I’m blogging from Oxford… strange… I
know! Only about 5 months late on this entry, but our European sister trip blog
was not complete!!! It still lacks one
entry! Our amazing day in London with the best tour guide ever!!!! I can’t believe I have waited this long to
post it, but thanks to school, work, and excuses I have continued to put it
off. Now, since I am officially off for
Thanksgiving, before I start focusing on my thesis and only my thesis, I wanted
to post the concluding entry.
Maia and I had an incredible trip through Europe! Germany, Italy, Scotland, and then England! It was a dream come true! Then my parents came and we traveled through Germany, Austria, and France. A perfect summer to top off a pretty incredible semester abroad. I truly am sooo lucky and SOOO thankful! And that is why I am writing this post!
Maia and I had an incredible trip through Europe! Germany, Italy, Scotland, and then England! It was a dream come true! Then my parents came and we traveled through Germany, Austria, and France. A perfect summer to top off a pretty incredible semester abroad. I truly am sooo lucky and SOOO thankful! And that is why I am writing this post!
Time flies by, and it is so easy to
forget to stop and thank people! So this is my small way of thanking everyone
who helped along the way on our amazing Europe trip. Thank you to all of the hosts that shared
their lives with us, thank you to all of you that read my blog and kept up, thank
you to all of that sent in recommendations, thanks to my friends who made every
effort to stay in touch, thank you to my parents who made it all possible,
thank you my aunt for surprising us later in Paris, and thank you to Adam, who
took a whole day to show us around London.
We were sooo lucky and we owe you a tour group flag and a LOT
more!!! THANK YOU TO ALL! Now starts the entry I wrote on our last day
in London! (I have decided not to edit, since I never have done it.... the mistakes are part of my charm... right?!?! or a sign of laziness... either way, they're there)
Our Sunday in London began around 9. We
got dressed and headed to the subway station. The night before Maia had
messaged Adam, who dates Sarah Gaines, one of the sweetest, nicest, most
generous friend we have. He is from close to London and studied abroad in
Mississippi for a year. They met there and Sarah Gaines then spent this past
year studying in England. They are both the sweetest. We messaged him to let
him know we were in the city and were hoping he would come so we could meet him
for lunch or something. Instead... We got the best day we could have
asked for to end our sister trip.
After waking up sort of early, we headed out to Embankment, where sweet Adam met us at our Starbucks. From there... He had the whole tour planned. First off, the Borough market, famous for its crowds and noisy vendors that yell at you to purchase their products! The booths were set up and lined the whole square! The plan includes a coffee at London's famous coffee shop, the Monmouth Coffee Company... Sadly it was closed, so we continued to the London bridge. The incredible fun fact and history started immediately! Did y'all know that what we think is London bridge is actually not! A town from the states tried to buy the rights to the "London bridge" and people couldn't believe it, because it is just like any old bridge... Nothing special... Not the picturesque bridge everyone thought... Too funny!
On the other side of the bridge we walked London city, where the business section is... And as Adam said... The money is at! It is only a 1 mile radius but a lot of money!
From there we walked down Cannon Street, the Strand, and saw the St. Paul's cathedral, the royal courts, and Trafalgar Square. Along our walk we learned about the tough process of becoming a lawyer in London and the college life as well!! Final exams, class attendance, etc. We could have never learned so much without our amazing guide!!!! At Trafalgar Square we learned about the blue chicken statue and the New Years celebration that takes place!
From there, we walked down the mall past St. James's Park to Buckingham Palace. Adam told us about seeing one of the princes speeding by in his range rover... unreal! We then stopped by the guards... they don't play around... Their guns have knives at the end of them! Adam told us about his friend who is in the army and was assigned to guard one of the buildings by the palace. Adam and his friends went there to see him and try to make him laugh.
After waking up sort of early, we headed out to Embankment, where sweet Adam met us at our Starbucks. From there... He had the whole tour planned. First off, the Borough market, famous for its crowds and noisy vendors that yell at you to purchase their products! The booths were set up and lined the whole square! The plan includes a coffee at London's famous coffee shop, the Monmouth Coffee Company... Sadly it was closed, so we continued to the London bridge. The incredible fun fact and history started immediately! Did y'all know that what we think is London bridge is actually not! A town from the states tried to buy the rights to the "London bridge" and people couldn't believe it, because it is just like any old bridge... Nothing special... Not the picturesque bridge everyone thought... Too funny!
On the other side of the bridge we walked London city, where the business section is... And as Adam said... The money is at! It is only a 1 mile radius but a lot of money!
From there we walked down Cannon Street, the Strand, and saw the St. Paul's cathedral, the royal courts, and Trafalgar Square. Along our walk we learned about the tough process of becoming a lawyer in London and the college life as well!! Final exams, class attendance, etc. We could have never learned so much without our amazing guide!!!! At Trafalgar Square we learned about the blue chicken statue and the New Years celebration that takes place!
From there, we walked down the mall past St. James's Park to Buckingham Palace. Adam told us about seeing one of the princes speeding by in his range rover... unreal! We then stopped by the guards... they don't play around... Their guns have knives at the end of them! Adam told us about his friend who is in the army and was assigned to guard one of the buildings by the palace. Adam and his friends went there to see him and try to make him laugh.
This whole part
of London is a bit surreal. It is like a surreal world... the royal world. Then
we walked down the mall past St. James's Park to Buckingham Palace Gardens. We
saw some of the guards and Adam told us about his friend who is in the army and
was one o them for three weeks. He came to see him and made him laugh.
After that we continued through constitution hill to Hyde park! Sarah Gaines had talked about the park so I was sooo excited to see it! It was gorgeous! We walked all along the lake, by some swans, some Canadian geese (that bite), and Diana's memorial. It was full of people and beautiful! For the most part it didn't rain!
From there we headed back towards Covent Gardens and to a little place he recommended away from the tourist. It was called the meat market! It's an American style burger joint, but way tastier!
The tour continued Covent Garden and then just a walk away we got to the Parliament and Government offices. After staring at Westminster abbey, we crossed the bridge over to Big Ben. While on the bridge, Adam enlightened us on the unreal currents of the River Thames! Terrifying for one that is not fond of standing on bridges… heights!
After that we continued through constitution hill to Hyde park! Sarah Gaines had talked about the park so I was sooo excited to see it! It was gorgeous! We walked all along the lake, by some swans, some Canadian geese (that bite), and Diana's memorial. It was full of people and beautiful! For the most part it didn't rain!
From there we headed back towards Covent Gardens and to a little place he recommended away from the tourist. It was called the meat market! It's an American style burger joint, but way tastier!
The tour continued Covent Garden and then just a walk away we got to the Parliament and Government offices. After staring at Westminster abbey, we crossed the bridge over to Big Ben. While on the bridge, Adam enlightened us on the unreal currents of the River Thames! Terrifying for one that is not fond of standing on bridges… heights!
From there, we headed to Jubilee park
where we got to lay on the grass and enjoy it all! There was a mom taking
pictures of her little daughter and lots of kids running around. And absolutely perfect place to people watch
and an incredible place over all!
After a walk along the south bank, Adam
took us back to the train station and we headed back to our awesome
room!!! It was the most perfect day in
London, and all thanks to Adam. An
incredible day to say the least!!!!
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