Appropriate Adjective: Overwhelming.
Westminster is truly an amazing architectural feat in the true Gothic style. That is one TALL, NARROW, and LONG church. At the same time, the whole tour had a bitter tone for me, because it was originally built as a Benedictine monastery and seized after Henry VIII's split with the Church to be made into an Anglican church. There were many similarities between St. Paul's and Westminster, but the most important thing about Westminster is (excuse my language) the crapton of people buried there.
Today, I walked over the graves of Charles Darwin, Henry Purcell, Benjamin Britten, Chaucer, Tennyson, Dickens, Kipling, Handel, and so very, very many more. No big deal.
Then on to Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery. I got to see Van Gogh's sunflowers in real life. And for free. We had very little time to spend in the National Gallery today; I started apologizing to the paintings as I sped through each room. "I would love to look at you for much longer, but I just can't! I'm sorry!" These paintings are just gorgeous. The colors alone - still vibrant after 600 years! Just incredible. But alas - home we had to go to work on projects and get ready for...
Wicked! Well, I have a confession. I was not as excited to see this show as I should have been. It was my third time, and I have to say that I don't find the story or music that deep. The actress playing Elphaba was phenomenal, and I still got goosebumps whenever she sang. But more stimulation after an already over-stimulating day... my poor little brain couldn't quite take it.
But hey - I got to see these little sights today as well.
This is actually the Queen Elizabeth II Tower - Big Ben is the bell inside.
You wouldn't know it, but that's 10 Downing Street.
Only 18 days left to the Olympics!
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