London!

Sorry for the delay in posting- nothing really new to report from last week but just got back from my visit this weekend to LONDON!!

Brief overview: Woke up at an ungodly hour in order to catch my 7am train, which got into London around noon. Was advised to take a subway to Trafalgar Square from the train station, but it seemed like a really short distance on the little map I was looking at, so I decided to walk it. Turns out it wasn't such a short distance, and it took me a little over an hour. But no worries, I enjoyed my little "bimble" (new word from this weekend! It means "to meander") and got lots of lovely photos. Then I went to the National Gallery and bimbled for a few hours (love that word!) before I went to meet Zoe around 6.

For those of you who don't know Zoe, she is the absolutely lovely au pair that I last saw when I was about four, and she took me in over the weekend and coddled me with fantastic food and a wonderfully comfortable bed and great sightseeing.

Anyway we took the train back to her town, got Italian food (mm!) and then went to her place. Next morning we went grocery shopping and then to the South Bank "in town." London apparently qualifies as a "town" colloquially, not a "city." Or, parts of it. We went to the Tate Modern (saw the GIANT exhibition of handpainted sunflower seeds) amongst other very famous art (Kandinsky, Pollock, Dali, and the like) and then went to the Globe Theatre. Shakespearean cultured-ness! Wish I remembered the plays a little better...or at all. Then we took the train back, had a very very delicious homecooked (and entirely gluten free) meal, and I woke up refreshed and very content. This morning we went to Hampton Court palace- home to the notorious escapades of Henry VIII and later of William and Mary (W&M shoutout, Matt!). The exhibition was really really great, very interactive. Afterwards we quickly toured the gardens, had a cup of coffee, and then I set out on my 7 hour sojourn back to Glasgow.

Now I'm reaching that semi-desperate level of exhaustion, so pictures then shower then bed!

I like the graffiti monkey.

Trafalgar Square.

Lion v. bus.

St. Paul's Cathedral.

The Tate Modern. The entire floor is covered with the porcelain hand-painted sunflower seeds.

Closeup of the seeds.

The Globe Theatre.

Zoe and I at the theatre.

And don't forget our third party member!

On the south bank.

The London eye, the Tower of London, and the Palace (?). I'm guessing on the last one, I admit it.

Zoe and David's "little old lady's bungalow" which I love.

The Thames.

A swan and the Thames. Apparently every swan is owned by the Queen, and it is illegal to harm them.

Hampton Court Palace.

The palace drunk. Tsk tsk.

Kip and the maid and I got along quite well, though.

The Great Hall.

The kitchen. All of those vegetables are real! And they smelled gooood.

Looking out to the garden.

The courtyard.

Zoe and I in our medieval garb. Yeah, we brought it. We were that cool.

Kidding. They supplied it. How awesome?

The gardens.

Look! Buds! Spring is coming!!!

Pooh quote: "While you wonder what to do, sit down and sing a song."

Much love,
Erin