I took the train on Tuesday morning, and arrived at Kings Cross by 11. As I was walking out I spotted something magical! Since I have been in England, I received my letter for Hogwarts! Finally, only 11 years late! But there were workmen attacking the 'platform 9 & 3/4 sign with drills and screwdrivers!
"What are you doing?" I though, but I had to dash to my hostel, dump my stuff, and make it to Hyde Park Corner by 1 o'clock for my free 'royal' walking tour. I made it in time, in about 10 minutes from one side of the city to the other (read efficiency, Metro), and I stared to learn all about British monarchy, the royal family (past and present), both wars, and some political history. In Hyde Park Corner there are number of monuments that have been put to remember those men and women who fought in the war, not only the British, but also Australia and New Zealand. Seeing as that was our meeting point, that was what we started with. Next we walked on the royal red carpet (the mall) toward Buckingham Palace. Here, I learned that the longest reigning monarchs were King George III, Queen Elisabeth II, an the winner being Queen Victoria! After hearing about assassination attempts on Queen Victoria, we went and admired Buckingham Palace, and hoped to see the Queen- she was on her way back from visiting either Ireland or Scotland. We didn't see her. After Buckingham Palace, we walked to St James' Palace, to stalk Prince Harry... not really. We saw some guards do change over, in which they marched and played with their guns, very serious business. Next we went to where King Henry VIII lived. Thankfully Natalie put 'The Tudors' on at her house one day, and I know more about Tudor England, and much of what was said, I understood (regardless of the creative license on Henry VIII's reign). We heard Big Ben chime in the background and made our way over to Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, via the MI5 base, the Horse-Guard and Trafalgar Square. Our tour ended with Guy Forks, and a bit about torture and treason.
Buckingham Palace
Kind Henry VIII's house
Trafalgar Square (they are counting down to the olymics here!)
Big Ben
Westminster Abbey
Houses of Parliament
That evening I went to Hogwarts, through 'platform 9 and 3/4' before apperating to Tottonham Court Road. After stunning a few death-eaters (and destroying a cafe) I walked around Soho and went to Leicester Square. I though about going to a theatre show, but there wasn't anything on that I would have like to see. So instead I walked around some more, and went to Southbank, saw the London Eye, walked over the Thames, and over to Millennium Bridge, where I made it across without the death-eaters killing me. I walked the very very long way to London Tower Bridge, and crossed. This was the point for me, when I really felt like I was in London! It was really cold! So after the crossing, and looking at London Tower, I went straight to closest tube and went back to the hostel.
View over London
The London Eye
London Tower Bridge
On wednesday, I had bought a tube ticket, but I couldn't use it before 0930, it was 0850... I walked instead to Holborn Station, looking at things on the way, and then I caught the tube to Nottinghill Gate, and explored beautiful Kensington. I bought cupcakes for morning tea, looked in shops with very expensive things in the, and found op-shops full of designer clothing and shoes. After my inexpensive walk through Kensington, I went into the Natural History Museum. It was awesome. That's pretty much all I have to say about it. I saw heaps of animals, lots of different species, dinosaurs, and pretty rocks and precious stones. I spent one and a half hours there, and could have spent more, but it was lunch time, and I was hungry.
Natural History Museum
A hummingbird collection
After some lunch I went to Harrods, one of the most ridiculously ostentatious department stores that I have seen; they have a section devoted to designer carpets! Considering that I was hardly able to afford many things in Harrods, and realizing the time, I went to St Paul's Cathedral, had a look around, but not inside, and went back to my hostel and got ready to meet Kate, who I met in Barcelona, for dinner. We met at about 6, and she took me to one of her favorite places to eat in Soho, and then we went to a bar in Covent Garden. It was great to catch up, and we had exceptionally good times chatting and reminiscing about the wonderful memories we share from 4 days by sea.
St. Paul's Cathedral-It's really big!
Thursday I had moat of the day to finish seeing as much as I could, before taking the train back to Totton in the late afternoon. I started by going and visiting one of many of London's gardens, Regent's Park, and I walked through and around the Queen's Garden, which is full of aromatic roses, a lake, a little waterfall, and is just really pretty. It was a lovely sunny morning, too, so the park looked beautiful. It was nice to spend some time in there, and I could have easily spend more there! But I had other things to see and do, like visit Oxford Street. I went to Oxford Street, which has more reasonably priced shops than Harrods. After landing on Oxford street, I rolled the dice and went to Angel Isligton, but decided that I really wanted to take more advantage of London's free museums, so I passed 'go' and went to the Tate Britain. Since visiting so many galleries around Europe, I have realized that I like art, it makes me happy, and the Tate Britain was no exception (though I couldn't really understand how the 'modern' art was considered art).
All in Regent's Park- Queen's Garden
I wanted to go into Westminster Abbey, but when I arrived at the cathedral it was very busy, so rather than wait, I went back to the hostel to pick up my bag and dashed to the train; I made it with about one and a half minutes to spare, and out of breath!
xx
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