Tuesday was a beautiful day in London. The rain stopped, the sun was shining, and the temperature was perfect! Everything was open, too. =)
Heather and I started the day with breakfast at a café and then we walked down to Trafalgar Square. It was a great day to be outside with the crowds of people gathered in the square, even if the view was slightly marred by the giant blue and yellow inflatable domes (there was some sports festival for kids). The National Gallery makes one end of the Square, and major streets make the other sides. It was a bustling place - even in the morning when we arrived!
I don’t recall having visited the National Gallery when I was here as a child, so I was thrilled to see the inside. Heather and I decided to take our time in the Gallery (since it wasn’t going to close any time soon!), so we each rented an audio tour. The museum is set up chronologically, and the audio tour had lots of options including the highlights of the museum, the director’s tour, and the Life of Christ tour. I saw each painting on all three tours and listened to the commentary. It was fascinating and it took several hours to do, but since we weren't getting kicked out we didn't mind!
Our next stop was a picnic lunch in Parliament Square with Big Ben in the background and Westminster Abbey on the side. Per Jason’s recommendation, we paid the extra 5 pounds to have a guided tour from one of the Vergers of the Abbey (a non-clergy guide). It was the best 5 pounds I have spent during this entire trip! Our verger was Benjamin, and he was hilarious. Think of a combination of Mr. Bean and Igor from Young Frankenstein: he had a quirky smile, a wandering eye, and there were some moments that I think he was actually skipping through the Abbey, but with his long robes, it was hard to tell. He is probably the "Maria" of the vergers. =) He had a wonderful sense of humour; he made dry jokes as he explained the 900 years of history in 90 minutes, and he jauntily waved his little Union Jack flag as he lead us through the crowds in the Abbey at a rapid pace. I learned so much from him, and we got to see portions of the Abbey that no one else gets to see. Every few minutes at a different exclusive location or after a great explanation, Heather or I would turn to each other and whisper “this alone is worth the 5 pounds!” It was a wonderful way to experience the Abbey.
The Poets’ Corner was my favourite part of the tour, of course. All the great literary (and musical) geniuses recognized in the same area – it’s a library of names! Following the tour, Heather and I decided to stay around for the 5 pm Evensong service. A wise friend of mine recommended staying for the service, and it was an incredible experience (thanks, Edie!). Our verger recognized us when we arrived for the service, so he seated us in the “quire” (choir) area of the Cathedral where we had a great view of everything, including the visiting choir (from Dallas, TX of all places), the crossing of the Cathedral (where the coronations take place), the Dean (who is allowed to sit in the Queen’s chair), and the great windows. The music was beautiful (mostly a cappella), the service was moving, and I choked up at one point because it was all so poignant. What a wonderful way to worship and to wrap up my visit to London!
Heather and I found dinner (fish & chips, of course!) at a pub near Picadilly Circus on my way to the bus stop. It was a great excursion to a vast city. I am glad I got to see what I did, but I’ll need to return for a much longer period to see all that London offers! Overall, it was a very redeeming day when compared to the previous one!
Date: 24 July 2007
Location: London
Highlights:
-Yoghurt & granola with English honey for breakfast
Heather and I started the day with breakfast at a café and then we walked down to Trafalgar Square. It was a great day to be outside with the crowds of people gathered in the square, even if the view was slightly marred by the giant blue and yellow inflatable domes (there was some sports festival for kids). The National Gallery makes one end of the Square, and major streets make the other sides. It was a bustling place - even in the morning when we arrived!
I don’t recall having visited the National Gallery when I was here as a child, so I was thrilled to see the inside. Heather and I decided to take our time in the Gallery (since it wasn’t going to close any time soon!), so we each rented an audio tour. The museum is set up chronologically, and the audio tour had lots of options including the highlights of the museum, the director’s tour, and the Life of Christ tour. I saw each painting on all three tours and listened to the commentary. It was fascinating and it took several hours to do, but since we weren't getting kicked out we didn't mind!
Our next stop was a picnic lunch in Parliament Square with Big Ben in the background and Westminster Abbey on the side. Per Jason’s recommendation, we paid the extra 5 pounds to have a guided tour from one of the Vergers of the Abbey (a non-clergy guide). It was the best 5 pounds I have spent during this entire trip! Our verger was Benjamin, and he was hilarious. Think of a combination of Mr. Bean and Igor from Young Frankenstein: he had a quirky smile, a wandering eye, and there were some moments that I think he was actually skipping through the Abbey, but with his long robes, it was hard to tell. He is probably the "Maria" of the vergers. =) He had a wonderful sense of humour; he made dry jokes as he explained the 900 years of history in 90 minutes, and he jauntily waved his little Union Jack flag as he lead us through the crowds in the Abbey at a rapid pace. I learned so much from him, and we got to see portions of the Abbey that no one else gets to see. Every few minutes at a different exclusive location or after a great explanation, Heather or I would turn to each other and whisper “this alone is worth the 5 pounds!” It was a wonderful way to experience the Abbey.The Poets’ Corner was my favourite part of the tour, of course. All the great literary (and musical) geniuses recognized in the same area – it’s a library of names! Following the tour, Heather and I decided to stay around for the 5 pm Evensong service. A wise friend of mine recommended staying for the service, and it was an incredible experience (thanks, Edie!). Our verger recognized us when we arrived for the service, so he seated us in the “quire” (choir) area of the Cathedral where we had a great view of everything, including the visiting choir (from Dallas, TX of all places), the crossing of the Cathedral (where the coronations take place), the Dean (who is allowed to sit in the Queen’s chair), and the great windows. The music was beautiful (mostly a cappella), the service was moving, and I choked up at one point because it was all so poignant. What a wonderful way to worship and to wrap up my visit to London!
Heather and I found dinner (fish & chips, of course!) at a pub near Picadilly Circus on my way to the bus stop. It was a great excursion to a vast city. I am glad I got to see what I did, but I’ll need to return for a much longer period to see all that London offers! Overall, it was a very redeeming day when compared to the previous one!
Date: 24 July 2007Location: London
Highlights:
-Yoghurt & granola with English honey for breakfast
-Ham & cheese foccacia sandwiches in the park
-A beautiful day outside!
-A beautiful day outside!
-Worshipping God in Westminster
-Safe travel back to Bicester
-Oxford didn’t flood (and hopefully won’t!)
Thought of the Day: I copied down this quotation from Thomas Campbell’s statue in the Poets’ Corner (he was a Scottish poet). I thought it was a beautiful epitaph:
This Spirit shall return to Him
who gave its heavenly spark:
Yet think not, sun, it shall be dim
when thou thyself art dark!
No! It shall live again, and shine
in bliss unknown to beams of thine,
By Him recalled to breath,
who captive led captivity,
Who robb’d the grave of victory,
and took the sting from death!
~ Thomas Campbell
-Safe travel back to Bicester
-Oxford didn’t flood (and hopefully won’t!)
Thought of the Day: I copied down this quotation from Thomas Campbell’s statue in the Poets’ Corner (he was a Scottish poet). I thought it was a beautiful epitaph:
This Spirit shall return to Him
who gave its heavenly spark:
Yet think not, sun, it shall be dim
when thou thyself art dark!
No! It shall live again, and shine
in bliss unknown to beams of thine,
By Him recalled to breath,
who captive led captivity,
Who robb’d the grave of victory,
and took the sting from death!
~ Thomas Campbell
