May 20th - The other 1/2 of the adventure

Buckingham Palace

            The Palace is the residence and administrative office of the Queen of England. The Palace was built in 1703 by the Duke of Buckingham but did not become the official residence of the British monarch until Queen Victoria in 1837. Since Queen Victoria five generations of monarchs have lived in the palace. Although visitors are not permitted to tour the palace many have witnessed the changing of the guard, notorious for its elaborate procession and precise execution. Unfortunately for us we were unable to see the changing of the guard due to a recent change in policy in which the full ceremony is no longer held on Saturdays. Although there was no show to watch the palace itself is fascinating to visit. 

Westminster Abbey 

            Originally commissioned by Edward the Confessor as a royal burial church, the abbey was later rebuilt by Henry III in Anglo-French Gothic style, which remained under construction from 1245 to 1517. In 1540 Henry VIII granted the abbey the status of cathedral after he separated from the Catholic Church in order the marry Anne Boleyn and formed the Church of England. Today the Abbey is used for Royal Weddings, coronations, and burials. The cathedral itself is open to the public to tour, which I would highly suggest doing due to the rich and vast history kept in its walls. Not only does the church contain the burial sites of many British monarchs such as Queen Elizabeth I and King Richard II, but it also servers as the burial or commemorative site of 3,300 other people. The site is also the burial ground of famous historical figures such as Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and Sir Laurence Olivier. 

Harrods

            For those of you who have experienced the hustle and bustle of New York City’s Sax Fifth Ave during the holiday season, you haven’t seen anything until you’ve experience Harrods on a Saturday in Spring. The luxury department store sits on 5 acres of land and includes one million square feet of retail shopping. Each department feeds into another and the elaborate Egyptian escalators bring you to the next level of shopaholics. While the shopping itself was a bit overwhelming we did manage to make our way up to the ice cream parlor that our Professor had raved about. The hype was definitely worth the chaos. For nearly $25 American dollars you can get yourself an over the top, decadent, and luxurious ice cream Sunday. However after eating one you might not want to rush off to dinner anytime soon.