When you only have 4 days in one of the world’s greatest
cities, and you’re running on a college budget, and believing this is the most
energy you’ll ever have, you pack everything in.
We invested in the London Pass, a dauntingly expensive card
that gives tourists VIP access to 55 of London’s top sights. We wanted the maximum
bang for the buck/pound and set out early to beat the crowds, get our passes,
and get going. Paranoia won because we were the first ones to get our sweet
cards and would be able to get started right away. With the recommendation to
stick between Westminster and Trafalgar, we headed straight for nerd-central Churchill
Museum and War Rooms.
Thanks to the slightly fuzzy but memorable walk the
night before, we were able to find the most direct route. We made a breakfast
stop to casually eat some yogurt sitting on the steps of the National Gallery,
in a deadlock staring contest with some famous lion statues of Trafalgar
square. Pretty average start to the day, I’d say.
The War Rooms were a military history buff’s cloud nine.
Original diaries from every day of Churchill’s career, audio clips from
speeches he gave, and the famed pocket watch he wore spotted the extensive
exhibition of this peculiar and powerful man’s life. I am now an expert, so ask
me more if you care. I bet you don’t, but before we move on, I’ll just let you
know that I beamed, gasped, and jumped for joy at the sites of battle maps with
the pushpins of enemy lines still covering the walls of Churchill’s underground
fortress bedroom, original furniture arranged just as was when he and his
hundreds of coworkers abandoned the extensive safespace.
After, we walked down to Westminster Abbey and toured
around. Fancy church, old rooms, bright stained glass, and so many tombs. I
didn’t realize that Kate and William had been married in a giant above-ground
graveyard! Everyone important from Chaucer to Cromwell has been buried there at
some point. The Abbey was like my Literature of Religion in Medieval England
class coming to life. Plus, the audio guide had soundbites of the world-famous
boys’ choir singing as you walked through. The oldest door in London is also
inside the Abbey. Fun fact.
Next, the coolest thing that has ever happened in my life occurred.
It’ll kick off the next post. It really deserves its own blog entirely.
After the coolest thing ever, we took the tube up to Kings
Cross to take a picture at platform 9 3/4. Not located between 9 and 10, the
platform is housed in a short shed outside. Disappointing. In order to find it,
I walked up to an attendant and said “I have to ask you that horrible touristy
question” and without missing a beat, she quickly directed us. That part was
funner than the ‘platform’ itself. HP faux pas, London. We followed signs to
the London Canal Museum, which was a shoebox exhibit in the middle of nowhere.
Actually, it was an old icebox, not a shoebox. We learned more than is ever
relevant or necessary about houseboats, canals, and refrigeration in olden times.
Us canal experts then walked up the entire canal to Camden market. My boots
broke at some point, and I forgot earrings. These are irrelevant to what was
previously stated but provided great opportunities for ‘souvenirs’. I
contemplated getting a piercing to fit in with the funky hipster market crowd
better but decided I want my dad to let me live at home in two weeks…
We left the maze of crazy market stalls to head to Baker
Street Chabad House. I took my two catholic school trip buddies to Friday night
services and a free five course meal at Chabad of Bloomsbury, also featuring my
camp friend Josh and my freshman year roommate Alexandra as well as a PDA
French couple and a very rotund rabbi. I think everyone had a good time at the
four hour affair. Yes, four.
Matzah ball soup actually heals your feet, your mind, and
your soul, Jewish or not. Magic.
I walked through raininess for forty minutes home passing
Sherlock Holmes sites, a Batman movie set/library, and other Bloomsbury highlights
narrated well by Josh. We made it to Alexandra’s ‘dorm’ by Kings Cross just
around midnight and had a lovely sleepover catching up on everything that’s
happened in the last few months. The end.
But actually, you need to keep reading now to find about the
coolest thing that ever happened to me ever. Ever.
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