London, Day 2, Highgate

So today doesn't have a lot of different location photos, but I think I've made up for that with the volume of photos.  E and I headed out to Highgate Cemetery first thing in the morning to catch an early tour of the West half.  You can only go into the West part with a tour, but for £12 it's so worth it.  (you also get access to the East half on the same ticket.)  

Highgate Cemetery was opened in 1839 and both halves are still being used for burials today.  The West half had fallen into disrepair and you can see so many of the graves are being overtaken by nature.  It's lovely none the less.  But I'll let the photos speak for themselves.  These are all Highgate West.

Apparently this gallery originally had a roof which is now long gone.  Our tour guide said that while Victorians were still mad for all things Egypt, they didn't appreciate the Egyptian influence here and no one actually wanted to buy these crypts.

This tree which sits above the crypts a few photos back was there even before the cemetery.  By limiting the growth of the roots with the crypts they're proud to say they've inadvertently created a bonsai tree.  And I have to admit, it's quite striking. They did take us briefly into some of the other 'catacombs.'  I feel they use this term a little freely as they're just more mass crypts.  We weren't allowed to take photos in here but it was pretty cool to see some of the nail and design work on some of the coffins.

And here are a few from Highgate East.  It felt at times that it would just go on forever.  Graves upon graves.  In places you can see graves completely taken over by ivy.  Though in general, the East half is not as wild as the West.

All of those 'bumps' are actually headstones that have been overgrown.  

Now I have to head off to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, but tomorrow on the train, I'll fill in the rest of the day.  Unfortunately, there aren't many more photos of the day as we weren't allowed.  In the meantime, enjoy those above!