Oh London!

I went to England. 

Ever since I can remember I have loved British History. The royal families, the intrigue, and the politics.  All of it has fascinated me, and still does.  My top Bucket List of places to see, became a reality on New Years Eve, December 2019.

Over the summer of 2019 (I know, it's been a hot minute since then), I found out a family from my church was planning on going to the UK. The moment I heard about it, ! I thought "Surely I cannot miss out on this chance to see my England." So I took a step into the unknown and bought a ticket.  Plans were made and I began to pack way too far in advance.  I had another trip to Europe planned for the fall and I was pretty much fully packed for London before I even started packing for Italy.

Even before we landed into the UK, I was giddy with anticipation.  There were parts of me that doubted that I would ever lay eyes on England.  Looking back on it now, the Lord was so good! He blessed my brother and I with the opportunity to go to a place neither one of us ever thought we would see.  He blessed our group with travel mercies, splendid fellowship, and just plain fun!

I'll never forget the moment my brother and I stepped onto the tube (underground railway).   Again, I smiled like a fool even though I had not slept in over 23 hours (the night before our flight I was quite nervous due to my lack of enjoyment for flying)! I had only ever heard about the tube and I was floored by the prospect of riding on it for the very first time. If you know anything about me then you will understand that I am not a big fan of being underground, small spaces, or large groups of strange people. The tube is a combination of all three of those things. I did it though, and loved the experience. Again, I am so thankful to God for giving me the opportunity to travel.  

If I had to pick my favorite thing about London it would have to be Kensington Palace. I have always loved Queen Victoria and found her life (as well as the life of her uncle, William the IV) fascinating. Our first day in London, we took a double-decker bus to Hyde Park to walk around and breathe in the English air.  It's funny how you imagine a thing to be; something you have never seen before, that has been cooked up in your mind. Then when it is actually seen in real life you question the legitimacy of it. That was me when I first saw Kensington Palace. I must have looked a fool gazing at the statue of Queen Victoria right out front of the palace.  This was a site I had only ever seen in documentaries and read about in history books but here I was, standing right in front of it! I felt as though I had theme music that followed me throughout that day that added depth and emotion to every waking moment.

At this point in my life I have been blessed with the opportunity to see Italy twice. And while I cherish that place with ever fiber of my being, I was enchanted by England. *cue theme music* The weather, the people, the accents, everything was just wonderful.

Everything about Kensington was memorable. What I saw of the grounds was just as lovely. I have always enjoyed flowers, and shrubs, and seeing them so neatly taken care of at such a place, was just a bit more of a treat. A proper English garden and a proper English home. So regal.

Being able to see some of Queen Victoria's dolls, mourning dress, and signature even, was spectacular!  I had no idea of just how much I was going to be able to see and I am beyond grateful that I did what I did, when I did it. 

History Hint!

Did you know that Queen Victoria was born at Kensington Palace? Yep! On May 24th, 1819 Alexandrina Victoria was born and she would be England's longest reigning monarch until Queen Elizabeth II.

The sound of the wooden floors creaking with each step of mine mixed with the elaborate decorations of each room, seemed to add a pinch of age with each room I walked into.  I felt as though I was experiencing history.  Not only seeing it, but feeling it, smelling it, and being in it.  I don't know about you, but I had to think about all the events that took place in each of those rooms.  The conversations, the arguments, the political discussions. If walls could talk!

History Hint!

Did you know that Kensington Palace was once a small suburban villa, known as Nottingham House?  Yep. William III and Mary II chose this mansion in 1689 to be their country retreat. Then over the years, Stuart and Georgian monarchs transformed the palace into a fashionable home. It is now home to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Another sight I enjoyed seeing whilst in London was the Tower Bridge (not the London Bridge, as it is commonly mistaken to be). I felt so small, so insignificant in comparison to this beautiful piece of architecture.  I couldn't help but wonder, What intelligent minds it took to dream this into existence! 

Personal Tip!

The one and only thing that I regret about that day though was taking my large, and rather clumsy, water bottle with me! I should have splurged and bought a backpack that carried a water bottle so that it freed my hands up. But alas, I took it with me and it did help keep me stay on tract with my hydration. Normally when I travel I become terribly dehydrated, but not this time! If you plan on taking a water bottle with you, I suggest getting a bag large enough to carry it for you so that way your hands are free.

What I didn't realize was just how close Tower Bridge was to the Tower of London.  Everywhere I looked, I took in figures of history. 

Picturing Anne Boleyn being taking up the river Thames to the Tower for her imprisonment and eventual beheading was a sobering, yet exciting feeling.

The wind off the river kept the air crisp and my mind sharp for the rest of the day. I didn't get a picture, but I did see a couple of Yeoman Warders. If you haven't heard of them, click the link and take a look! They're quite interesting. 

History Hint!

The Tower Bridge was built between 1886 and 1894 and around 40,000 people cross it each day!

Personal Tip!

Oh yes, another thing I would have done differently would have been my choice of boots. I saved up and bought duck boots which I now highly do not recommend. They are horrid for walking, keeping your feet warm and dry! I thought they would have been just the thing, but the Lord humbles the proud and I regret spending all that money on them. So, there's a tip. Don't. Buy. Duck boots. A pair of nice waterproof hiking boots would have been much more practical.

At one point my brother and I decided to go grab a coffee somewhere because we had some time to kill. We found a small coffee place that overlooked the Thames, ordered coffee, hot sider, and a millionaire shortbread. It wasn't gluten free but it was scrumptious! Unfortunately, most of what I ate in the UK gave me horrid stomach pains that left me not able to function at my normal, 100%. This was a major disappointment to me but I pushed through it.

When I knew that I was going to London, one place I most definitely wanted to see was Buckingham Palace. I knew that I wanted to see the location of the many Royal weddings. The one I, and many millions of others, got to watch in 2011 left such an impression on me and being able to actually see the famous balcony was definitely a highlight.

When we arrived it was time for the Changing of the Guards and the place was packed! It's crazy to think about it now what with everything going on in the world, but when I tell you we were crammed in like sardines, we were! I couldn't believe that so many people came just to see this "small" event take place. I normally do not like being in large crowds because it makes me nervous. I tried not to overthink everything though because I wanted to enjoy the moment. I didn't want to look back on that day and only remember feeling anxious; I wanted to remember the palace in all her grander!

History Question!

Do you know which Monarch was the first to live in Buckingham Palace? Queen Victoria. She was the very first Royal to move to/reside in Buckingham Palace in July of 1837.

After gazing at her royal beauty, we walked back to the station, but not before I did some yoga in the park...

Everything about London fascinated me. I was sad to leave it for our next location, but I believe the excitement of seeing someplace new thrilled me more than the sadness of leaving.

- Sarah