Queens Gate, London: 2/23-3/1

Sunday I went to the Hyde Park ward so that I could meet Brad Lowder who is here! He was so nice to bring a bag of my stuff! Mom and Dad thank you for the things that you sent here with him! Thank you Brad for bringing the bag of things too! It was very fun to see a familiar face.

Sunday our floor did a taco bar! It was very fun and yummy! (Please ignore my Pj's)

Tuesday I met a friend and we went to Hyde Park. He is from England and had never been to Hyde Park. It was fun to show him around. While we were walking around we got close to Kensington Palace and saw a helicopter. The helicopter was just taking off. We are still not sure if someone was being dropped off or if someone was leaving the palace. The helicopter had landed just right where everyone is, but a little fence kept people from not going close to that area.

We went on a boat ride on the Thames River.

On Wednesday we had our day trip! We first went to Salisbury Cathedral. The first Salisbury Cathedral was completed at Old Sarum in 1092 under Osmund, the first Bishop of Salisbury. The Domesday Book is thought to have been presented to William the Conqueror at Old Sarum a few years earlier, in 1086.

World's oldest clock

The font

Glass Prism is a memorial to the artist Rex Whistler (1905-44) who lived in Salisbury's Cathedral Close. He was killed in Normandy leading his troop of tanks into action. The memorial was designed and engraved as a gift to the Cathedral by his brother Laurence who died in 2000.

Right outside of the Cathedral

(Andrea & I)

Then we went to Winchester In 635, Cynegils, king of the West Saxons was baptized. His son Cenwalh built the first Christian church in Winchester, in Wessex. The small church became known as Old Minster. It is still outlined in red brick north of the current cathedral. Old Minster became a cathedral, housing the throne of a bishop. This was the most important royal church in Anglo-Saxon England. It is the burial place for King Alfred the Great. By the 10th century, Old Minster was a place for monks. 8 times a day the monks would pray and chant. In 1066 William the Conqueror invaded England and was anointed king at Westminster Abbey and took control of the Church. After 450 years, Old Minster was demolished. Its stones were used for the new Cathedral. In 1530s under Henry VIII all the monasteries were ruined. A few, including Winchester were re-founded as cathedrals.

Jane Austen is buried here

King Arthur's round table (only a replica...but still really old)

There was a little garden outside! The sun was shining and so we were "sun bathing".

Then we went to Jane Austen's house in Chawton.

We both have never read Pride & Prejudice. We were so inspired after visiting Jane's home that we bought the book in the gift shop. We are excited to start "really" reading it.

The area surrounding her house, beautiful countryside.

Just a fun little cottage on her street.

We made little bags of lavender. We got to put the lavender in a bag and crush it to let the scent come out.

Jane's bed. She and her sister shared a room together.

Jane's jewelry

Saren, Jillian, Hali, Abbie, Hannah, Me, & Andrea)

This ring was sold to Kelly Clarkson in 2012. The government decided it was too important to leave the country and invited UK bidders to bid on it. Jane Austen's House Museum expressed a wish to 'bring the ring home' to Chawton. Donations were brought in from all around the world and so the museum ended up buying it. The ring, cross and bracelet are the only items of jewelry known to have been owned by Jane Austen. After she died in 1817 her possessions were distributed among family members.

On Thursday we went on a walk to Hyde Park and then to a Pub after religion class.

I am embarrassed to admit that we had no idea we could see the London Eye from Hyde Park. This is literally five minutes from where we live.

We are starting to see flowers blooming!

Windsor Castle Pub

When we go into the pubs we sometimes feel so awkward because we don't know what to do. You can tell the locals know exactly what to do. Walk in, order a drink, find a seat, and start visiting. We all go in and just ask for the dessert menu and tap water.

(Andrea, Me, Jillian, & Hannah)

Hyde Park

Birds are always flying around Hyde Park.

Birds sleeping in Hyde Park.

Friday we went to Borough Market & Camden Market.

Dead deer...gross

So fun to see all the desserts out at the market.

Grilled Cheese (Me & Hannah)

There are all these juice bars in London. They are so good! Basically you pick any fruit or vegetable and they take all the juice and make a drink out of it!

(Abbie, Jenna, Hali, Kelsie, Andrew, Hannah, Me, Andrea, Jillian, & Jo)

(Andrea & I)

Saturday we went to Green Park, Parliament, and the Imperial War Museum.We take walks that are in a guided book usually once a week. So today we first went to Parliament, then did our walk and then ended up at the museum.

View from Green Park of the London Eye

I loved this view of the rooftops of London.

(Jillian, Me, & Andrea)

(Betsey, Briona, Jillian, Abbie, Hali, Me, Hannah, Jenna & Andrea)

This was taken on our walk. Me, Andrea, Hannah, Hali, & Jillian). Big Ben!

This is the view down the street from Trafalgar Square.

Charles is sitting on his house at the top of Whitehall. He stepped from a window in the upper part of a building near here onto a scaffolding for his public execution in 1649.

Cenotaph was set in the middle of the road in 1919 to commemorate all the veterans of past wars, with an emphasis on those who fought in the "Great War" or First World War. Every year in November, on the Sunday closest to Memorial Day, the Queen comes to lay a wreath on the monument.

(Andrea, Me, Abbie, Hannah, & Jillian at Parliament) We got a tour of parliament and are going to return to a debate soon! We couldn't take pictures but we saw the throne where the Queen sits when she comes to Parliament. Queen Victoria had the Parliament building built.

We finished our walk at the Imperial War Museum. We got to go to the underground bunkers, and see where Winston Churchill planned, hid, and directed those in World War II.

This was where they had War Cabinet meetings

These steps lead to the sub-basement or the 'Dock' as it came to be known. This is a warren of very low, cramped corridors ad rooms used as sleeping quarters for all but mainly for the senior staff. Rats, insects, and no flushing toilets made the sub-basement unpopular.