Our week in London flew by! But, at the same time, by the end of the trip I was so comfortable navigating the city that it felt like we had been there for months. I think this was largely due to all the preparation we did prior to leaving. Before we even left Columbus, I knew what restaurants to eat at what tube stop to get off at. Being so well prepared enabled me to start experiencing the city right away, and not have to spend too much time getting acclimated.
One of the main reasons I decided to go to London was because I heard great things about their combination of historical and modern architecture. I was not disappointed! I think the city has done a great job blending the old with the new. The new buildings are designed to complement their neighboring historic sites. One of the things that surprised me the most was their attention to St. Paul’s Cathedral. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of attention new buildings paid to St. Paul’s. Many buildings were situated so as to frame the view of St. Paul’s. The One New Change Mall left an opening so that when visitors ride the glass elevator, they are able to admire St. Paul’s all the way up. The “Cheese-grater” was given its famous slant so that it wouldn’t block St. Paul’s.
From Stonehenge, to the all the contemporary high-rises, the architecture I was able to experience over the course of one week was some of the best I have ever seen. This week is one that I will not soon forget!