London is amazing

First, I have linked many pictures into the following story. If you see any text that is yellow, you can click on it to see a corresponding picture.

Today ended up being an amazing day. My flight wasn’t too bad, but I ended up not sleeping a wink. After only sleeping two hours the night before, plus the 5-hour time difference, needless to say I was in a borderline-comatose state as I walked off the plane. We got in at about 6:40am London time, which is 1:40am back home. From Heathrow airport, I took the “tube” to my hostel, which is basically just London’s version of the subway. What I didn’t realize beforehand was that it would be rush hour, with all of London heading to work as I was trying to get to my hostel. I got some dirty looks because of my huge backpack, but other than that, it wasn’t too bad. I read a copy of a London news publication on the way, and noticed that they’re much more blunt about their journalism than we are. They often say things that in the United States would be deemed politically incorrect. For example, when referring to the tragic deaths of four high school students out celebrating a birthday, the publication said, “The birthday boy was the first to die in the wreck.” Weird.

Anyway, I got to my hostel around 9:15 and they told me I couldn’t check in until 2, but that I could stow my bags in the meantime. Wanting to see nothing of London but their finest mattress at this point, I was a bit disappointed. However, in the end I’m glad because it made me go out and explore the city. I knew that Abbey Road was close to my hostel, so I set out to make that my first destination. The “tube” ride earlier cost me four pounds (more than $8) so I was trying to save by not taking it again. However, after wandering through some incredibly nice neighborhoods, I quickly became lost, and just hopped on the first tube station I came to.

Before I knew it, I was on a train heading south to Central London, the heart of culture and history. I looked at the next few stops on my tube line and noticed Green Park, which I remembered from my research as being the stop that Buckingham Palace is located at. Then I realized that it was currently 11am – the changing of the guards happened every day at 11:30. Perfect timing. Shuffling out of the station and into Green Park (which is beautiful by the way), I begin to hear the Royal Band playing in the distance. A few minutes of walking and the next thing I know, I’m watching the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, one of London’s most prized traditions. It was really cool to watch, but I think the more impressive part of the show was just staring at the incredible Buckingham Palace and it’s signature golden-tipped gates. It’s unbelievable in person, and the pictures don’t do it justice. There are things to see in every direction.

After the changing of the guards finished, I began to walk down the long, broad lane that leads away from Buckingham Palace. I was happy just walking around and taking it all in, but I soon stumbled upon another of London’s most incredible places – Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery. When I first came around a corner and saw Trafalgar Square, it took my breath away. There were huge fountains, statues, and every building surrounding it had a beautiful façade. But the most impressive thing about Trafalgar Square is the National Gallery, which sits on one side and houses some of the most important pieces of art of the last 800 years. Unfortunately, the best picture I could get of the square was taken from the front entrance of the National Gallery, so once again the pictures don’t do the entire square justice.

After meandering through the square a bit, I strolled through the National Gallery and saw some really great pieces of art. I stood face-to-face with Leonardo da Vinci in his “Virgin of the Rocks” painting, which he painted more than 500 years ago. I also saw countless paintings by Claude Monet, Raphael, Caravaggio, and Rembrandt. I finished up the National Gallery by checking out the Vincent van Gogh room, which had such classics as Van Gogh’s Chair, and Sunflowers. It was really cool to be less than a foot away from paintings that you’ve previously only seen pictures of in books.

It was after 2 when I left the gallery, so I went back to the hostel, got my room key, and proceeded to try to take a nap. I was in bed until about 6:30 but only slept about two hours. After that, I got some dinner at the hostel’s restaurant, which is amazing by the way. I had sausage and mashed potatoes (bangers and mash), and it only cost me a little over four pounds, which is cheap compared to the rest of the city. London is definitely an incredibly expensive place.

After dinner, I hopped back on the tube and took a trip down to the Westminster station. Exiting the station, I stood face to face with the Houses of Parliament, which is the massive and beautiful complex that houses the Big Ben bell tower. I walked around the entire thing to get the best views I could. As I was completing my loop, I realized that the other massive building adjacent to the Parliament was in fact Westminster Abbey, another huge destination on my list. Westminster Abbey is a huge gothic church that has served as the place of coronation and burial of English monarchs for hundreds of years. The largest part of the abbey dates to around 1500, but one particularly old section dates all the way back to 1050.

I called it a night around 10:30, then came back to the hostel to update the blog and upload pictures. I’m so glad I have this computer with me on the trip – it’s been a lifesaver. I’m in a large common room now where they have flat screen TVs, a pool table, and a ton of couches. There are a bunch of German high-schoolers that are being really annoying. I think I might smack one with a pool cue. Hah just kiddin... Overall, the hostel is amazing – it was rated one of the top ten hostels in the world this past year. After a good night’s sleep, I plan on checking out Abbey Road and then doing a 8-hour walking tour of downtown London tomorrow, so check back soon.

If you would like to see the rest of the pictures from this day, please click here!