From Dutch:
Over Valentine's Day, I spent the weekend in London. My excitement was building as
I prepared for my adventure. I arrived at the train station and took the tube
to my hostel. We all stayed at the Generator hostel. It was a great place,
clean, music playing and had helpful people working everywhere. I set out to
the Tower of London where I viewed the crown jewels of England and other
historic buildings and objects. My next stop was Big Ben which was renamed The
Queen Elizabeth Tower in honor of her majesty's jubilee. Listening to the tower
bell chime was awesome; it resonated through the busy city. Next stop was the
Eye of London which is like a giant ferris wheel that many people stand in. It
takes about 30 minutes to ride around. The views of the city are amazing and
information is provided about buildings and parks. After the ride my friends and
I decided it was time to grab a bite to eat. We found a small restaurant and
had a wonderful sandwich and chips. From there we went to some pubs and enjoyed
the city life and the many local people. After that we all went to a wonderful
play named 39 Steps. The old theater was beautifully decorated and the
actors were spot on!
On Saturday I awoke early and enjoyed the free breakfast at the
hostel which consisted of meat and cheese rolls, porridge, cucumber, tomatoes, dry
cereal, fruit and yogurt. Off to the National Gallery where I viewed some of the
greatest artists, Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh and many others. I truly felt
overwhelmed at all the magnificent paints before me. I wandered the streets
looking at old buildings and enjoying the sounds. I then visited Trafalgar Square for a few moments. Next was the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum where I met up with friends. From there we took a guided walking tour of
London. Our tour guide was John, and he had been living in London for 14 years
moving from Wales. He was filled with knowledge and humor. We saw all the major
sites and building and then were invited to a small pub and restaurant to enjoy
some dinner. Bangers and mash was on the menu for me along with a cold glass of
cider. In the evening I joined a pub crawl and had the great opportunity to
visit many pubs throughout the night.
Sunday my friends and I went to the
changing of the guards at Buckingham palace. It was filled with people and
excitement. The royal guards played music from Billy Joel. Smiles and humming
could be heard from the crowed that had gathered to witness the event. From
there we wndered the streets heading to China town and then to Soho. Taking in
the street dancers and music players, some shopping occurred and then dinner at
a great Italian restaurant. Later on we went back to China town and enjoyed
some steamed buns and plum wine.
Monday was not a rest day for me, I woke up very early enjoyed a
quick breakfast and out the door I went. My adventure for the day was to walk
to Abbey Road, the famous crosswalk from the Beetles album. On the way I
stopped at monuments, a mosque, a synagogue and a public park. After signing
my name on the wall at Abbey Road Studio I then went to Kensington Palace and
strolled through the royal grounds. From there I went the Albert and Victoria
museum. That place had me feeling like a school boy, so many wonderful
objects to view I couldn't stop spinning my head around. After that I went on
to see some famous shopping centers like Harrod's. The place was very expensive
but well worth the walk The displays were set like a museum, and the air filled
with perfume. It was now time for me to return to the hostel and gather my
belongings and head back to Scotland. A wonderful four hour train ride
though the country and I was home at the palace!
Thanks to Dutch Shultz for his contribution to the blog!
