DAY 2
On our second day in London we Nelsons Column, West Minster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, and after splitting up, my small group went to Buckingham Palace.
Nelsons Column was interesting to see. Since I had joined the class late I wasn't there for the original presentation, so all the information was new to me. I found it interesting that supposedly the statue is a very good likeness of Nelson. I also thought the story about people eating at the top of it after it was finished was hilarious. It was pretty gloomy at that part of the day, so visually, the gray column blended in with everything else, but it's sheer size was so impressive.
My favorite part of the day was when we stopped at Whitehall. We arrived, and some of us were getting our pictures taken with the guards when we realized we had arrived just in time to see the changing of the guard, and it was amazing to see. I love all the traditions and spectacle in British society.
Next, we went to West Minster Abbey. I have never been a huge fan of churches, but West Minster changed my mind. It had so many sculptures and tombs and artworks shoved into one space, it was absolutely mind blowing. The best part was seeing Queen Elizabeth I's tomb. I love learning about her, her reign, and her family, and seeing her tomb was like touching the history.
After that we went around the block and saw the Houses of Parliament. I had never realized that Big Ben was attached to Parliament, so I found that very interesting. The rest of the building was beautiful as well , and I liked learning more about the different houses and where they are located in the building.
Our final stop was Buckingham Palace. It was gorgeous, but I was a little disappointed that the guards in red were not there, and the guards that were there were inside the gate. I was able to get great panorama shoots of the palace and the surrounding square. I liked that fact that the gates entering the square were all named after British colonies.
Journal Question: How does it feel to be in a different country?
At first, when I got off the plane, it didn't feel much different, but after awhile it really sunk in. After it sinking in I had a strange mix of homesickness and excitement. I was stoked to be in a different country and have new experiences, but at the same time I missed being home and with the familiar. It was shocking to realize how much further back in time London is from. The United States hasn't been around nearly as long as England has, and its really apparent when you get there and see the really old architecture and cultural traditions.
DAY 3
Day three started off at the British Museum, then we broke off and my group went to the Tower of London and on a boat tour to the London Eye and West Minster.
At the British Museum I gave my presentation on the "The Younger Memnon," the colossal bust of Ramesses II. It was great to see my work of art up close and to stand right next to it giving my presentation. I also really enjoyed the Rosetta Stone, and being able to look at other pieces of Egyptian art.
Seeing my assigned piece was the highlight of my day, but going to the Tower of London was a close second. It was amazing to see all the rich history present there. They had a special room about torture, and they had replicas of what would have been used to torture those confined in the Tower. It was great to see the Crown Jewels as well. They were absolutely beautiful. The coronation robes were also there, and they looked like they were completely made of gold.
The day was finished off by a night boat tour on the Thames, from the Tower of London to the Eye of London and West Minster. During the day the boat tour has a guided talk, but nothing can compare to the beauty of touring the city at night. Right after we got off the boat I got a great panorama of the skyline with the London Eye in it. The city was all light up and seeing the mix of industrial and old architecture was made even better by being seen at night.
Journal Question: How do you feel now that you have seen the monument that you were assigned? Is it better or worse than you expected?
I feel just as excited about my monument after seeing it as I did before. Before I saw it, I was a little confused about how the sculptures made the top of the head pink and the rest gray, but after looking at the distinct line and change in color, it really hit me how skillful they were. I felt like a kid in a candy shop when I got to the British Museum, I couldn't wait to see my piece, and other Egyptian art. Mine did not let me down.
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