazing to see it for real. Very thought provoking. I remember your post about the benches. They are all so interesting to see and make a great trail. #CountryKids
The poppies were very thought-provoking – an amazing way of showing just how many lives were lost. The benches were great and it was lovely to stumble across the buses – love finding little things like that around London 🙂
It really does look breathtaking, though I imagine the crowds do take the shine off the experience a little bit. Your day in London sounds lovely x
Thank you – we did have a lovely day. The crowds do detract a little from it – but still was very sobering to realise that each poppy represented a life lost in war
We are going to see the Poppy’s tomorrow, a must for me. Taking the monkeys on the train and spending the day in London. I think we’ll now have to find those buses too as little monkey is obsessed with Buses! Glad you had a good day! #CountryKids
Hope you enjoy seeing the poppies and good luck with finding the buses. If you click on the link on the words ‘bus sculptures’ in my post it will take you to the website where you can download the maps to help you find them 🙂
I loved the look of the bench trail, and now you have buses, too! Those poppies just look spectacular, a sight to behold, I’d imagine x
The poppies are quite something to see. Loved the buses but thinking trying to find them all will be a struggle especially if we are trying to find the Paddington statues too x
Wow! Those poppies are just stunning….
It looks like you had a fantastic day out.
Thank you – was a fabulous day out and so glad we got to see the poppies 🙂
I’ve been seeing loads of photos of these poppies all over and they (like yours) are absolutely beautiful! We don’t have any planned trip to London any time soon, maybe we should! #countrykids.
The poppies are amazing – very sobering to see how many there are and realise that each one represents a life lost. Would definitely recommend trying to get to see them if you can
wow…. The poppies look so effective at making you stop and think…. Young children will always choose ice cream though 🙂
Good luck with the Paddington bear hunt.
#countrykids
Thank you – the poppies are definitely quite something to see – but yes, ice cream is definitely more popular with little ones! 🙂
The poppies do look amazing, although not seen them in person.
I love the trail ideas. The book benches weren’t in the right place for us to see any when we went up to London with N in August. Would love to see the Paddingtons, but I might have to see them on my own as I’ll be there for work, and won’t be taking N for a while.
I do wish the sculptures/trails would then tour round – there’s never anything like that near us in Oxford, or even in Birmingham.
It is a shame that there don’t seem to be many similar trails elsewhere – although there were Gromit sculptures in Bristol a couple of years ago. Looking forward to the Paddington sculptures appearing – not sure if we’ll manage all of them but would be nice to see some – hope you manage to find some too.
Sound like a lovely day out was had in London. Hunting for Paddington Bear should be lots of fun, I may hunt myself! #countrykids
It was a fantastic day – looking forward to the Paddington Bear statues appearing 🙂
That looks amazing, so red… what a fab day out!
Thank you – it was a great day out and the poppies were really quite an amazing and thought-provoking sight
Wow the poppies look stunning! We were London last week but I managed to totally miss this… X
They were quite something – would recommend going to see them if you are able x