Last 24 hours in London...

Well, I packed my bags and laid out my clothes last night but then headed back to the Thames Festival for some food! It's a good thing I've been walking 5-10 miles a day because I feel like I have eaten my weight at meal times.

I joined the queue (haha, line) and went up to the Southwark Bridge for the festival on the bridge. There I had an amazing toffee apple, a chorizo sandwich with roasted red pepper and greens, a chocolate chocolate chip brownie and a hot chocolate. I was sooooooooo full. The bridge was done up really cute. Half of it was covered in sand and there were beach chairs and tropical themed stalls. The other half was covered in turf and there were couches and a banquet hall set up. There were tons of different kinds of stalls from confectionaries to BBQ to brewerys to storytellers. I stayed up there for a bit and then wandered back down to the main festival.

Since I was stuffed I didn't even bother stopping at any of the other places but the smells were enough to make me want to! I got all the way back down to the London Eye where there was a really cool show going on. Six percussionist were suspended on a giant chandelier from a crane. Trapeze artists swooped and flipped below to the chimes and drums. Then bursts of red flares went off and more people were revealed dancing on platforms high above. I sat on the ground in the park and watched. By the time it was over it was nearing 10:00 and I was getting tired.

I walked back to the hostel, took a shower and fell straight to sleep. I was a tired little girl!

This morning I woke up at about 9 and checked out of my hostel. I put my bags in luggage storage and set out for the Tower of London. Before I got on the tube I stopped and had a full English Breakfast. The Brits can't make a sandwich to save their lives but they really know breakfast. I had OJ, egg, bacon, sausage, toast and baked beans for just a few pounds. Readyyyyyyyyy... I walked through the gates just in time to join a tour which led through the castle and explained what everything was along with little stories. When the tour was over I started to explore the tower. I started with the Crown Jewels. WOW. Seriously, they are so beautiful and sparkly...I envy the kings and queens who get to wear them (only every once in a while but still...). I saw Queen Elizabeth's coronation robes and all the coats of arms for each monarch since William the Conquerer.

Next I went and saw the graffiti the prisoners carved on the walls and then to the torture chambers. I saw King Henry's quarters and got a great view of Traitor's Gate and the Tower Bridge. I also saw the Tower Ravens (legend has it that if they ever leave great misfortune will befall England). Anyway, I'd satisfied my curiousity after a few hours and set off for Shakespeare's Globe.

I arrived a little too late to see the Globe as the matinee performance was already taking place. Typically the tour goes to the Rose instead which was the first theatre that Shakespeare and Marlowe composed for. Turns out, in honor of the festival, the tour of the Rose was free! I walked over and saw the excavated site. It's okay, but once was enough. Next time I am here I will definitely have to buy tickets to see a performance at the Globe.

Anyway, I was a little hungry (I know, can you believe it??) and set off walking along the festival again. I got some awesome ice cream with a flake (kind of like a stick of chocolate) from a vendor and then kept going til the Eye was in sight. There I saw a stand for banana fritters. I had to get one...it was DELICIOUS! I couldn't put one more thing in my stomach though so I decided it was time to get out before I ate more just because it smelled good!

I leave in an hour or so for Liverpool Street, then a bus to London Stansted, then Ryanair to Shannon, then back to JFK...then I drive back to Columbus!! A lot of traveling ahead of me in the next couple days but it will be nice to be back home! I'll be sad to say good-bye but there's so much I didn't get to do I have no choice but to come back!!