< ![CDATA[  We saved the best for last. The boys were fairly bouncing with anticipation as we emerged from the underground and the medieval rock fortress that is the Tower of London came into view. The sun was shining on the ramparts and if you closed your eyes you could almost hear the clop of horses feet and imagine the din of the tourists transforming into the calls of peasants leaving by the big wooden gate. The tower was everything we hoped for. British history is a particular passion for Meg, so to stand in the room where Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey were imprisoned and at the spot where they were each beheaded was profound for her. "Mrs. Miller, I love this! Now when I read my books I won't just imagine what it was like for them to be in this place I'll KNOW! I'll be able to see it in my mind because I've been here!!" Education at its best. The boys relished the room after room of armor for men and horses, for giants and dwarves, long sharp pikes, maces, antique guns with bayonets, whole racks and walls full of swords... boy heaven. For Hannah and I, the most impressive thing was the room full of the crown jewels. Of course photography was not allowed. Even if it had been, pictures couldn't do them justice. We've seen with our own eyes the Star of Africa, the biggest diamond in the world, set into a scepter, dazzling in every respect. Armies from the Commonwealth guard the jewels as well as the Queen's residence at the tower. This month there were Malay soldiers in bright green skirts over crisp white pants standing at attention in front of the important buildings. They were as spectacular as the treasures they guarded. We pushed off from Pitshanger Lane and our new friends the Knoesens in good time on Thursday morning. It was a long but pleasant 35 mile ride to the Royal Birkshires and Tony's friend Tim's house. Tim, a much faster rider than we could every hope to be with our big parade of children, met us on the A4 near Heathrow and gave us a guided tour home. We passed the stone pergola which marks the spot where the Magna Carta was signed. Lunch was ham and cheese pastries eaten on the banks of a lovely river under a willow tree with geese and swans swimming back and forth, hoping for a morsel of pastry from the children. The birds were not disappointed. We carried on past a site that none of us will ever forget: Windsor Castle, in all of its majestic glory. An impeccably preserved castle that the Queen still frequents. There are no words for the immensity of the building or the imposing glory it lends to the landscape. None of us could think of any building in America that even holds a candle to Windsor Castle. Tim's lovely wife, Julie, had a pot full of delicious chicken and potatoe stew waiting for us and his children were more than delighted to play with the kids. His oldest, Anthony, at 15 instructed our boys in beginning rugby and carried them about on his back when they'd tackle him. Just what the boys needed. We'll be here today, seeing the sights and renewing our friendship with Mr. Poole and his family. Resting a bit. Tomorrow we push off north toward Oxford with the hope of seeing the man who is making all of Voltaire's work available on-line. In closing, we'd like to thank Ian Campbell, aged 11, for his wonderful gift of part of our trip to the tower museum. We hope you enjoy the pictures and we'll be mailing you a few little things we collected while we were there.]]>