Shakespeare, Westminster, Flowers, and Kensington Gardens
Today was such a good day. We got up early and ate our "proper English breakfast" and caught the end of our bus tour from yesterday. Then we watched the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. It was hot. The black furry hats were pretty worth it, though. Then we met our friends at the Globe and watched the Royal Shakespeare Company perform "As You Like It". I hadn't seen it before and I loved it. We stood on the ground by the stage and got to watch them up close. Even standing, it was awesome. The acting was the best I'd ever seen. Of course, we didn't get to see the end because I really wanted to go to the Evensong Service at Westminster Abbey, so I'm going to have to find it somewhere else and watch the last twenty minutes to figure out if Rosalind and Orlando end up happy and if he figures out she's a girl. Then we caught a taxi and said "Westminster Abbey, please!" and it sped off and dropped us at the gate. Westminster Abbey is beautiful outside but that is NOTHING compared to inside. It looks like...the ceiling is as tall as a mountain. It's kind of like a huge gorgeous cave with statues everywhere and BIG stained glass windows. I walked on top of some Prime Ministers buried under the floor. And we saw where Sir Isaac Newton was buried. And Winston Churchill right in the middle of the floor. I'd like to be buried in a church like that. But the best part was the service. It was beautiful. We stood and stand and prayed and listened with all those accents all around us. God is God of the World. And He inspires men to do great things. Like build Westminster Abbey. Can you believe they've been holding worship services there for 1,000 years? There's something special about worshipping in a place like that.
We thanked the priest and then went to eat at this Italian restaurant by Harrod's. We got there early (not realizing that it wouldn't be open by 6:45) but they ushered us in. For a while we had 5 of us at the table and we were surrounded by 10 waiters. They were opening bottles and bringing around bread and taking our order and...it was a lot of fun. Also, I got to eat flowers. Stuffed with special cheese. That was my entree. It was really good.
We walked back by way of Kensington Park and got to see the statue of Peter Pan. Now it's late and I'm in the cafe across the street from my hotel again. And again, I have a sunburnt nose. And I am so happy.
We thanked the priest and then went to eat at this Italian restaurant by Harrod's. We got there early (not realizing that it wouldn't be open by 6:45) but they ushered us in. For a while we had 5 of us at the table and we were surrounded by 10 waiters. They were opening bottles and bringing around bread and taking our order and...it was a lot of fun. Also, I got to eat flowers. Stuffed with special cheese. That was my entree. It was really good.
We walked back by way of Kensington Park and got to see the statue of Peter Pan. Now it's late and I'm in the cafe across the street from my hotel again. And again, I have a sunburnt nose. And I am so happy.