Since we didn't have a native Londoner in group, we decided that the best way to see as much as possible was to take a guided tour through Old City, London. For three hours-- in the freezing cold and wind, may I add-- we took a walk through history as we toured sights such as the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral, The Bank of England, London Bridge, and countless thousand-year old churches, temples, and cathedrals. Our tour guide, a fabulous man by the name of John, was great and gave us history lessons on every site that we viewed. The most interesting tidbit that I learned was that Old City (City of London Corporation) and London as we know it today are actually two separate cities within London; Old City refers specifically to the part of the city that was founded and inhabited over two millennia ago while London refers to the entire city including the areas that developed around Old City. Because the British are fond of traditions as antiquated (and arguably, pointless) as they may be, there is even a tradition that bars the Queen of England from entering Old City London without explicit permission from the Lord Mayor of London. The two must meet at the boundary line of London and City of London Corporation where the Lord Mayor then offers the Queen the Pearl Sword signifying her admittance to the city. After walking along the River Thames, the tour ended at the Tower of London, built by William the Conqueror in 1078, which houses the Crown Jewels.
One thing to know about London in the winter is that when the sun sets, it is brutally COLD! The last leg of our tour left us freezing (and starving) so we quickly made our way back to the Tube so we could grab dinner near our hotel before heading out to experience London nightlife. A Spelman sister of mine who is currently studying law in London-- yes, we are international dwellers and travelers-- recommended a nightclub in Leicester Square called The Penthouse which welcomes an "urbanchique" crowd (quoting from the website, lol). The area where the club was located reminded me a bit of Times Square with throngs of people shuffling along, but more so resembled Las Vegas with its elaborate and seemingly out-of-place buildings illuminated by neon lights. The club was pretty nice, occupying three floors overlooking a beautiful view of the city, namely Big Ben and the London Eye. The DJ catered to the mixed crowd playing everything from hip hop, to dance, to pop, to Indian hip hop (LOL!).
The next day was even colder than the previous night and although I didn't think that was possible, the wind chill reminded me otherwise. We decided to keep our sightseeing adventures short (to stave off hypothermia) and decided just to go to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guards. Done every other day at 11:30 am, the changing of the guards is still a big to-do with the Palace band's formal procession, guards on horseback, and police on horseback directing the crowds. The policemen warned the crowd in about four different languages to watch their belongings because there were "thieves" in the crowd (such an outdated term!). The crowd outside of the gate was so large that it poured into the streets, everyone huddled to get a few pictures of the changing guards through the gates. After snapping a few pictures and taking in the grandeur of the Palace, we decided to do what we do best before heading back to Oxford-- SHOP! For all those interested in studying abroad or visiting the UK, beware: Primark (the clothing store) is the biggest thief there is!
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| Buckingham Palace |
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| St. Paul's Cathedral |
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| The girls and I @ The Penthouse Nightclub |
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