“Want a picture of you with Big Ben?” “No, with Oliver Cromwell please.” “Right.”
Good morning! It’s Sunday, June 21st, and Father’s Day. Happy Father’s day, Daddy. Sorry I’m here having fun when you’re at home…not. Not that sorry that I’d come home early but, you know.
Not much time to blog since I’ve got a full agenda today! (Oh goodness is it full!) But I thought I’d just put up a few pictures.
Yesterday I meant to go to a few different museums and do a lot of stuff, but I had NO idea that the National Gallery was that huge nor massive nor time consuming. I arrived there around 11:30 and didn’t emerge to see the sun until 4:30. However: it is awesome. And I love it. I would live there if I could. It was seriously one of the most amazing experiences of my life, I’ve never loved art more than I have in that museum. I saw everything from Titian to Rembrandt, Velazquez to Seurat, a whole lot of Rubens, and my god, I saw three different Seurat paintings and a Caravaggio and eeeeeeeps. It was so good. I actually made a list of all the paintings I saw (and liked) at the museum, and if I keep up that list, then I will have an awesome “what I saw during this summer” list by the end. Needless to say, I am nerdily excited for the culmination of that. From the National Gallery alone I have 70 odd artists on the list, many with more than one painting. Maybe I’ll put it on the blog? Or maybe not.
After the National Gallery, I soaked up the ambience of Trafalgar Square a bit (which is basically tourists, pigeons, fountains, and children climbing on the lions) and then meandered down the street when I thought I saw Big Ben. Well. I did. And I saw a ton of other important buildings because Whitehall Road is kind of a big deal. I even filmed Big Ben chiming 5pm! It was very cool.
This is me and my pal Oliver Cromwell:
Wandered down the road some more and passed through a park (Victoria Gardens, I think it was called) where three different groups of boys were playing soccer against each other, and other teens were hanging out. I crossed a bridge, marveled when the sun came out from behind the clouds for a moment, and saw the London Eye! Walked back up the Thames on the other side, and then headed home via the Waterpool underground station.
Last night I went out to a pub with two Australian girls who are staying in my room at the hostel. One is actually Serbian! It was exciting as I’ve met very very few people in my lifetime who were Serbian/Montenegran and not somehow connected to my grandma. We all had a fun time talking, and I accompanied them to McDonald’s on the way home for what they call a “sneaky cheese” which is, obviously, a cheeseburger you eat on the down low. Funny.
Today I’m off to more museums, and then I’m meeting up with another girl from my room, a girl from Munich, for dinner. Pictures and explanations of that to come after I do them!
With love and squalor,
From London,
Cassie
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