Parks

“Junkyard of Stuff We Don’t Know Where to Put”

London was incredible. Despite a lot of uncertainty with the COVID-19 pandemic, the trip was a major success, eye-opening, and very engaging. As a major city within Europe, it is definitely a capital of the world, not just of England. It was a trip filled with new experiences. I was able to do things I never thought I would. We were able to pack so much into one week, but it still wasn’t enough time to see it all. Some of my favorite experiences include the view from the Shard, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Kew Gardens, Stonehenge, Transport Museum, and seeing Mamma Mia at a local theatre. This list doesn’t even scratch the surface of all the things we got to see and do. Even though there are similarities between the United Kingdom and the United States, there is so much history and culture that we got to immerse in that was different. One of the most mind-blowing things was seeing the tomb of Elizabeth and Mary. So much history surrounds Londoners on a daily basis, it almost doesn’t seem real. For example, seeing the Roman wall was insane and it didn’t seem fathomable that something so old still existed. I was extremely impressed with how history is so fluidly involved in everyday life there. Another thing that amazed me was the Underground system. Public transportation is generally underdeveloped within the United States, especially when compared to other countries in the world. Although it was dirty, to be able to traverse anywhere in the city with the tap of a card was freeing, and I could not help but wish we had such a system here. The United States may have developed much differently than London, but it is my hope that an efficient and effective public transportation system can be instituted. It was interesting to see how London sprawls and maintains its level of density within the context of historical landmarks and other major nodes. Lastly, I would be remiss not to mention that the people really made the trip special. Whether it was Casey making a guard laugh on duty, Jeff explaining why Disney is not nearly as good as Universal, or Blake’s general pursuit of ice cream, getting to know everyone on the trip and exploring the city together was special. Traveling to London has been one of the best experiences of my life, and I cannot wait to make my way back to the city someday—ideally not during a global pandemic.

Also, one of my favorite quotes: (in reference to Westminster Abbey) “A junkyard of stuff we don’t know where to put” -Blue Badge Guide

 

Palm House at Kew Gardens

Some of the disused stations along Tube lines

View from the Shard

Can We Just Go Back?

This London trip was a trip I’ll never forget and now that I am home I just cannot wait to go back. One thing I noticed since being back was how much more calm the UK was about the virus and now being home I see just how crazy it is here. Anyways, my favorite moments from the trip were St. Paul’s, Greenwich, Westminster, and the shard. St. Paul’s and Westminster were stunning with there amazing amounts of history and detail that were just mind-blowing. Greenwich was amazing with its combination of stunning architecture and amazing greenery. The views from the observatory were well worth the steep hike up to the top even though it meant giving up some time in the Queen’s House. Finally, I felt that the shard was an amazing way to end the trip as we got to look back over everything we had seen throughout our trip and really made me reflect and appreciate our time in London. The entire trip in general made me love city of London and I hope to one day go back and who knows, I would now after this trip consider even living and working there as well which would create even more amazing memories in that city.

St. Paul’s Choir

View from the observatory at Greenwich

View from the shard

My favorite day in London

My favorite day on this trip has to be Thursday. We started the day with Hyde Park and it seemed like it would be a miserable rainy day, but that quickly changed. Once we got to the Princess Diana Memorial, the weather began to change and the sun came out. At first I wasn’t overly excited about the memorial because I was disappointed that we we’re visiting on a cold winter day instead of a warm summer day where we can put our feet in the water and hangout. However, when the sun began to come out, it seemed much warmer and was a great time for pictures. We then made our way to Kew gardens and saw some great landscapes. It became more cloudy and a bit colder which made the Palm house and the Temperate House even more exiting. The warmth of the greenhouses and the beautiful vegetation that you don’t normally find in Ohio made the cold walk around the gardens worth it. I ended the day by seeing Mamma Mia live with Elizabeth and Catherine. I have been obsessed with Mamma Mia since I was little and have always wanted to see the Broadway show. We were able to get cheap seats close to the stage, and seeing it in London made the experience very special. I got some great pictures and memories on Thursday and it will stand out as the best day on my first trip to London.

Mamma Mia selfie

Princess Diana Memorial

Kew Gardens Palm House

A Take On Stonehenge

Our visit to Stonehenge was one thing that I looked forward to the most out of everything we had planned on this trip. When we arrived at the parking lot, the stones were nowhere in site, but a short bus trip down the road revealed the stones slowly as we went over the hill. It was a windy and rainy day, but that did not stop me from taking in the amazing view of the stones that stood in front of me. In my sketch I wanted to capture the massing of the stones and how they relate to each other in size and shape. I also wanted to capture the different shades of darkness, which included shadows and natural darkening of the stones. Luckily I had a lot of time on the site and I was able to capture most of the details with out having to use a picture. Finishing the sketch on site meant I had to sit in the rain to get it done, but it was worth it!

Stonehenge Shenanigans

Quick sketch of Stonehenge

Our visit to Stonehenge at the end of a long day was unfortunately pretty rainy and windy. I was able to get a rough outline while on the site, and then I was able to add details and color later on from a photo. My goal with this sketch was to capture the texture and shadows of the stones, which I think I accomplished pretty well. I do wish I had more time on site to complete the drawing instead of referencing a photo. I’m glad I chose to use color for this sketch, I think it adds some more description and depth.