Today we went to the Tower of London for our first field trip of the semester. It was rather exciting, and the bus ride there was pretty fun, seeing some of the English countryside and random towns tucked into valleys. Nothing like the US. We also got a quick tour around London while we navigated our way to the tower, though it was hard to see some of the things are professor pointed out from where I was sitting in the bus. I loved walking along the cobblestone paths, seeing a piece of history that is so often referenced to. The original White Tower was built by William the Conqueror, and the castle has been expanded over the centuries as various monarchs desired.
At the same time the place was a little disappointing. While it was amazing to be in a building older than our country, oftentimes it was hard to get the feel of wonder that so much has happened here. A lot of places, like the scaffolds and execution blocks, are gone. While the tour guide talked about how this was a place where kings and queens walked, of the various uses the buildings have seen, of the lives lost on these very spots, it is awe inspiring. Yet as you look around yourself, now there are gift shops and museum displays that just seem to take the authenticity of the place. There were times it felt more like I was at an exhibition at the Field rather than the Tower of London itself. While it was awesome to be there, it often was hard to get a sense of just how old the place is and all the important events that have taken place there. The ice skating rink on the front lawn definitely did not help.
After we got in the front gate and were left to our own devices, the first thing a group of 10 of us did was go for food, since we really hadn't gotten breakfast. It was just like a food court at any museum, though a little more compact. How we managed to get a table for 10 people is beyond me. Then we went to the guided tour, and had a little photoshoot while we were waiting. Our tour guide was pretty funny. It's very cool that he gets to live and work in the tower, though after 27 years of military service I'd say he earned it. Then we went into the chapel where several kings and queens are buried. I had to warn one of the girls in our group no photos before she got in trouble, but it was a very cool building. Then we checked out some of the rooms where people were held prisoner, and took plenty of pictures of the wall carvings.
Next was the Crown Jewels, which were amazing. Unfortunately it felt a bit like a Disney attraction, where you got to watch videos of Elizabeth II's coronation and about the crown jewels before you actually got into the vault where they are held. They are almost indescribable. Crowns, swords, and scepters made of solid gold and every inch coated in diamonds. Then there was the African Eye, the world's largest uncut diamond, which is bigger than an egg. I mean, just one little diamond off the crowns is what most women get for their engagement, and there were at least 10 of them. The last one on display was created for George V when he was crowned Emperor of India in 1911, was worn the once, and hasn't been used since. That's a hundred years this solid piece of gold laced with diamonds and other precious stones has sat around. Awe-inspiring, sickening, and what do I have to do to be royalty?
Afterwards we went into the White Tower, the oldest part of the castle. While very cool to walk around a medieval building full of suits and armor, again it lost some of the effect with the modern museum set-up. Very cool, but really not what I flew across the Atlantic to see. Also, they whitewash the building every 40 years or so, and they're just finishing the last wall, which was covered in tarps, and should be taken down by mid-January. Go figure. Though if you look at some recent pictures, the tower was looking more brown than white, so I guess it is necessary.
Finally, the girls had to go the bathroom which had a long line, and we had to be back at the bus soon, so I went to run through the Medieval Palace myself. Very cool, extremely barren and authentic looking, and big. Kindof had to rush, so I really didn't get to read the placards, but I did get some nice pictures(Yes, I'm one of those camera tourists who detracts from the authenticity, whatever). At the end was Salt Tower, which looked kind of big, so I skipped it since I was short on time. Got back to the bus, and most of us tried to sleep on the way back. Driving out of London was cool, the Eye was all lit up, though I couldn't get a good picture of it. London is a very interesting city, with some very modern architecture, some dilapidated old buildings from rebuilding after WWII, and then some that with one look are obviously centuries older.
Unfortunately I really started to fall asleep right before Oxford, so we arrived just at my most tired. Anyway, because we got back 7PM GMT, all the grocery stories were closed, and no one wanted to go to a sit-down, so I ended up going to McDonalds. Just wanted a db cheeseburger and a shake, but the place was a disaster. Didn't have any of the order of a US one. There were two guys running registers, the guys in back were really slow making the food, and while the crowd was small when I got there, and was rather big when I left. I also had to wait 15 minutes for my food, everyone who ordered me already had theirs, so I got a free drink for the wait. These seems to be becoming a common thing in England for me. Hopefully it doesn't extend beyond this weekend.
Anyway, got back, ate, through my trash out in the kitchen so it wouldn't smell up the room, stopped in the common room and watch Dogma with people for a while before deciding to call it quits for the night. Shower, this and AIM, and hopefully bed soon. Early morning again tomorrow.
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