Solo Excursion!!

The next few posts are a little backwards because I typed them on Steph's computer to save time at the Internet place!

Sunday morning a few of us went to church with Gammon. We attended the 10:00 service at St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields on Trafalgar Square. It was a beautiful church with an awesome decorative ceiling with gold trim all around and handsome dark benches. They have a great choir, too. I loved the reverend’s message; it was about getting rid of our prejudices and accepting everyone as he or she is intended to be no matter their ethnicity, race, gender, orientation, or status. He did a great job.

Then we checked out the café in the crypt. It was pretty cool, but I was hoping for more of an historic experience—I think the café took some of the specialness away from it. Where are the coffins and cobwebs people?!

After church I headed over to the National Portrait Gallery for my first solo excursion. I had planned on seeing some other things, but it was right across the street. I checked out the ENTIRE top floor—Tudors, and 17th thru early 18th centuries—and I was EXHAUSTED!! Despite my fatigue, everything was pretty impressive. Some things included the absolutely tiny sketch of Jane Austen by her sister (likely the only picture of her done while she was alive), the Tudors, the unfinished portrait of William Wilberforce, one gigantic painting called something like “The Trial of the Queen”—the name is misleading, but it contained something like 130+ people, most of whom could be identified—and another huge painting. I can’t remember the name of that one, but it was about some guy who collapsed during session in the House of Lords. That one also had a ghastly amount of identifiable people. It was awesome! Oh—and one of a guy who reminded me of Colin Firth, the actor. Cutie!

So I was exhausted and super hungry when I left around 2:30, but decided to walk around Trafalgar Square… Then I checked out a book shop… Then I walked around St. James’s Park a little bit… And then I finally decided I’d better head home before I collapse! :D So I did, made lunch, and took a nice nap.

When I woke up, Steph, Kelsey, and I made some portable dinners and took them to Kensington Gardens—a longer walk than I had anticipated. It was nice, though, and we sat in front of the enormous Albert Memorial and then wandered around a little bit before heading home.