London!!

On Saturday morning at the (excuse my language) buttcrack of dawn, I rolled out of bed. Glancing at the alarm clock, I saw it was 6:45am. Wishing I could sleep for another few days, I grudgingly rolled out of bed and tried to throw on some halfway decent clothes. I planned to have breakfast in the hall before, so that I would be fueled up for a very long, on-the go day.

I met Yassmeen and Sue on the top of the stairs to walk down to breakfast, where I feasted on scrambled eggs and wheat toast--the cook is starting to know that this is the dish of my choice, since today I walked in and he already started getting it ready. I also had some fresh fruit, and took some cereal and more fruit from breakfast for snacks/lunch in London. After b-fast, we headed to the coach bus, where we boarded on the bus for the 1 1/2 hour ride to London. By train, London is about 45 minutes from Cambridge. However, British roads are not like American roads, where you can travel 75-80 mphs and get to places quickly. The Bus could barely do 60 mph on a two-lane highway. Hence, why it took so excrutiating long to get from Cambridge to London.

Thankfully, we finally arrived and were dropped off right near Big Ben. Let me tell ya, Big Ben ain't so big. In fact, he should called, "The tower formerly known as big." In relation to the skyscrapers, the London Eye, and other tall buildings, Big Ben is measly. I actually learned though, that Big Ben isn't the name of the clock tower at all, but of the bell inside. After walking by Big Ben, we decided to head to Westminster Abbey, a massive church/abbey where former royalty, poets, writers, and presumbly rich people are buried. I saw the tomb of Elizabeth and Mary I, as well as Mary, Queen of Scots, and Henry the VII. Westminster is also the place where Princess Diana's funeral was held. Speaking of Princess Diana, all around the city I saw souvenior stands that carried huge postcards of Princess Diana, including one that was shaped like a cut out of her head. Isn't that a bit morbid? I couldn't think of anyone who I would send a postcard of the deceased Princess too. It seemed to be in poor taste.

After Westminster, we headed to Covent gardens, which is a large marketplace. We also stopped by the Royal Calvary on the way, where the British army trains (I had the urge to shout at them, Keep training! You lost the Revolutionary War! That's about all I have to hold over the British). It was rather uneventful, just poor cavalry people sitting on horses getting photographed by throngs of tourists. My favorite thing was probably the sign, which said, "Warning. Horses may kick or bite."

On the walk to Covent gardens, we passed Trafalgar square, as well as numerous Pizza Expresses and Prets, highly recommended by Beth G as being inexpensive and yummy.

Covent gardens was beautiful--consisting of a large open marketplace with numerous entertainers. There was a man on a ten foot high unicycle, another performer who was a charlie chaplin look alike, and one man who could balance himself on the top of a ladder and juggle knives. It reminded me somewhat of Fanueil Hall, but more performers, and to the extreme!! I had a wonderful time looking at all the items for purchase there too, including a hilarious t-shirt that said, "Hanging with my gnomies." I didn't buy anything because it was all a bit too knick knacky--I mean, who needs a wooden sculpture of a panda or a silk scarf? Not me!!!