Day 3

I went with the group to Westminster Abbey and the British Library today. Of course, we rode The Tube. I still felt sick today; I'm not sure what it is, but hopefully I will feel better soon. This morning I had to get up at 6 am, feeling jetlagged since I had lost at least six hours of sleep from the plane ride. We have to meet downstairs in the basement every morning at 6 am and I am not a morning person. Oh well, I'll live, I guess. This morning I ate well: eggs, toast, milk, juice.

We went to Westminster Abbey first. To describe it in a few words is difficult. We paid 13 pounds to get in; British money is about 1.64 to the US dollar, so this trip will be expensive- donations are accepted. Just joking, I think... The Abbey is breathtaking. Everything from the ceiling to the floor, is so ornate. As I walked around the Abbey listening to my prerecorded phone, which was a self-guided tour, I began to experience something that I did not quite expect when I came here. I began to feel such emotion: an emotion that almost overwhelmed me. The rooms have tombs in them, which are above ground, and to know that those such as Queen Elizabeth I, her sister, John the Baptist, St. Edward the Confessor was buried right there in those tombs was so surreal. Ashley, Jordan, and I walked up the stairs into the prayer which was beginning. The priest spoke a few words, and asked us to recite the words on the page after his reading. It was a litany prayer for St. Edward the Confessor. I experienced such a release of emotions that day. The only thing that I can compare it to is that I used to attend a Methodist church growing up which had us do responsive readings. The priest held up a large clear bowl of what looked like written prayers in it, prayed over it, as the group that I was in prayed silently. As I stated previously, it was unlike anything that I have ever been to in my life.

My favorite part of the Abbey was Poet's Corner. I spent quite a bit of time there, and sort of got separated from Jordan and Ashley. I was amazed to see names like Robert Browning, Gerald Hopkins, Shakespeare, Dylan Thomas, etc. in the Abbey. I felt as if I were close to the poets. Of course, William Wordsworth was there; not him in the flesh, he is dead, but a statue of him.  (My project is on William Wordsworth.) I stood there in awe.

Another part of the Abbey which was amazing was the High Altar. This is where William and Kate got married, as well as where Princess Diana's funeral was held. I could close my eyes and pretend like I was there. No photographs are allowed inside the Abbey, although no photograph could reproduce the sight that I saw on this day.

Next on the agenda was the British Library. I got my reader card pass today; I am now an official member of the British Library who is extremely strict. Upon arrival, they check your backpack. You have to go downstairs to the basement and put your things in a large clear bag: no pens, no highlighters, nothing but pencils, laptop computer, flash drive. I did take my English Lit book, although they checked through it everytime that I went out of the library. You cannot take the books home with you; in fact, you have to reserve them ahead of time and you pick them up at the issue/return desk. This is so different than it is in the US. Everyone actually takes care of their books; the libraries that I have been to have most of their books written in, and the pages are torn. You would be in a lot of trouble if they caught you with a pen or highlighter. I am certainly not going to try it. My UK adaptor that I bought back in the states fryed; I thought that it killed my computer. Thank God it did not do that.

I went to the Harry Potter World Premiere tonight. I have only watched the films, but I was so excited. The crowd was unreal. We were standing too far back and to the side to get a clear view; however, I did manage to obtain some decent photographs. This was held in Trafalgar Square. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert... they were all there: so close to me.... I got a photo of what I thought was Harry Potter, but it turned out to be a guy from the television show, Glee. Each girl on both sides of me asked to get a picture of my picture on my camera. I let them, but I should have sold it for a price... We had the best time. I have not had that much fun in a really long time. Yes, I must be twelve years old; maybe it's something about the city. I have always thought that I was switched at birth and should be living in the city; perhaps, I was.

Tonight, I definitely ate fish and chips. Day 2 of that. This time it was from the little restaurant down from our dorms by the convenience store. It was really good.