London, part 1

Yesterday I woke up at 6:00 a.m., got dressed quickly, ate some eggs and bread for breakfast, and then headed out on bikes to the train station. Jonathan and I purchased our tickets to London and then we were off. The direct train from Cambridge to London took about 45 minutes, through the English country side and villages, through tunnels and over streams. When we went through the tunnels, my ears would pop as if we were going up a high hill, but I think that's because of the speed of the train and the air movement it caused as we entered and exited the tunnel.

We got off the train at King's Cross Station. Because I'm a Harry Potter fan, I had to go by platforms 9 and 10. But since we didn't get off there (we got off at platform 3) I couldn't go back very far and so I had to settle for this picture.

Then, out into the streets of London. It was a very nice day, not too cold, sunny, and not the least bit windy. Of course, there was the problem of me trying to get the pictures light enough to see the buildings clearly but dark enough to see the blue sky. My first tries at this didn't go very well. By the end of the day I was better though.

We went through Trafalgar Square (don't let my dad trick you into pronouncing it TRAF-uhl-ger :) ) The pillar is Nelson's Column which is about 170 feet tall. It is huge, I tell you.

We turned left and walked down the road, me snapping photo after photo after photo. I got my first view of Big Ben.

Thank you so much, Mom, for letting me use your new lens. Do you have any idea how far away from Big Ben I am standing in this picture? Go look again at the picture a couple up. I was standing in the same place when I took all three pictures. That camera lens is awesome.

Sadly, there were no horse guards on duty. But I got a picture of the lonesome guard who was there.

Behind those gates is 10 Downing Street, where the prime minister lives. Continuing on...

Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey. I can't even begin to describe what it's like to actually be standing there looking at them.

And I heard Big Ben ring 10:00. That was pretty cool.

We took a tour of Westminster Abbey but they do not allow photos or videos. So I can't post any pictures except of the outside. But it was absolutely gorgeous in there, and bigger than you can possibly imagine. We saw Poet's Corner, the tombs of Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scotts, the tomb of Handel, and the coronation chair that kings and queens have sat in for hundreds of years. And so much more. The tour was definitely worth it.

I have hundreds more photos and many more things to say, but it's already 11:30, so for now, I will bid you goodnight and I will try to post again tomorrow.