Westminster Abbey, and on to Leicester Square

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Our professors had worked to get a tour of King's College set up, but it fell through. Today, we decided to go check it out just to see if we could find something on Rosalind Franklin. When we arrived, we were told they used to have a display set up about her, but it's since been removed. So, we checked out some of the college merchandise shops, and then we decided to move on. Our group split into four smaller groups. One small group decided to just explore some shops, one pair decided to go to the zoo, Jerrid went by himself to Wimbledon, and the rest of us set out for Westminster Abbey.

During our first introductory tour of London, we were told that public museums are free in London, but churches are not. Westminster Abbey was £22 for general admission, or £17 with our student IDs. The entry fee included an audio tour that is about an hour and a half long if you play everything in its entirety. We listened to a lot of the audio tour, but not everything. I'd estimate it took us about an hour to go through. The church is stunning, absolutely, but I also feel like I've seen a lot of beautiful, intricate churches on this trip. Westminster Abbey stood out by the people who are interred inside. When we first arrived, there was a wall dedicated to a number of the scientists buried below our feet, including Charles Darwin and Charles Lyell. We wound through a small part of the church, and then we faced one of the largest, most elaborate shrines in the church. It was for Isaac Newton. There was a large sculpture of him leaning on a stack of books. Carved below that were images of various instruments, as well as a little model of the solar system. It showed the sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth with its moon, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Behind Newton was a large globe. Everything was very ornate. As we worked our way through the church, we saw the burials of many kings and queens (including Mary, Queen of Scots). We also saw very old frescoes, the oldest door in England, and more of the fan vaults from the Tudor period. One of the last things we saw was Poet's Corner. Apparently, after Geoffrey Chaucer was buried at Westminster Abbey, other writers asked to be buried there as well. Now, many famous names like Shakespeare and Charles Dickens are memorialized in Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey. We left happy with what all we got to see.

Jesse left us to go off on his own for lunch, and the rest of us picked up sandwiches at a French cafe on the corner by our hotel. We actually decided to eat them at the hotel because the cafe charges 50p to eat there. Very odd, but maybe that's how they keep tables open. After a decent lunch, we split up again. Rachel and Max went to check out Olympic Park, and Cara and I went to nearby Leicester Square (pronounced "Lester Square") to see an Agatha Christie monument. We took a few photos and walked through some of the theater district to the actual square, where we found statues of William Shakespeare and Charlie Chaplin. We also stopped to watch some street performers, including a pair of break dancers. It was a really neat part of the city to check out! She and I decided to take a break at the hotel for a bit to rest up. We met back at the same cafe at 5:30. I got a classic crepe (crepe + butter with sugar) to tide me over for a trip to an art museum, The National Gallerie. We saw Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, and other artists' paintings. Most of us walked back as a group, but we split up into smaller groups to get some dinner. I ended up with three others at a place called The Porcupine. It was a Nicholson's pub, with the same menu as the Cambridge we went to before, but it has a nice atmosphere and good food.

Before hopping back on the Underground, we took a detour back to Leicester Square. I wanted to see the temporary Lumiere London display that was set up there (or, as Baylee called it, "a zoo, but with statues"). It was crowded, but I think that made it feel even more fun. It was nice to be out in a big city. We started to realize our trip is starting to wind down to a close, and I can't believe it. Two weeks has gone by in a hurry.

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Photos

Locus of Control
At King's College, London

Westminster Abbey
There are no photos allowed inside.

Agatha Christie Monument
Near Leicester Square in London

Shakespeare
In the center of Leicester Square, London's theater district

Crepe & Coffee
At a French cafe by our hotel

The Execution of Lady Jane Grey
We actually heard the story of this execution on the beefeater tour at the Tower of London. I found this painting with Rachel and Max at the National Gallery, and I think it impacted all of us a bit. She was very brave, and in the picture it looks like everyone else is feeling fear, sympathy, or despair, except for Jane Grey, the one being executed. She gave the order to the executioner herself.

Wheat Field with Cypresses
By Van Gogh, at the National Gallery in London

A Picasso
On loan to the National Gallery in London