London, England

Cheers, ol’ chaps! I just returned from London, England this last weekend, and enjoyed myself very much. I’d have to say that the basis of my satisfaction with the trip, besides my wonderful traveling buddies, was the presence of the English language! I could understand 100% everything that was going on, I could ask questions immediately after wondering the answer, and I interacted with many a friendly Brit in my zig-zagging around the capital of England. I did get a kick out of some of the phrases used as I made my way through museums, overhearing conversations, and smiling at the idioms I heard. My favorites were “dust your mouths,” “look smart,” “please use the rubbish bin,” and of course, “mind the gap.” As a city, London was organized uniquely; it was as if separate neighborhoods each grew just enough to butt up next to each other, and then decided to be declared a single city with lots of different feels and personalities. Here there were not only world-class museums and lively plays, but spectacular buildings, built more recently than other edifices in Europe, evoking a time of the elegant past, and appropriate for the neat and tidy city I discovered upon my arrival. The streets and areas of town we walked were all kept clean, the neighborhoods were well-manicured, and the parks, vast and strewn with trails, were a wonderful refuge from the black taxicabs and red double-decker buses (that, interestingly enough, are not just tourist transporters; they are the form of public transportation).
Equipped with my Oyster card, I got to know the Underground system pretty well, and visited the British Museum, National Gallery, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross Railroad Station. One day was also spent exploring the South Kensington neighborhood, Hyde Park, and Notting Hill (where there is a weekly market with produce, antiques, old books, and clothing, just to name a few things being sold there). We were able to get tickets to Wicked, the musical, a story of the witches of Oz, which was a definite highlight. Another highlight was on Sunday morning when we had the opportunity to attend church with my roommate from last year. It had been a long while since I had been a part of an English service, and it was a wonderful morning of worship and rejuvenation.
I can see why the Pepperdine kids who live in London don’t feel the need to scamper off somewhere every weekend: the city has a lot to offer. I’d definitely return to see more shows, then see them again, spend some more time on the Thames, get lost in a painting in any of the museums, and enjoy strolling around the parks there.
Cheerio! I’m prepping for Athens, Greece on Monday.