As a child growing up in Immanuel Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, California, I would sometimes close my eyes during the organ postlude and imagine I was in a cathedral. Perhaps I was a strange child, but hearing pipe organ played in a cathedral was a dream of mine -- a dream that I never imagined would come true. Though I have been to London four times now, this childhood memory came back to me as I sat in Westminster Abbey early this evening. I am not taking it for granted that I get to do this!
I just flew in today and had a full few days preceding this -- final exams, my college's 100th graduation ceremony (Friday), wedding of friends Ben and Katie (Saturday), organ concert at Westminster Abbey (Sunday - oh, that's today!). I have learned that if one gets a non-stop flight from San Francisco departing at 7:30pm Pacific Standard Time on Saturday and flies into London's Heathrow, and if one also has a reasonably decent understanding of the tube already, that it is possible to check into one's hotel and to get to Westminster Abbey about 10 minutes before the 5:00pm Greenwich Mean Time organ concert on Sunday. In the picture above I wanted to capture the queue. Had I been 2 minutes later than I was, I wouldn't have gotten in. There were at least 30 people behind me who were not let in. I would have been SO bummed!!
Various views of Westminster Abbey. (Pictures are not allowed inside.)
After the concert I scoped out the territory - wandered in areas near here (Westminster and Lambeth) that I hadn't really checked out before - made new connections in my mind - stopped in at Waterloo Station to get information about my travels to Richmond and Mortlake tomorrow - got dinner - went grocery shopping - and even took a quick peek into Hyde Park near the Italian Gardens (too dark by that point). I left home almost exactly 23 hours ago and haven't stopped since, so I'm going to just post pictures of the above with very little more commentary, and then it's off to bed to see if I can get on London time!
Above is the Elizabeth Tower (finally sans scaffolding).
Above and below - the London Eye as seen from Elizabeth Tower Park -
Westminster Bridge above - Lambeth Bridge below -
Three pictures following are of Lambeth Palace - definitely Tudor!
Hadn't noticed the label "Lollards Tower" before on the door to the old Lambeth Palace Library -
Can't get me enough Tudor!
Looking to the left from the above you leave the Tudor Era for the modern world!
Exterior of Waterloo Station (outside exit 5)
I love the long escalators in the tube!
Dinner tonight was my "go to" - Bolognese, or, as Jacob calls it: "Spag Blog." (No, Rob, I am not interested in food, seriously!).
On the way back from my attempt to see the Italian Gardens in Hyde park I turned and saw this red double-decker bus -- quintessential London!
Tomorrow the plan is to study mathematician John Dee by visiting the site where his home was and also the nearby site were Queen Elizabeth I's castle at Richmond was. And if all goes well, Tuesday is Lambeth Palace Library for consulting a document written by mathematician John Napier. This trip is up and runnin'!
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