EU: English Perspectives

We all slept in until 8am this morning--which was wonderful! Rachel ended up staying at the hotel all day, as she was just too tired...and sleep she did!! Mary Cooper, my Oma's pen pal took a train up and spent the day with us in London, visiting sights, which was so much fun! But, I just realized, we never got a photo of all of us together! :/

A good night sleep helped us all separate our love for rural Scotland to "big city London", and I immensely enjoyed our tour with The Original Tour bus around London today... and I learned a lot of new things!!

Mounted police....

Looking across the river

 I found it interesting that there were so many war memorials here... We don't have many of those in North Idaho! They also had a lot of construction going on, repairing old buildings.

I was shocked to find one of Abraham Lincoln in Hyde's Park!

We ended up back at the Westminster area, and found out that Nelson Mandela's memorial service was going on right then! There were helicopters going overhead too (security?), and we caught a glimpse of Prince Harry, who was there representing the Queen! That was really neat.

We toured The Tower of London....and honestly, I couldn't help but feel like I was walking back through time....trying to live out what it would have been like to be Lady Jane Grey or a lady of the court in the Renaissance Period. There was a certain reverence I felt--how could you not? To walk in the same rooms and steps that so many yeoman, guards, servants, and royalty walked. 

This is a huge fortress of it's time!

Quite interesting...the armory of this place...I'm not sure what this dragon represented, but it was definitely different!

It was pouring rain during most of our time there, which put even more perspective on it...imagine living 500 years ago in this castle, without all the amenities and fancy waterways we have now? Imagine being a guard on duty, no matter how bad the conditions--standing there in that water...for hours, every day..under good and bad kings...

Imagine being a royal daughter--a pawn in your family's hand being tossed back and forth...that would be really hard.... We think we know what courage and bravery is....but I am forced to reconsider... No, I think we truly know so little of what true hard work, courage, and valor is... Movies show some, but to put yourself in their shoes? Ach....I am grateful for all the sacrifices those before us made...but it makes me want to persevere and return that gift to my people-back home...

What am I doing today, that will make a difference for future generations? 

We took the Tube home, which was SO much fun! The first couple were literally like being in a caterpillars stomach, as it is a long tube, not individual cars...thus around curves, when the tube is mostly empty, you can see the whole "tail" wiggling back and forth--it was awesome!

We ate at a Lebanese restaurant for dinner, and wow, their food is delicious!! I have some new ideas for fixing food at home! It's clean, nutritious, and refreshing!! (And full of protein! ;P)

And the sunsets are gorgeous here...funny though...I haven't been able to see the moon any night thus far.... maybe tomorrow night in Germany? I miss my moon and stars!

I wrote down a whole bunch of funny, interesting facts (or otherwise) I heard, that I thought you might enjoy too...

 - The word "hangover" was first made popular in 1691, when Park Main was used for public hangings. It is said that the huge crowds would watch the hangings and get drunk, and feel terrible the next morning..

 - The arch that is in Park Main was originally at the palace, but Queen Victoria hated it so much, that she had her carriages built too wide for the gates, so they moved them out...

 - Ian Flemming, author of James Bond also wrote the book for the now well-loved movie "Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang"...no wonder there's so much crazy fun adventure in that film!!

Big Ben

- Samuel Johnson (first English Dictionary writer) said: "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford."

"One guitar is not a collection. Two is." (said by the owner of 'Rock Guitars'.) That hit me funny. :)

 - When Prince Albert died untimely at age 42, Queen Victoria went into mourning for the rest of her life. As part of this, she had all royal carriages, as well as lamp posts, and taxis painted black. Thus, the black taxis of today still being in use here in London.

 - The main street in front of the palace is off limits to service vehicles--including the Post. Thus the Royal mail is brought by horse and carriage.

- Many streets in London are named after what professions were done on that street. For instance, Candlewick Street, Garlic Hill, Bread Street, Honey Lane, Thread Needle Street, and Love Lane, to name a few.

 - Underneath the street names is a letter an a number (ie. W1). That stands for West, and one area from Trafalgar Square (which is center). This is very good in case you get lost.

Read this...is it saying what I think it is??
"Cats are cute. And all loan providers are the same...."
Is that cat cute to you??

- In 1665, the Bubonic plague came on London again, and the officials thought it might be being carried by the dogs and cats, so it was issued that all dogs and cats should be killed. Of course, this made the Plague worse, as the rats (who carried the lice) then had no natural predators. The official count of those who died was around 68,076 people, however it is estimated to be more like 100,000.

There were so many deaths, that the dead were buried in huge plague pits outside the city.

- In 1666, to make matters worse, the great London fire happened, where the fire raged for 4 days, burning 80% of London. Thankfully, it killed the rats, and not many deaths were a result, though it ravaged the homes (which were built too close together) and belongings of the London residents.

This actually caused a whole new furniture industry and style too, so in the end it worked out.

- If a fire started in London today, it would be devastating again, for the homes are built extremely tight together.

 - London Bridge has been replaced quite a few times, with the most recent exchange being purchased by folks in AZ). It used to have spikes for traitors' heads, a chapel and houses on it though. Because of the replacements, 'London Bridge is Falling Down' came to be.

 - The Tower Bridge used to be raised for passing ships up to 50 times a day, during the peak of the shipping industry. Now, it is only raised about 2-3 times per week. It has only broke down twice: once in 1957 during a heat wave, and embarrassingly, when during it's grand opening!! :)

Things I learned today:

 - English showers work differently than American ones.... Firstly, they don't have heat governors, and 2nd, they turn opposite...thus, never turn the cold off before the hot, unless you're absolutely sure you know which direction OFF is. Otherwise, you might end up in the precarious position of practicing planks in mid-air - carefully trying to balance not burning your toes while trying to turn the hot water off with your free hand.... 

 - Don't close the drain while fiddling with scalding water. The tub fills up very fast, and even after you open the drain, the bottom retains heat for a very long time. =D

My amazing escort of a brother and I

 - Never judge a cup of hot water's hotness with leather gloves on. Leather gloves are deceiving.

 - Always check hot water's temperature before taking a swallow of it..especially if you checked the temperature with leather gloves on. ;P

 - Even for germs' sake, never, ever pour hot water into your mouth with your tongue raised--it is worse than burning your tongue. (And NO, this didn't happen to ME....but I was there! :p)

 - "Jolly good" is a jolly good phrase to say!

 - Accents disguise that you are American.

Bad lighting, but nice car, eh? :) (um...maybe ;P)

Looking Forward: We leave at 4:30am tomorrow for Paris, on the Bullet Train. We will be in Paris for about 12 hours, before taking the Night train (in sleeper cars!) to Munich Germany. Wednesday, we shall spend around Munich, before traveling to Switzerland (I think that night...) We will then spend Thursday through Saturday in Switzerland, before going to Venice.

I'm not sure when I'll be able to post next because of that, but hopefully later this week in Switzerland!!!

It amazes me how my devotional has been talking on subjects of late that I am either working on right now, or have been recently... Today was no different:

"I love you for who you are, NOT for what you do. Many voids vie for control of your mind, especially as you sit in silence. You must learn to discern what is My voice and what is not. Ask My Spirit for discernment."

"And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice."

~ John 10:4 ~

"The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations.  Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance."

~ Psalms 33:11-12 ~