the gates of Buckingham PalaceAfter Buckingham Palace, we went to Westminster Abbey with a stop on the way at Big Ben. We got off the tube and, according to my map, Big Ben should be right there at the tube station. However, try as I might, I could not for the life of me find Big Ben. I was really ticked off because I couldn't even see it on the horizon. I mean, it's massive, so I couldn't believe that I couldn't see it anywhere. Well, right in the middle of the small fit that I was working myself into, I looked up and there it was it all it's magnificent bigness. Amazing! And, given my close proximity, I was able to get some pretty cool pictures.
stormy sky, but no rain :)Our next stop was Westminster Abbey, which may possibly be my favorite place that I've been since we got here. I've struggled some with the overwhelming nature of a lot of the museums here. As much as I love them, I find them frustrating because I am forced to almost rush through them, picking and choosing what to look at, simply because there is no way that I can spend enough time in each of them to truly see everything properly. It would literally take me months. However, at the the abbey I was able to take my time and experience the moment. It was quite and still, which is a huge departure from the hustle and bustle of the rest of London. For the only the second time since I've been here, I felt at peace. It was lovely. I'm going to try to go back and attend an Evensong service if I get the chance.
Westminster AbbeyAfter the abbey, it was back to Tower Hill for the Jack the Ripper walk. So much fun! It was incredible to learn about such a legend while standing on the streets where the stories actually took place. That's one of the things that I love about London, the sheer amount of history contained within the city. Makes me jealous, considering how young the States are by comparison.
Today we slept in a little and had a pretty lazy morning, grabbing coffee and a muffin at a food stand. Then my mom and I split off for most of the day. I went book-shopping and museuming, making stops at the London Review of Books shop, the British Museum, and the Dickens House Museum.
The Dickens House Museum (pictured below) is actually in a flat in Bloomsbury where Charles Dickens lived and wrote for a portion of his adult life. The museum was small and a bit disorganized, but it had several interesting pieces, including some first editions of his works, his old furniture, and original manuscripts.
This evening, we went to Hyde Park, simply because I refuse to go to London and not go to some of the big famous parks. We went to Speaker's Corner, hoping to hear some great political speech or perhaps a Shakespearean soliloquy. Instead what we found were lots of people playing cricket...and some game where you throw sticks at the other team (seemed like a good anger management technique to me). What really struck me was the clothing that everyone was wearing. The last time that I played sports in a park, I wore a pair of running shorts and a tank top. These girls were in dresses and skirts and cute little blouses and leggings. I couldn't believe it! Honestly, who dresses up to play organized sports? And at the same time, I love being in a country where everyone looks cute all the time. Such fun! The grounds were lovely and we mostly just walked around the park.
The Marble Arch at Hyde Park...I'm not sure what the significance of the arch is, but it lent it's name to the tube stop at which we got off to go to the park, so I thought that it deserved a photo
Today we slept in a little and had a pretty lazy morning, grabbing coffee and a muffin at a food stand. Then my mom and I split off for most of the day. I went book-shopping and museuming, making stops at the London Review of Books shop, the British Museum, and the Dickens House Museum.
The Dickens House Museum (pictured below) is actually in a flat in Bloomsbury where Charles Dickens lived and wrote for a portion of his adult life. The museum was small and a bit disorganized, but it had several interesting pieces, including some first editions of his works, his old furniture, and original manuscripts.
This evening, we went to Hyde Park, simply because I refuse to go to London and not go to some of the big famous parks. We went to Speaker's Corner, hoping to hear some great political speech or perhaps a Shakespearean soliloquy. Instead what we found were lots of people playing cricket...and some game where you throw sticks at the other team (seemed like a good anger management technique to me). What really struck me was the clothing that everyone was wearing. The last time that I played sports in a park, I wore a pair of running shorts and a tank top. These girls were in dresses and skirts and cute little blouses and leggings. I couldn't believe it! Honestly, who dresses up to play organized sports? And at the same time, I love being in a country where everyone looks cute all the time. Such fun! The grounds were lovely and we mostly just walked around the park.
The Marble Arch at Hyde Park...I'm not sure what the significance of the arch is, but it lent it's name to the tube stop at which we got off to go to the park, so I thought that it deserved a photoTomorrow, it's church and marketing! Should be fun!
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