Super Tourist! Da Da DAAAA!

Today was the first day of my time by myself while everyone is exploring various parts of Europe.  I was pretty nervous/slight depressed about this day but let me tell you.

It.  Was.  Awesome.

So you know how the other day I posted how I hadn't turned into the girl who goes around London by herself, smiling and looking totally confident and having a fabulous time?  So it happened today.  Maybe not looking totally confident, but feeling more confident than I ever have before.  Exhilarated at being able to wander the streets of London on my own.  Enjoying the freedom to do whatever I want.  My hair/teeth/clothes may not have been as perfect as in the movies, but I had that moment!

My first stop was the marvelous St. Paul's Cathedral.  I was so upset when I had to miss the group trip to visit but I have to say I think I appreciated it way more today than I would have if I had been with them.  A lot of people said it was their favorite part of study abroad so far and it might have something to do with awesome tour guides.  I didn't have that same experience but I also had to wait for it.  It was gorgeous.  It was awe-inspiring.  It was fantastic.  I've been to a lot of cathedrals over the last few months and I've developed quite an appreciation for them.  I even was brave enough to climb the many narrow steps to the Whispering Gallery.  The other higher areas were closed for the day but that's okay.  I struggle with heights and it probably would have been too much for me.  My favorite was the crypt.  Actually, I love pretty much every crypt I go to.  I have issues.  Duke Wellington's grave was really cool, and so was Nelson's tomb (another case of poor Cardinal Woolsey putting his foot down and refusing to let Henry VIII divorce his first wife) but my favorite was Sir Arthur Sullivan's.  One of the first really cool things I did with music was playing trombone in the pit orchestra for Pirates of Penzance.  I was interested to see that his grave was more highly decorated and much shinier than most in there.  It was easy to spot.

After leaving St. Paul's I hopped on the Tube (Northern Line... I'm telling you because I went on several and I want to remember all of this) and got off at the London Bridge stop.  It took some time but I eventually made it to the Tower Bridge where I did the exhibition there.  The walkways were pretty cool but the thing I was most excited about was the engine room where it showed how the bridge works.  At some point I hope I get to see it move!  I find it amazing how humans have managed to come up with such clever ideas.  I also enjoyed a lovely poster about Ironbridge.  We'll be visiting that later and it's what I did a presentation on in the prep class.  I'm getting very attached to bridges these days.

I walked across the bridge, past the Tower of London, and got on the Tube there.  I took the Circle line to the Monument because it was the next one.  I climbed up 311 windy, narrow stairs to the top.  I posted a picture of the Monument a few weeks back and let me tell you.  It's tall!  I was very proud of doing something that terrifies me.  I was almost hugging the center but I walked around the top, took pictures of the view (while closing my eyes, I admit) but was pretty pleased once I was safely back on the ground.  I got a certificate saying that I climbed up that high which I will probably frame.

Next I decided to change my original plan (actually, the original plan was demolished a whole bunch of times today) and head to the Foundlings Museum on the Piccadilly line.  I didn't know much about it except that artwork by Quentin Blake--the guy who illustrated every Roald Dahl book I ever read/have--was on display.  This museum made my heart hurt.  It's about all the abandoned infants who died until someone decided to create this place to rescue them.  Still, so many of them had to be turned away and they often didn't have great lives.  The thought of the hard lives, or lack of lives, of so many children was so sad.  Even the ones who were lucky enough to make it into the Hospital had a rough time of it but at least they were able to live.  There was a part where it said that they would pass around a bag with balls in it.  Depending on the color, it determines whether your child gets in or not.  Mine didn't.  There were far more that didn't than did.  I couldn't help but imagine if I lived a few hundred years ago, was too poor to care for my child and this was the only way to ensure that he or she would live.  So sad.  Handel was a supporter of the hospital, though, so in the upstairs rooms it shows some of his masterpieces and things.  Blake's artwork was gorgeous.

I still had plenty of time at this point so I went to the royal Banqueting House (circle).  I got a little bit lost (maps are hard, okay!) and ended up going in the wrong direction until a lovely British lady asked me if I was all right and was able to point me in the right direction.  See, the key to having people be nice to you is be lost!  I think I would have figured it out eventually but I'm glad I had help.  I'm actually feeling quite familiar with places now.  Almost everywhere I went today I had been to and I knew where I was.  Quite a change from being terrified of getting lost!  This was especially cool because in the latest reading from history it was all about things that happened here.  It was really neat to see the place in person.

Across the street were the Horse Guards so I figured, what the hey!  Let's go pay them a visit!  The museum there was pretty neat with lots of swords and other weapons.  Smelled like horses, unfortunately.  My favorites parts was trying on the armor and watching the horses through the glass.  I was also interested to see that there are official musicians (a trombone was in the display case!) and the uniform for that position hasn't changed since the 15th century or something like that.

At this point I could have gone to another museum but I was tired.  I headed back on the Jubilee line and got off at Bond Street.  This is because the Pass came with a 5 pound off at a certain souvenir shop.  I stopped in to get me a beautiful purple I *heart* London hoodie since I've been wanting one.  It was also on sale so I got it for a lot less than I was expecting.  Yay!

After that I went on the Center line and headed back home, before dark but feeling very triumphant.  Today was groundbreaking.  I went places by myself.  I went very very very high places by myself.  I solved problems.  I made my own decisions.  It was awesome.  I was grinning ear to ear as I walked home. My self-confidence has taken huge leaps forward.  And you know what?  I'm not sad anymore that I'm not in Italy.

One of the BESTEST DAYS EVER!

P.S. I bought a ton of postcards today, so if you want one email/Facebook me your address.