After a couple days in the English countryside, we headed to the big city. Amy, Blake, and I drove south to Cockfosters tube station, where we caught the Piccadilly line to Kings Cross. Our first sightseeing stop was right there at the station, where Amy and I found Platform 9 and 3/4; the Hogwarts Express wasn't running that day though, so we reluctantly left the station to see some muggle sights.
First stop was the British Library, which houses many famous original works. We saw the Magna Carta, da Vinci's notebook, manuscripts for Handel's Messiah and Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, and Beatles lyrics - all hand-written by their authors. There was some amazing stuff in there!
Next up was the British Museum, which has the best collection of Egyptian artifacts outside of Egypt. We saw petroglyphs, mummies, and even cat mummies! But perhaps the most impressive item in the museum is the Rosetta Stone. Deservingly, it had a huge crowd, and we had to squeeze through to get our photos.
Our next stop was Buckingham Palace, where we also saw the Queen's guards, Victoria Memorial, and a glimpse of the Palace Gardens. All of the gates were gilded in gold, giving the area a very regal feel.
Trying to make our way to the River Thames, we encountered a tube closure which sent us unexpectedly walking. It was more exercise than we had intended to get, but as a nice surprise, our detour took us to Westminster Abbey. "Abbey" is a bit of a misnomer, as this building was bigger than some cathedrals we've been to!
Finally at the river, we crossed the bridge and got to walk right next to the Big Ben and Parliament. Across the river, we ended our day by flying high over the city in the London Eye, a giant observation wheel that allowed us great views (and photos). Lucky for us, the English rain finally arrived while we were in our enclosed climate controlled glass pod, so it missed us entirely! It was a fun day in London with two of my favorite people :)
~Lindsay
