Old Timer

I am only 21 and the two girls I am traveling with are around the same age....and we are EXHAUSTED from traveling!! We get up and out of the hostel around 9:30 in the morning and don't return until about 11pm. I wore my pedometer the past few days and yesterday we walked 26,000 steps and today we walked 19,000! Today after getting back from the Tower of London, we knocked out on our beds and didn't wake up until 10pm and decided we should go get some dinner. Since I am such a picky eater, I've been having some rough times with the different types of food but I'm managing.

Yesterday we went to Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, Big Ben, Parliament buildings and the London Eye!!! What a day! St. Paul's and Westminster Abbey were my favorites by far of the day. They were such elaborate and gorgeous buildings and the tours we received were so detailed. London Eye was a very touristy spot (very crowded) and it was sooooo hot in there!!! I got lots of pretty pictures though so I can't wait to upload those when I get home. It's crazy to me how ancient the city of London is and how much history is within these buildings. Within Westminster Abbey, I saw the tombs of Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, Edward the Confessor and his Coronation Chair, Queen Mary and her sister Anne, and Queen Elizabeth. Shakespeare and other poets were honored there but not buried there. It was so touching to be near all those ancient people and artifacts. The coronation chair is used for every single coronation since the 1600s or so.




Today was a bit more chill since we went to fewer places but were still exhausted. We started the day at Kensington Palace, which is where many royalty have lived as well as Princess Diana's gowns are kept. It was so great to see the place where the kings and queens lived as well as the dresses of Diana. Afterwards we got lost in Hyde Park trying to find the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain. After finally finding it...I was somewhat disappointed because it was just a circular litle mote type thing that all the kids were playing in...but then I remembered that she loved kids so it turned out perfect!




We had lunch in a typical English pub...but of course I was too chicken to have "fish and chips" or "sausage and mash" so I had a veggie burger. Of course it didn't taste the same as ours but it was somewhat edible. After lunch we headed to Tower of London and Tower Bridge. Wow....it was HUGE! We were exhausted by this point but we had to go in. The Jewels house was by far my favorite part...who doesn't love diamonds?! Also the bloody tower was interesting because within the walls were carvings from prisoners.

Tomorrow we are going to watch the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace and then off to a few museums!!