Visiting St. Paul's cathedral was probably the most impressive sight of my stay in London. I took plenty of pictures of the exterior, but it was the ornate interior that was so amazing, and unfortunately, there was a strict rule against photography.

There were plenty of strange birds at Kensington Park. I stayed next to a pond for awhile just to observe their antics.

At St. Albert's memorial, a pigeon was enjoying a nice perch on one of the statues.

Day 3: Sore Feet

10 hours of walking and an hour of playing soccer definitely wasn't the best way to kick off my tour of Europe. I'm going to have to tone down the walking time today.

Not much time, so I'll make it quick. I toured around the government district, which had an amazing array of architecture. Managed to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, which was quite boring. I also saw a couple churches, as well as Westminster Abbey. WA was expensive, but the three hours I spent inside was well worth it. It was amazing.

I also made it into the National Gallery, which was free and not very crowded. All in all, my favorites of the day were Westminster Abbey and the National Gallery.

Westminster Abbey

Guards

Guards

Guards...

Goose!

Mind the Gap

The trip started off quiet. Most of the activity at Seatac came from airport employees, chatting or pacing 'round, doing whatever they could to end the night. It took just a few minutes before I was sitting next to my station terminal.

The flight to Washington D.C. was an experience in itself. The luxury of having a window seat allowed me to look out across the landscape of the dark, clear night. 30,000 feet below, the flittering lights of civilization seamlessly blended into the starry sky. Others slept, I could not. As the plane neared its destination, an orange sliver of Moon emerged into view, climbing its way above the sprawling, nameless cities.

Sad that my camera was packed too deep.

The transfer in D.C. was uneventful. With two and a half hours to spare, I got some breakfast and watched television. People refer to Washington D.C. as "Washington", and there was some confusion in my mind as I heard advertisements and people so calmly taking claim to the name. 1000 miles apart on separate continental coasts, there are people who eat Wendy's, watch CNN, and call their home Washington.

Flying to London was much more comforting. The larger plane had pillows, blankets, and even served breakfast (sausage, omelette, and a muffin) and a snack. Each seat had its own screen, and one could choose from a variety of movies and t.v. shows to watch throughout the flight. I tried to watch Star Trek, but I was too tired to stay awake.

Arriving in London certainly made me nervous. If a friend from another country was visiting me, and I told them how to get about town, I know it would probably end up being a transit disaster. For me, however, it was not so. Once I saw the first sign for the underground rail, it was a breeze. With "The Tube" map in hand, I felt less worried about getting lost than I was moving between flights at the airport. The repetitive voice loop of "Mind the Gap" on the train gives a feeling of reassurance. Yes, you might break your leg getting off the train, but you're certainly not going to get off at the wrong station.

Jean-Paul welcomed me when I finally got to his flat. He works long hours, and it was late. I am very grateful he will allow me to stay here for several days.

Time to sleep.