Tuesday was primarily a class day. The day began with a tour of Westminster Abbey, which I truly enjoyed. I do not know what I expected the building to look like, but I was surprised to see it. I found it to be truly neat to see a building full of amazing people through history. I made sure to stand on Stephen Hawking and Charles Dickens, since those are two individuals buried there that I find to be particularly marvelous. There is so much history regarding the royal family and accomplished individuals in Westminster Abbey. As I was walking through, I kept thinking about how these people will never be forgotten. The London Eye was nothing special, but it was still fun to ride and have the elevated views of the city. I had a lovely lunch of pumpkin buns and brussel sprout tempura, which ended up being the best meal I had in London. The Royal Society was also fascinating. My tour guide was knowledgeable and passionate about the subject matter. One must be truly gifted to be a part of that organization. I enjoyed seeing the pictures of the many famous people that were a part of it at various points in time, such as Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Winston Churchill, and Stephen Hawking. It was also cool to see old artifacts, such as drawings, letters, and telescopes, all of which were pivotal in the shaping of science today. I always wonder what will shape the future of science and culture during my lifetime, but obviously that is impossible to predict. After this, I briefly stopped by Buckingham Palace and then made my way back to Twinings to get more tea before the group dinner at an Indian restaurant. After dinner, I went to see Mousetrap, which is a murder mystery written by Agatha Christie. I chose this play, because it is the West End’s longest running show, as it has been showing in London since 1952. I wanted to chose a show that was appropriate for the setting and this seemed to be the best option for that! The play was entertaining and had a good story line, but naturally I cannot spoil the ending.
