We arrived in London yesterday and beyond our class schedule we were free to do whatever we wanted. Unfortunately for Becca and I, we discovered in Scotland that if we weren’t busy we were shopping (which was problematic for other reasons). The difference between London and Scotland though is I have been dreaming about visiting London for as long as I can remember. This means that I have a list of places that I want to visit, and it’s not that hard to add in where other people want to visit. So last night I created a possible itinerary for today, but with allowances for change. Which meant that today was the beginning of London adventures.
A group consisting of Sam, Ryan, Jane, and I left our flats and headed to Hyde Park. The tube was a new experience for me because I’ve never been on the subway, and I’m glad that both stops were on the same line so I wasn’t overwhelmed. We actually arrived at Hyde Park early enough that we were able to walk to Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guard. I really enjoyed this, but it wasn’t as amazing as I expected; I was more moved at Arlington Cemetery at the grave of the Unknown soldiers. I think that has more to do with the emotional impact of American soldiers as opposed to the British royalty.
It was a beautiful day though to walk through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens because it was sunny and just warm enough to be comfortable. I do wish that American cities would have as many and as large of parks as London seems to have. Cities are things that overwhelm me and the park is a comfortable place where I relax because I like trees and grass. My first day in London still feels a bit like a dream, but my aching feet are good reminders that this is reality.
