"Her hair was long, her foot was light, and her eyes were wild." -John Keats
London, England
"London was everything I dreamed it would be. It is one of my most favorite cities in the world."
The British Museum
"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away".
The British Museum was so great! Home of the Rosetta Stone and different artifacts from all over the world. Honestly, anyone can spend a week in that place and explore the entire world. It is sectioned off by every continent in the world and gives their history. It was fantastic.
Windsor Castle
As one of the many homes of the queen, these grounds were spectacular! The history here was marvelous. It's been home to the royal family for centuries and it was incredible witnessing the artifacts of this castle! Inside there were thousands of portraits, historical weapons, knight armor, and beautiful rooms with vibrant colors. It was fantastic! I loved the mote around the main building of the castle.
Big Ben and the River Thames
Woke up in London yesterday
Found myself in the city near Piccadilly
Don't really know how I got here
I got some pictures on my phone
New names and numbers that I don't know
Address to places like Abbey Road
Day turns to night, night turns to whatever we want
We're young enough to say
Oh, this has gotta be the good life
This has gotta be the good life
This could really be a good life, good life
-One Republic
Big Ben and the River was my favorite place in all of London. Big Ben stands as the Landmark of London--the one thing I have looked forward to seeing for as long as I can remember. I can honestly say that Big Ben is my new love and I'm counting down the days until I can go back to him.
Cruising on the River Thames
Telephone booth fun!
Trafalgar Square
Dicken's London
"... and from the death of each day's hope another hope sprung up to live to-morrow" -The Old Curiosity Shop
I loved walking the London streets of one of my favorite authors and being inside his home! I felt such a great connection to him treading the halls of his home.
A little Dickens anyone?
Westminster Abbey
"Wednesday was my favorite day-- got to see one of my favorite author's homes (Charles Dickens) and afterwards we went to Westminster Abbey. Now THAT was cool. Being able to stand with the graves of some of England's earliest kings and queens, famous scientists such as Newton and Darwin, and then Poet's Corner. Wow. What to even say about Poet's Corner? I can't even describe what it felt like to be physically surrounded by my favorite writers and inspirations. Charles Dickens, Wordsworth, Austen, John Locke, Coleridge, Chaucer, Handel, and Percy Shelley were just a few of the ones that were laid and honored there. Again, I could have stayed there forever. I feel their spirits and legacies resting there and inspiring young writers such as me to write and live my dreams."
London Broadway
We had the chance to see two Broadway plays while in London. I saw Les Miserables for the first time live one night, and the next night I saw my absolute favorite play: The Phantom of the Opera.
St. Paul's Cathedral
"Another London point that was my favorite was St. Paul's Cathedral. What a beautiful and spacious cathedral!--built by faithful Christians honoring Paul and God by building such a sight. I was able to climb all 575 stairs to the top and look for miles across the city of London. That sight will forever be imprinted on my mind. I was so high up that my ears popped from the elevation! I also had the chance to see William Blake's grave in the crypt which is also another one of my favorite poets. At that moment I knew I fell in love with London."
I love London! I could see for miles. By far, the best view possible in London. Anyone that travels here, go to the very top of the cathedral. It is worth it.
J.K. Rowling's London
We had the opportunity to go to the Harry Potter studio and visit some sights around London that were Harry Potter themed. In this generation, what's London without Harry Potter? Check out these fun pictures:
"No story lives unless someone wants to listen." -J.K. Rowling
Other fun places visited in London:
Piccadilly Circus
Winston Churchill Monument
Big Ben, of course.
Baker's Street
Bond street
"The name's Bond. James Bond."
The London Beatles Store
"All we need is love, love. Love is all we need."
The Millennium Bridge
The London Eye
The Globe Theater
We saw a matinee showing of Macbeth in the Globe theater. It was such an experience! The performance was excellent and so authentic.
"Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more."
Night London
London will forever be in my heart.
Stratford-Upon-Avon
I absolutely adored Stratford. I was the cutest little town ever! I defined it as quiet and romantic. Everything is named after Shakespeare. This is where Shakespeare grew up and had his family here. We saw "Hamlet" in the Royal Shakespeare theater by the company and it was fantastic! For the rest of the weekend we explored his town holding his home, Anne Hathaway's cottage, and his grave in the Holy Trinity Church:
"... even though his grave wasn't that big or glamorous, it's endearing that he paid for his entire family to be buried with him. If only he knew how he has changed the world to this day in 2013. It was cool to walk the paths he did and fall in love with his little town."
"This above all-- to thine ownself be true." -Hamlet
Oxford
Oxford was a historic and prestigious town! Holding one of the oldest colleges in Europe, it was a beautiful city with the best artifacts.
Ferry back to Ireland
"And now here I am, sailing on the Irish Sea back to lush Ireland. I was thinking on my drive through Wales today about the things I will miss most about England. I will miss the beautiful landscapes and the pristine mist in the air. I'll miss the food and how light and natural it tastes here. I'll miss hearing the Irish and English accents and trying to decipher what part of England they might be from. I'll miss the way old English folks' eyes sparkle when you smile at them. And I'll miss the connection I felt to my heritage here and the exploration of this journey I have been on. It's time for another adventure."
Last day in Dublin, Ireland
The Book of Kells and Chester Beatty Library
Last night in Dublin at Quay's Bar
My last night in Dublin was one of the most fun nights of my life. The girls in my group and I got all dressed up and went out on the town to our favorite pub we discovered our first night in Dublin three weeks previously. These musicians were playing Irish Folk music in the bar, everyone was laughing, and I danced with some Belgiums. They said I danced like a Miley Cyrus American girl, hahaha. They were so fun! Not to forget, that one of the musicians was making eyes with me and winking at me the whole night. He was so cute! We introduced ourselves: his name was Daraq (Derek in America) and he complimented me. It was one of the best nights of my life.
Final remarks
"I've been reflecting a lot about the things I have learned and seen on my adventure. I came and did what I went on this adventure to do-- I found things to marvel at, expanded my education, enhanced my skills, wrote poetry, and explored a new part of the world. I'm still the same person, but with the confidence now that I can go out and travel and do great things. I have the confidence that I can achieve my dreams and life aspirations. I have the confidence that I can make a difference, even if it's only in my own life sometimes.
I think most people get caught up in the moment and get distracted, forgetting the most important lessons to bring home. Eventually, self-confidence begins to fade and they forget that it was only that experience that made them confident. But, building on what we already have and advancing in certain aspects of our lives by exploration and discovery-- those are the lessons that last forever. That is the confidence in ourselves that continues to grow and will stay.
Coming home, I'm not going to focus on keeping the memories alive I've had over the past month. That's exhausting and a waste of time. Rather, I am going to take these experiences and use them as tools to further progress in my life and making it even richer. One dream conquered, a million more to pursue. I loved this beautiful and self-fulfilling travel I have endeavored. My eyes and heart have been opened to all the many opportunities life has to offer me. The world is so big! And how close-minded we are if we don't even feel an inch of desire to go out and discover it. Make it happen. It's so worth it. It's selfish to be content staying in our little homes and sticking to the same routine. Follow your dreams and the rest of life will follow. Cheers to a safe journey, an incredible adventure, and a beautiful world."
"She turned her can'ts into cans and her dreams into plans."
A special thank you to the support from friends and families that made this trip possible for me. I send my love and everlasting gratitude to each and every one of you. Cheers!
I love this post! So awesome!
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