April 23rd/24th: London Bound

So after a much needed day of rest and laundry I headed to Carcassonne airport and was on my way to London. As I mentioned in a previous post I had the enormous pleasure of catching up with one of my oldest and closest friends, Stephanie while in London! We go way, way back even before we were skating and racing together. The first night was really therefore dedicated to catching up, making stir fry and just altogether enjoying ourselves as if the two years apart never happened. I also got to meet one of Steph's fabulous flat mates, James (from New Zealand). Steph and I quickly made it our mission to convert him into a Canadian, I think we were pretty successful although his fake Canadian accent was awful.

I was still dead tired from the attempted murder of my feet in Paris so it was great to just take a night with an old friend! The next morning we got up and headed straight for Buckingham Palace and the tour began! We luckily caught  the changing of the guard, or part of it anyways. I actually think this annoyed Steph since it meant crowds, I guess she's a true londoner now, meanwhile I was taking pictures of everyone in a red coat and fuzzy hat.

 So here is one of the many war memorials in London, specifically this one is for Canada. Water runs down the marbled platform making it look like the leaves are floating down the stream. Steph told me kids always slide down it to keep cool in the summer so it actually is a busy little spot, even though your technically supposed to stay of the monument, but I don't think anyone really enforces that though.

 Here is the Canada gate in front of Buckingham palace. It was given to the Queen from Canada and each pillar represents a Provence and/or Territory. Later you'll see I snapped a picture of Saskatchewan's coat of arms.

 Here is Saskatchewan's Pillar on the gate below.

I think this one is supposed to be Charles and Camilla's house, just down the street from Buckingham Palace.

You can no longer take hilarious photos beside the guards and try to make them smile or move, since it was becoming such a problem with tourists they are all behind barriers now. Those guns are no toys either definitely loaded with a very sharp knife at the end you really would not want to mess with them anyways. The move about every 15 minutes to get blood flowing in their legs, marching back and fourth, than every two hours they get rotated off duty. They are stationed in front of each of the royal palaces and dwellings. 

This little cottage is in the park behind Buckingham palace and used to be home to the royal bird keeper. It has had many repurposes over the years, I am not sure what it is in use for now.

These are the war rooms where Chamberlain made the calls for WWII. I didn't go in though its 20 pounds or something ridiculous and I was feeling poor after living the high life in Paris.

Okay so this was my first site of Queen Elizabeth Tower. So here is the tick (clock pun intended), the tower is Queen Elizabeth Tower not Big Ben, Big Ben is actually the bell inside so you don't see Big Ben you hear it. You can go in and see it with special permission from your MP, which of course I did not request, its free but you need to request it well in advance. 

 Westminster, 20pounds to go inside ridiculous, I went in the church behind it for free, I'm sure this was lovely but I'd just seen Notre Dame and had Easter Mass there I think my christian pilgrimages got me in good enough favour for now. 

Side view of the Abbey. 

The free church I went into, I believe this is the church the senate uses.

London Eye and Queen Elizabeth Tower.

Adorable tourist selfies with my girl Steph:)

Women's war memorial, I didn't like it. Its all the different female uniforms hanging as if on hooks in a closet not standing proudly or in action or duty. I decided it could almost be interpreted as a sexist commentary on women not sure who designed it but I really didn't approve. 

 This black beauty was so majestic.... I miss my horse Max!

Naturally I took pictures of these, Steph said not to go in them though since homeless people pee in them. Love that Londoners advice. 

This is the front side of the barracks for the cavalry you saw above, remember on that beautiful majestic beauty of a horse?

More war memorials.

 Sorry I loved this selfie so i Instagramed it and thought I'd just share it again here. So cute!

 And that essentially sums up my first day in London, from here Steph took me out on the town to meet some of her London friends and see the first pub she worked at The Maple Leaf (a Canadian Pub). I also saw Trafalgar square but didn't go in the National Gallery at this point. One of Steph's darling friends Molly, however (who I met this first day) happened to work at the gallery and was kind enough to get me tickets to the exhibitions for when I went later in the week! She saved me like 15 pounds so I was very grateful!