They were all so friendly that our time there was quite enjoyable.
After our work was finished, I spent a day on my own in London. I wanted to see some of the things that I had missed on previous visits.
I have seen Buckingham Palace twice now, but I wanted to see the changing of the guards. I knew I would not get a front row view...you have to arrive hours beforehand to get a spot. I am not patient enough to sit (or stand) in one place for THAT long. I got there and found an elevated spot that I hoped would work. The parade of soldiers came up to the palace and went through the front gates.
The band was great! And my view for part was good. But when they went through the gates, they could have been turning cartwheels for all I knew...
I was bored, plus the police kicked me and others out of our good watching spot. So, off I went. I had heard that there was some place where you could go up to a guard and take a picture with them. I wanted to see this for myself and see if they really do not talk or smile... I finally found him, after winding around some side streets. This guy looked all of 12 years old and was the tallest person I have ever seen. There was a crowd of tourists around him, each person taking turns getting their picture taken with him. Some were trying to talk to him, but he stood still, looking straight ahead. Of course I wanted my picture too....
Now, I am about 5'5", so how tall does that make this guy????
After that, I went to Churchill's war rooms. This was an underground bunker where he and his War Cabinet lived and worked throughout the expected air raids on London during WWII. From his underground Cabinet Room, he announced 'This is the room from which I will direct the war'. It was so interesting to see where major decisions were made, were strategies were formed and even the phone scrambler that he used to talk to the US President. Attached was a museum where you could browse through several interactive displays. You could listen to excerpts from his radio speeches, writings between him and important heads of states and even some of his sarcastic and humorous quotes. This place is seriously cool, but beware, you WILL learn something. Dad - yous should be proud - I did something where I LEARNED. No pictures were allowed. Boo.
I got to talking with a fellow tourist (imagine that) and she asked me what was my favorite thing so far in London. Certainly there are many interesting and historical places to see, but this next place blew everything else out of the water. St. Paul's Cathedral. The current Cathedral – the fourth to occupy this site – was designed by the court architect Sir Christopher Wren and built between 1675 and 1710 after its predecessor was destroyed in the Great Fire of London. Again - these pictures do not do it justice, but WOW.
The grandeur of this cathedral hits you as soon as you walk in. Your eyes are immediately drawn upwards. There are mosaics in the ceiling, depicting Jesus, Mary, angels and saints. They are intricate, with brilliant colors mixed in with gold. It seems to glow. The rounded arches are supported by intricately designed columns. There are services every day still, so tours revolve around that. I walked to the middle, underneath the dome. St Paul's is built in the shape of a cross, with the dome crowning the intersection of the arms. It is one of the largest Cathedral domes in the world, 111.3 metres high. It weighs approximately 65,000 tonnes and is supported by eight pillars. Between the arches of the inner dome are mosaics of prophets and saints, which were installed between 1864 and 1888. The murals in the dome were created between 1715 and 1719 and feature scenes from the life of St Paul. How did they get people up there THAT high...and who would be crazy enough to paint it??
People can climb up the top of the dome. There are 3 levels to which one could climb - a total of 530 steps. Of course I HAD to go up. I climb the first set to the Whispering gallery. The Whispering Gallery runs around the interior of the Dome and is 259 steps up from ground-level. It gets its name from a charming quirk in its construction, which makes a whisper against its walls audible on the opposite side. Since I was along, a nice group of English ladies let me in on their experiment. One of the ladies in their group went to the opposite side. Then the others talked to the wall. They asked her questions and we could hear her answer! It was crazy!
The next set of steps took you up higher and to the outside of the dome. Here you could see panoramic views of London.
Yes, it was raining. The good thing about rain here is that it may pour, but they never last long.
Yessss, another set of stairs!! I climb up for the best view. It is pouring now and I am trying to get pictures while trying to stay dry. This is harder than you may think, because it is tiny up there. People are squeezing by each other.
I do not know what that funny shaped building is, but how many cranes can you count?
The stairs leading up to the top were narrow. Hope you are not claustrophobic!!
After I came down all those steps, my legs were wobbly. When I stopped walking, they would start to shake like jello. I was afraid I would fall over, so what do I do? Walk downstairs to the crypt!! There area lot of people buried there, right in the floor. A little creepy. There is a small chapel and a shop and restaurant. Just what you expect to find in a crypt, right?
One more view from the front... this place is a must see!!
I walk across the Thames and was a little taken aback by this:
Yes you read it correctly - it says "I eat rubbish". Apparently, this thing floats along the Thames and collects and traps the garbage that is floating in the river. It is actually a good idea - but a better idea would be to prevent it from going in to begin with.....
That is all for London! I leave tomorrow morning for Amsterdam where i will meet up with another classmate, Jolene. She has been in Sweden working for DHL.
I hope everyone is doing well. I will be home soon! I cannot believe it is almost over!
Take care!
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