Monday in London

The visit to Westminster Abbey this morning is another highlight of my visit to London.  We had an extremely knowledgeable tour guide who covered many details of British history.  I never wanted it to end!  We saw the graves and memorials of numerous famous people, including Elizabeth I and lots of authors.  It was somehow touching to see that Elizabeth is buried with her sister Mary who briefly had her imprisoned in the Tower of London.  I found myself wishing that I remembered more Latin so I could read all the inscriptions.  Westminster is of course the place where coronations and state funerals are held. 

Our photo assignment of the day was to stitch photos together to create a panorama if our cameras did not have that setting.  My digital camera is quite simple and I rarely take photos at all, so all of these assignments have been good for me and this one was challenging to say the least.  If you look closely at the result of my practice (the photos were taken looking across the street from Westminster Abbey) you may see some buildings and people that look like clones of each other.  There is only one London Eye (giant ferris wheel) in this one though so I am improving!  Did I mention that our group will be riding on the Eye one night later this week?

 

 

London has beautiful parks and we picnicked in one as we often do.  I have noticed people doing this on their lunch hours and it is satisfying to see so many natural areas maintained and used in a city this size. 

 

 

 

 





After lunch we went to the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery which are close to each other.  These museums, like many others in London, offer free admission.  I enjoyed the National Gallery, but after visiting the two art museums in Paris so recently I was soon ready to move on to the Portrait Gallery.  This museum is fascinating.  The portraits are organized chronologically, and I saw for the first time the faces of people I have only read about.  Additionally the official portraits of British leaders and royalty are featured.  Kate's was right inside the door. (How exciting to be here on the day her baby was born.)  As the exhibits move into the present time, the variations in style of art increase.  I enjoyed seeing these all together rather than separated by style as they are in traditional art museums.  It was a different way to experience art. 

 

On the way back to our flat, a few of us dropped by Harrods.  You probably know about this huge department store in Knightsbridge, founded in 1834.  It is beautiful, with an Egyptian themed central escalator, and covers an entire city block.  I can't think of anything you could not find there.  In addition to all the departments a traditional department store would have, there is a food area that has a meat market, fish market, and produce area, as well as places to sit down and eat various types of foods.  There are restaurants and cafes throughout, and exemplary service from employees who are all dressed in black and white. 

 

My parents have brought me gifts from this store before, so I was "good" and only window shopped.  One of my friends bought some great gifts for her family at home.  Harrods is owned by the father of the man Diana was dating when the two of them were involved in the fatal car accident.  I took this picture of the memorial to them which occupies a central spot in Harrods.