Death, Mayhem, and Westminster... oh my!

Sunday was the second of the (required) London walking tours, this one led by the history professor - who is fantastic, by the way.  We made the long, long, LONG trek around town to see some of the significant  historical sites near our neighborhood, and hear some interesting stories that your history teacher probably never told you.

 

Our first stop was the grassy area on the South Bank, near the London Eye, where we learned about the build-up of the city around the Thames.  There was a lot of nasty business going on back then; no plumbing and several plague outbreaks... you get the picture.  We walked along the river, similar to yesterday's tour, and crossed the Westminster Bridge, where we came across the statue of Boadicea - the Iceni warrior queen who almost defeated the Romans in AD 61.  After crossing the bridge we were right next to Big Ben; most people don't know that Big Ben is only the name of the clock itself.  The tower, previously just called 'the Clock Tower' has been recently renamed the Elizabeth Tower.  Between the backside of Westminster Abbey and the houses of Parliament we came across the statues of Oliver Cromwell, and Richard I (also known as Richard Lionheart), two of the most notable leaders in English history.  Walking around Westminster Abbey is simply amazing.  It is such a huge and beautiful structure - my pictures do not do it justice.

Continuing on towards Whitehall, we passed many buildings related to the government and military in England; the National Monument to the Women of World War II, Downing Street, and the Horse Guards (where I almost was run over by a horse - no, I'm not joking).  We passed St. James Palace, and sadly the guards with the big fuzzy hats weren't there; don't worry, I'll be making my way back there at some point to see them.  But we did stop briefly to look down the road heading towards Buckingham Palace.  It's a wide, flag lined street, just aching for a parade once the royal baby is born.

We ended our walk at Trafalgar Square with a short discussion about Admiral Nelson, whose very tall statue - Nelson's Column - sits at the center, overlooking the entire plaza.  It's a large space, where lots of events are held throughout the year, and in fact, they were making preparations for a Canada Day celebration as we  walked through.

Exhausted and starving, I made my way back to the dorm to meet up the girls to get some dinner.  We ended up on the Strand, at a pub named "The Coal Hole," as it was rumored to have been the coal cellar for the Savoy Hotel next door.  And during its days as a supper club, Gilbert and Sullivan were regular performers.  I think they sat us in the actual coal hole, which was a tiny little room situated below the basement and behind bars - it was quite fun.  Since this was my first pub visit, I had to have fish and chips... and it was so, so yummy.  And for dessert, sticky toffee pudding which was more like a spice cake with nuts, raisins, and caramel sauce; also super yummy.

A couple of us walked along the river after dinner, just strolling in the evening air.  And as we walked along I kept thinking to myself, "I get to live here for the next month.  How fantastic is that?"  The answer: more fantastic than I could ever have imagined.  Another perfect ending to another amazing day.