Attend a Royal Wedding at St. Margaret’s Cathedral
Excerpt from the book On a Tall Budget and Short Attention Span from the Teresa the Traveler Series. After that I walked across the street to check out Westminster Abbey, the place where the funeral of Princess Diana was held, where Prince William and Kate and many other royals got married, where many King, Queens and nobles are buried, where king and queens are crowned and where scenes from one of my favourite books, Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code took place. Unfortunately Westminster Abbey does not invite DaVinci Code Tours and even refused to let the movie be filmed there. The abbey once gave the following press statement "Although a real page turner, The Da Vinci Code is theologically unsound and we cannot commend or endorse the contentious and wayward religious and historic suggestions made in the book, nor its views of Christianity and the New Testament." So Dan Brown fans are left to there own devices to find the two sites which include:
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1. Newton’s Tomb - When Langdon and Sophie finally crack the code they realise that the knight they seek is, in fact, Sir Isaac Newton. They speed to Westminster Abbey where they know they will find his grave. They quickly locate the tomb of the great scientist on the north side of the nave.
The tomb is exactly as described in the novel; Newton is reclining regally in classical robes atop a huge black marble sarcophagus, leaning on a pile of his works. There is a pyramid behind, on which there is a celestial globe depicting the signs of the zodiac. 2. The Chapter House – While examining the monument for clues – they discover a note from the Teacher. It instructs them to follow him into the Chapter House and out into the public garden where he has Teabing captive. The foolish duo takes the Teacher at his word, following the evil mastermind into a dead end. Here, in a tense showdown, the identity of their adversary is finally revealed. Remembrance Day had just passed on November 11th and a beautiful memorial to fallen soldiers was set up in front of the church. Names of the deceased were written on small wooden crosses decorated with red plastic poppies. A path cut through the display so people could walk through and pay their respects. I thought it was a beautiful way to honour our fallen heroes. Having worked in Bosnia and Afghanistan with the Canadian and American Militaries, Remembrance Day always hits a chord with me because I think of my friends who are soldiers and how sad I would be to lose them. Most London historical attractions have a no-photography policy and Westminster Abbey was no exception so I grudgingly threw my camera in my backpack, paid the pricy entry fee and explored the old cathedral. For tips on visiting England CLICK HERE
For tips on visiting Europe CLICK HERE For general travel tips on what to pack and how to plan ahead CLICK HERE For tips on travelling on a budget CLICK HERE |
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Where I Stayed...
Easton Hotel 36-40 Belgrave Road London, England Tel: 020 7834 5938 Fax: 020 7976 6560 hoteleaston@aol.com To book this hotel CLICK HERE 
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How to Get There - Fly to London then take the London Underground to Westminister Station and walk to St. St. Margaret’s Cathedral
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