London Adventures: Day 2!

We were all super tired, but we got up and headed out for a 3 hour tour of the city's highlights. As we drove around and left the bus periodically to take pictures, I was amazed by the architecture. I was prepared for Barcelona to have pretty buildings, but many of the structures in London are ornate and detailed, all exactly how I imagined the city to be in stories like Oliver Twist and A Little Princess. I think I just hadn't imagined the streets and places to still look like that in modern day. Statues and carvings were so detailed and ornate; archaic but the whole city made sense. People are rushed and streets were crowded, but everyone was very nice; friendlier than New England.
        The trip to London was a nice transition period into Europe since it's an English speaking country. It was interesting to hear the dozens of different versions of a British accent. My own voice, if loud in the States, seemed clumsy and overpowering around all the light, pretty accents I heard around me.
        I also found out that London is not one city, but a collection of cities, such as Westminster. And that when you enter London, there is always a statue of a dragon facing you. When you leave, a statue of a dragon will have it's back to you. The entire place was so rich in history. Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, St. Paul's Cathedral, St. James Park, Buckingham Palace, the statue of Prince Albert...all amazing landmarks I was fascinated by.
      One of my favorite moments of the whole trip was standing across from Westminster Abbey. Our tour guide said the very spot we were standing on was where the press filmed Kate and William leaving the church after their wedding. I took this picture and was so thrilled to think that great reporters and so many news stations from across the world covered that story, balancing cameras on their shoulders and preparing their questions right on the sidewalk I was standing on. World news would be so exciting to get in to.

     After the tour, we all split off. I made some friends and we went to lunch at a French place called Pret A Manger, which was actually really cheap and delicious...Chicken Caesar bacon sandwich mmmm. Then we went to the National Gallery, with amazing paintings, and to the British Museum, where I saw the Rosetta Stone. The best part: all the museums were free!
       Later, we rented bikes (yes, I did it! No helmets were provided and I didn't even crash!) and rode them through Kensington Park to the palace, where Kate and William will live. It was the perfect time of night and riding through the park was so relaxing. I felt very British (ha!).

That's the palace behind me and a statue of Young Queen Victoria to my left...although unfortunately her head was cut off in the picture! 

Basically, London is now on my list of places to go back to. I still want to see the Tower of London for the Queen's jewels and I want to spend more time exploring the city.