With classes done and all of our site visits done, we officially have the rest of the weeks to ourselves. Whether we decide to spend time on homework or to see sights is up to us, but nothing has been planned for us, which is crazy at times. I happen to fall under the group of people that feels the need to study, so this morning after breakfast I found myself in the front room with my computer studying and making changes to my essays. There was the part of me that was just screaming to go out and explore as much as possible because time is running out, but fortunately the more responsible part of me won out for the most part.
Around eleven a bunch of us went to Buckingham Palace where we received a tour! Our leaders had asked a few weeks ago if anyone would want to go and purchased the tickets to those that said yes. That includes me! We got there, went through security, and then had an audio guided tour of the Palace. Though the tour only went through about 1/3 of the building, it was still huge! We walked through state rooms, ballrooms, galleries, sitting rooms and any other public rooms that were available. (Once again, no photos allowed). The thing that fascinated me most about it all is that the building is still used frequently, so it's not just seeing an old castle that really serves no purpose anymore. When we walked through the ballroom they had big photos of a ball that had been held there just a few months before. The Queen had sat in her throne only a month before. Obviously none of this can go on during the tours, but it was so cool to think about all that has happened there! Also included in the tour was the Diamond Jubilee exhibit. It was quite random because we were walking through a state room and then turned a corner into a room that was completely black except for the light shining on a large collection of royal diamonds celebrating the Queen's reign. They were all quite gorgeous and we almost had to drag the girls out of the room when we saw the Diamond Diadem.
The tour deposited us in the back gardens where we walked around a bit before trying to see the front entrance of the Palace (you enter in a side door for the tours). The front of the palace was closed off because of an Olympic bike race that was taking place, so we stopped and watched that for a little bit, claiming our second olympic event! (There wasn't actually too much to see because it was crowded and once they passed by that was it...) We then made our way back to the center, but not before stopping by Nandos and getting some delicious food. I am so sad that I only recently discovered that place. It is delicious! Bring it to the states!
A group of us got together in the classroom to study for a while and then I finished up an essay and took a secret nap! Shhh. More homework came after that and then I decided to do one of the final things on my bucket list that I have put off a little too long: crossing Tower Bridge. I had seen Tower Bridge and gone under the bridge on a boat, but had not crossed it yet. Many people confuse this with London Bridge when they see it (London bridge is actually more boring than this one). I took the tube out and took a beautiful walk through the rain by myself. I was frustrated at first that once again I found myself without my umbrella (you think I would learn), but then I just found myself loving the rain falling on me. I stopped frequently to look up and let it just hit me in the face. It was night time and the bridge was glowing, people were cheering across the way for the Olympics and as I walked by myself I just felt so content. I have seen so many grand things on the trip that look amazing, but it's moments like this, walking across the Tower Bridge in the rain at night, that just feel good. It made me want to dance, which I refrained from because I didn't want the Swiss people walking by me to stare.
We are sitting down to study some more now. I've got a bottle of Sprite and a bowl of popcorn to help me through this and the rain is still going outside. If I have to study, at least I am studying in London.
The back side of Buckingham Palace after the tour.
The backside
Tower Bridge at night. So gorgeous.
That picture of Tower Bridge is SO gorgeous!!!
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