London: Over Ground and Under

Ah, Family Tourist day.

(Oh no I di-in't set up such a touristy shot!)

We hauled ourselves out of bed around 0745 to meet the family for breakfast at 0800. Ben and Heather made it in last night, so that was good. Oh, speaking of good things that happened last night, guess who found the missing money belt? Yep. All that time, effort, and money spent at the embassy, and there it was hiding underneath the mattress to Eel’s pack-n-play. Whoops. But they have their money back, and they don’t have to worry about someone using their credit cards, so that’s not too shabby.

Anyway, back to breakfast. We all met up at a café down the street, and I had brie, apple, and avocado on a roll, while Nate devoured some sort of meat thing. Then began a long-ass day of walking, walking, and still more walking, all as an unwieldy group of ten adults and one baby. I want you to remember my previously used simile of herding cats: now just keep that mental image near the front of your mind for the rest of this entry.

First up was Westminster Cathedral, which is pretty much a baby as far as cathedrals go- only a hundred years old or so. It has some truly exquisite mosaic work, but a sad lack of stained glass. I sat in the chapel of Holy Souls and sketched one of the mosaics that was my favorite, of Adam and the Serpent. I also lit a candle for my dad, since I do have Catholic blood flowing through my heathen veins.

(My favorite mosaic)


(Contemplating the relationship between candle flame and souls)

From there we moved on to Westminster Abbey, where I managed to do an incredibly quick sketch of part of the west side before I got herded along with the group (Nathan did have rather a tendency to act as my own personal sheep dog…). Then I sat down near St. Margaret's chapel and started drawing the rose window on the north face of the Abbey. Everyone else debated going inside, and finally decided to go, but I really just wanted to keep drawing, and was pretty sure this would be my only chance. So I waved everyone else along and kept drawing in great detail. I became a bit of a tourist-attraction myself, with people wandering over to look at my work, and commenting on it. I was very satisfied with it, although I will admit to a bit of a twinge when everyone came back out two hours later raving about all the cool dead people. But I am content with my drawing.

(Me briefly sketching the west face)


(Nate and I in front of the north face)

Next up was ogling the Parliament Building and of course Big Ben. We then crossed the Thames and began our long stroll down the South Bank, with a stop for lunch (Nate and I had curry from a street vendor- him on rice and me on noodles). I had been quite keen to do the London Eye (I really love Ferris wheels) so Nate, Jeff, Don, and I all headed off to do that while the others pursued other sights.

(Obligatory shot of the Parliament building, with Big Ben and the Westminster Bridge)

(Mmm, street vendor curry...)

(Look closely and you can see my photographer)

(Don and I get menaced by a pigeon on the South Bank)


(Worm's eye view of the Eye)

I have to say that I was a little disappointed with the Eye. Don’t get me wrong- the view was spectacular, but really the whole experience was a bit too tame for my liking. I never once felt the thrill of being in a Ferris wheel (to my way of thinking there ought to be at least a little rocking), and it was kind of anticlimactic to be behind glass the entire time. But I did get Nate to kiss me at the top, which crosses something off my To-Do list which had been on there since about the eighth gade…

(Kissed on a Ferris Wheel? CHECK!)

After the London Eye we continued walking down the Thames, soaking up culture, until we got to the Millennium Bridge (I made an argument for the Tate Modern, but by that juncture no one was up for it- at all) which we crossed to St. Paul’s Cathedral. It was closed to tourists (it was after 1800, by then), but we spent a good deal of time sitting outside and admiring the architecture.

Everyone was pretty pooped by this point, so we decided it was time for another great adventure- taking the tube. It was every bit as excellent as I’d hoped (I’m kind of a giant fan of mass transit, even if I do get nervous about taking buses- don’t ask me why…)although I had a bit of an issue with my Oyster card when I tried to exit at Victoria Station. (edit: as my experience grew I eventually realized that my problem had been trying to swipe rather than touch)

For supper Nathan and I managed to convince everyone to come with us back to the Marquis, and it was every bit as excellent as we remembered, which definitely upped our street-cred with the others. I had two pints this evening (well, almost- Nate had to help me finish the second one, because I was really getting a bit silly), along with my lamb-and-mint pie (Nate got the black-currant-and-venison sausages- they were also excellent). During supper I announced that I was going to go see Big Ben all lit up at night, as per my dear friend Anna’s recommendation, and asked who would like to come with me. Heather said she was game, and Ben was, too, so once it was dark the four of us took a brisk walk back over to Westminster (I was adamant that we walk because I seriously needed to a: work off the delicious food and b: sober the hell up).

(It's ten o'clock- do you know where your children are? Neverland, perhaps?)


(Parliament)


(The Eye at night, with the happy accident of a double-decker bus streaking past)

Big Ben was absolutely gorgeous, all golden and glowy… so too was the rest of the Parliament building, for that matter. Nate and Ben got all nerdy with their photography while Heather and I gave one another knowing looks and plotted taking the tube back to Victoria (our feet were in full-scale rebellion). I must say, I absolutely love that system…