Day 5: Westminster, National Galleries, and the Churchill War Rooms

Overview:

It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. 

Just kidding it was Wednesday. 

No actually it was Thursday. 

It's all a blur and we are all wayyyy too tired. Gotta love a good case of jet lag :). 

Thursday was full of exciting things. From touring Westminster to seeing all sorts of different paintings and pictures in the national galleries and exploring Churchill's War Rooms deep underground, the whole group was busy and having a great time exploring. 

My personal favorite of the day was the National Gallery. This art museum had pieces of artwork from medieval times to Post-Impressionism. The hallways and corridors of the gallery were so beautiful. The beauty of the building added to the beauty of the paintings that graced the walls. My absolute favorite piece was Sunflowers by Van Gogh. It was so great to be able to see a painting that I have only ever seen pictures of. To be honest I almost cried when I saw it, it was just that pretty. 

This experience was the best time I've had so far in England and I am sure that it will be my favorite from the the entire trip :) 

Peace out mah dudes :)   

~ Emma

Van Gogh's Sunflowers

Could you imagine being buried standing up *and* upside down? Well, I'm sure Ben Jonnson couldn't either. Many people know Westminster Abbey to be the place where royals "tie the knot," but it is also the final resting place and memorial of hundreds of people: kings, queens, dukes, scientists, theologians, poets, and much more! I must say, Westminster Abbey was not at the top of my list of things to see in London, but I suppose my tired brain forgot about the "Poet's Corner." We walked around in different rooms, observing the legacies of famous royalty, and I was beginning to lose focus. I mean, all the epitaphs were written in Latin! How is one supposed to enjoy a good epitaph if it's written in a dead language? Even so, as I walked around the corner, my eye caught one of the names I had sought for, peeping at me through the scaffolding: the unfortunate 

Ben Jonson, poet. Then, in a shower of British blessing, the names of Wordsworth, Tennyson, and Dickens showed themselves. The next corner was too much, I lost it in a squeal of glee which must have resounded through the solemn Abbey--Charlotte Brontë was there! A simple black stone was all she and her two sisters had, but it described her so well. I was beyond pleased and the lady next to me was smirking to herself; she understood. Time was running short by that time, so I quickly made my rounds through Coleridge and Jane Austen. In my foolish haste, I almost forgot to pay my respects to one of my biggest heroes: C.S. Lewis. I had walked right over him! He had a black stone in the floor that said: "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it but because by it I see everything else" Let's just cut it short and say, I cried. 

~ Emily

Within the Churchill War Museum I had a completely surprising experience. Before entering this museum, I was curious as to what would be held inside. This was because my knowledge about the interior of the war rooms was very limited. However, once I saw it in person, I was quickly surprised. I learned numerous facts about not only the war rooms, but also about Churchill. The interactive devices doubled the experience on top of seeing the rooms. Thus, the museum was actually quite large and filled with knowledge around every corner. After I finished going through this museum, I realized the significant amount of knowledge that I required, which I was unaware of beforehand. Overall, I had a great time at the war rooms, and I also learned a significant amount about Churchill and this museum. Thank you for your time, this is Vincenzo and remember "MIND THE GAP!" 

~ Vincenzo

Churchill War Rooms