Friday, June 7, 2013

Mind the Gap

LONDON
We got to know their "tube" system very well while we were in London. I never tired of hearing "Mind the Gap". I love too that they just warn you that the doors are closing. There are no safety measures in place, like slowly closing doors, or a motion sensor that will keep it from closing if something/someone is sticking out. They gave you their warning, and the rest is up to you. If you get a finger/arm caught in the door, it will be a painful lesson, but one you'll only have to learn one. 

DAY 1
We stayed in a cute little B&B wayyyy outside the downtown area. It was probably one of the nicer places we stayed. And it had a teal door. You know I loved that!
 
After checking in, we hit the ground running and saw all the big sites our first day. Our first experience in London was the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. There were SO many people!!!! And it was SO long!! Seriously, like an hour or more! We weren't expecting that. It was cool to experience - but only once. ever. 
 After that we headed through a park to the bank to visit Parliament, Big Ben, etc.That building is amazing! It's like a castle/cathedral in one. We love that is still being used and not just a museum. We actually went inside and listened to a debate in the House of Commons. 
Then we went to evensong at Westminster Abbey. It was amazing! It made the experience so much more meaningful than just walking around looking at another cathedral. And the boy's voices are so beautiful!! Definitely an experience I'd recommend. (Sorry no pictures inside were allowed). 
 
Then we took a turn in the London Eye. 

DAY 2
We started this glorious day at King's Cross station visiting Platform 9 3/4! So fun! I was so giddy, it was like Christmas morning!!! They also had a Harry Potter shop there with the most amazing things! They had wands, the entire first book on a poster! a Marauders Map, the hourglass necklace, etc. etc.

Here I am off for another semester! (I don't think I would be in Gryffindor, but I chose that scarf because it is the most recognizable.) 

After that magical experience we headed over to the British Library that had an amazing document exhibit with the Beowulf manuscript, a Gutenberg Bible, the Magna Carta, books of original compositions from musicians, maps, etc.  
 
Then we went to the British Museum. WOW. That's all I can say. They had sweet exhibits. And I liked the building too. 
 After that our feet needed a break, so we rode bikes through Hyde Park. Europe does parks right. Then it was off to dinner and our fist London show: Les Miserables!! It was amazing! 

DAY 3
We headed to Abbey Road for a little stroll across the infamous cross walk. It is actually a main and still busy street. I feel bad for the locals in that area. It's probably so annoying for them to stop for tourists to stop in the middle to take their pictures. But oh well! 
 
Next up we saw the Churchill War Rooms, which was a lot more interesting than I was expecting it to be. It was cool to see where everything actually happened, and see what it would have looked like then. Also it's crazy to imagine living there for so long! 
 Next we rode a ferry down the Thames to a British Music exhibit. It was a really cool idea, but fell a little flat on the execution. Oh well. Still a fun experience. Then we rushed over to dinner and were on to our next show at Shakespeare's Globe where we saw The Tempest. The Globe was amazing! And it was fun to visualize what it would have been like back in his day. 

DAY 4
We hit up the National Gallery and saw some more famous and beautiful paintings throughout the centuries (including several that i recognized thanks to a matching game my mom got us when we were little). Then it was off to the bustling Borough Market for some delicious lunch and snacks. 
We also went to the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. Tower of London is a misleading name. It should be called Tower Village. That place was HUGE!!! We got to see some really cool things, we saw an old armor reservoir and the changing designs of weapons and armor. We also got to see the crown jewels! That was crazy. Then we walked across the bridge itself. 



We ended the night with another show: Wicked!
DAY 5
Our last day in England we did a day trip to Oxford and Stonehenge. Oxford was a lot different than we thought it would be... there isn't so much of a designated campus, as buildings sprinkled throughout the small town. But eventually we found a few and even got to go in one or two. Also, they did some filming for Harry Potter here, and while we didn't see the exact building/spot, I swear I saw one courtyard/outer-hallway. 
Stonehenge was extremely windy and cold. But it was seriously amazing!! I don't know what it was about that place, but it just felt special and magical. I could have stayed there all day!! 

1 comment:

Catherine Holt said...

Ah...this was a lovely post. I am originally from the Uk, now living in Aust and I miss it heaps. After living in London for 5 years you get used to the tube...mind the gap...lol. So true what you say...no warnings at all! You managed to cram a lot into your visit there, looks like you had a great time :-)