'Ello There!

Time for a massive update! Obviously, I have not been the best blogger, so when I finally come around to doing it, I have way too much to tell about! Since I last posted, I have been to London, Seville, and Cordoba. I'll being with a post on London. My Uncle Alan, Aunt Jennifer, two adorable cousins Emma and James, and my Uncle R.D. live there, so I had all the more reason to visit. I hadn't seen Emma and James in about three years, and they are certainly getting taller, smarter, and more hilarious. They have adorable British accents and are a constant source of entertainment. James, who is 7, challenged me to a game of chess (he is in chess club at school), and he certainly gave me a run for my money. Emma (who's 9) and I shared a room. The morning after my arrival, apparently she was just waiting in bed staring at me enthusiastically, until I woke up. I think she sang some songs to try to wake me up, but as you know, waking up in the morning is not so easy for me. He's a snapshot of Emma, James, and me in China town, where we ate lunch on Saturday.
Saturday was relaxing, and it was nice to take the touring easy and have family time. We went to the Banqueting House, which none of us had been to before. It was a place of where royals had their fabulous social events and dances, but much of it was destroyed with the Great Fire of London. The Banqueting Room remains, which had very impressive paitings on the ceiling. King Charles I was beheaded at the Banqueting House when the people wanted to overthrow the monarchy, and Oliver Cromwell came to power. Oliver Cromwell was buried in Westminster Abbey, but not for long, because once the monarchy was properly returned, he was dug up and his head chopped off! English are charming, eh?

Sunday we spent at Hampton Court, a palace built by King Henry VII, who is most remembered for his six wives, many of which did not get to keep their heads. Apparently, when the English get angry, they take it out on the person with an an axe. I last went to London when I was 16, and Hampton Court was one of the favorite places I saw, so I wanted to go back. It is an interesting mix of Tudor and Georgian style, as when William and Mary moved in, they had to add on their own parts. At the palace, you can see the kings and queens apartments, the royal gardens, the Tudor kitchens, the king's many weapons, and much more. The weight of history at Hampton Court blows my mind, and it's crazy to think that I have walked in the very place of kings and queens, and even seen their bed chambers!

Monday, I was off on my own to explore the town before I had to head to the airport. I squeezed in as much of the city as I could, and covered some serious ground in a matter of hours. I started with a brisk morning walk to Buckingham Palace and through St. James' Park

Went to Parliament Square to say "cheese!" with the rest of the tourists in front of Big Ben and the Thames River.

Toured Westminster Abbey. I think Westminster Abbey is so interesting and absolutely gorgeous. Kings and Queens are buried there, with elaborate tombs in fantastic rooms, complete with stained glass, gold glitz, and detailed ceilings. In "Poet's Corner," many English writers are buried, such as Jane Austin, Kipling, Hardy, Chaucer, Tennyson, Dickens. Westminster also houses the tomb of Charles Darwin, and a memorial to Isaac Newton. I could go on and on about how gorgeous Westminster is, but saying "gorgeous," "fabulous," and "amazing" doesn't really describe what you see. Although no photography was allowed inside, I was a rebel and took some shots. My Picassa album to all of my London photos are linked to my blog, so click on the link to see them all.

After Westminster, I headed to the Tower of London, although I did not have enough time to tour the inside. I guess I'll just have to go back to London! Instead, I went up Tower Bridge and saw an exhibition on its history. I got a great view of the Thames River.

Returning to Barcelona Monday night, I sea of school work awaited me, and I've been up to my ears in it ever since. I trucked through a midterm, quiz, and two presentations before heading to Seville on that Friday, only to have to magically produce a six page paper on the political unrest of Spain in March 2004, due at 9am the following day. Definitely did not get much sleep last night!