Castles and Capitals 4: Lots of London (1/2)

Our final destination on the week-long trip was London! This was my first time in the city but hopefully not my last, as even with three days to explore there is so much left to see.

Abbey Road

We took a train into King’s Cross from Cardiff on Thursday and made our way to our newest hostel. A few of my group decided to make our way to Abbey Road, so after waiting in line for our day pass, we started our expedition on the fantastic transportation system I came to be familiar with: the Tube. I loved how easy it was to zip from one stop to the next and to orient myself with the different “lines,” though I could not have done it without a pocket map provided to me that now hangs proudly (and somewhat battered and water-stained) on my wall. From our station we were whisked to Abbey Road, a very busy intersection where cars from all directions are frustrated by determined tourists trying to take pictures. I was able to cross a couple times on the iconic zebra stripes and saw the outside of the recording studios before we descended back onto the Underground to Baker Street. The interior of the station was covered in a tile of small silhouettes of Sherlock Holmes, and indeed there exists a small museum and gift shop dedicated to the great detective himself (who I had to remember, through my mindset of seeing historical wonders, was fictitious and did not actually live in 221 Baker Street). Nearby was the Beatles store where we spent some time marveling at merchandise before attempting to make our way through the Charring Cross area. We ended up eating an amazing three-course Mediterranean meal in Convent Garden for very cheap and had a good night chatting at the hostel afterwards. 

A quick picture while crossing!

I love the Underground!

Jeremy Brett!

My first impressions of London were centered around how very little fanfare there was for tourists, and rightly so – this is a functioning city, but it was still surprising for me to realize in person, perhaps exemplified best in the situation at Abbey Road where tourists baffled the regular rhythm of traffic and everyday life. Everywhere there was construction on prominent buildings as they worked to remodel during the off season, and I often expected more directions from a tourist-friendly street sign or public map that did not exist. This did not make me like London less, but moreso made me aware of my self-centeredness as a tourist from abroad, which I hope I quickly adapted to for the remainder of my time in the great city.

The Tower of London from the outside

The next day was Friday, one of the last days of our adventure, and perhaps the busiest day so far. A part of the group took the Tube near Trafalgar Square and an area packed with theatre promotions and houses to pick up a London Pass that allowed us discounts and free entry to some attractions in the city. My first stop was the Tower of London, a very famous and fascinating collection of buildings, grounds, architecture and items like the Crown Jewels situated right amongst a very urban part of town near the Thames (you could see the Tower Bridge from the walkway). I enjoyed seeing the different parts of the Tower, and the weather stayed beautiful with only a few clouds. While I did get to see and take pictures with the “beefeaters” or Yeoman Warders (ceremonial guards that live in and give tours of the Tower of London) and the massive ravens (part of a superstition concerning the protection of the Crown Jewels), I did not get to see Jewels themselves as the line on that particular Friday was at least a one hour wait. 

And old building and a modern one

In the back, you can see a guard in red

Tower Bridge

The bell tower where prisoners like Thomas Becket were kept

Instead we perused the Tower gift shop before hopping on the Tube to Westminster area, where I was treated with my first sight of golden Big Ben and the Parliament and the fantastic exterior of Westminster Abbey (I will have to return to see the inside). Afterwards I went up to the Tower Bridge exhibition, which provided lovely views of the Thames and the more modern buildings along the water. We took the lift down and each bought a cup of sugary roasted peanuts from a street vendor before finding a place to watch the bridge we had just walked along raise for a passing boat. As the sun began to set we joined a Thames river cruise, where we got to see the city waterfront as the lights came on (and got a little wet in the process!). 

The London Eye in the back

The awe-inspiring Westminster Abbey

On Tower Bridge

Big Ben at night from the Thames river cruise

 We made an effort to take the Tube to Greenwhich for the British Music Experience; unfortunately we were too late, but we had stumbled upon “The O2” or “Millennium Dome,” a massive, spiny bubble housing an indoor mall made to look outdoors as well as a cinema, concert hall, and various other facilities. We made our way back out past concert-goers with tickets to Britney Spears and back to the hostel before heading out for a night in the East End of London. A friend of the group led us around the multicultural and urban Brick Lane, where I enjoyed some excellent curry before returning on the bus with friends to rest our feet! 

Next part: Saturday in London!