To Live will be an Awfully Big Adventure: "Can We Take This to the Cricket Match?"

So, I am totally loving hearing the random sentences that pop out of people's mouths as I pass by on the streets of London. This has to be my favorite part of walking places, and people watching. You never know what someone might spout out at just the right moment! The first thing I heard was "can we take this to the cricket match?" in the most posh British accent I had heard yet. It just seemed so innately British, that I couldn't help but giggle!

On Saturday we had orientation in the morning where we learned about some of the awesome places we are going to visit for class during the month. This trip is so exciting because we get to actually see some of the libraries across England and Scotland and talk to professionals, and in some places we get to visit libraries that aren't open to the public! This is probably super nerdy to most of you readers, but to us few, proud librarian-folk, it is a wonderful opportunity! I won't share with you readers the places that we are going to surprise you, but I will tell you they will be AWESOME!

After the class and program orientations, a group of the LIS students went to get lunch and wander around until the next neighborhood tours started. We went back down to Gabriel's Wharf and had some fancy pizza at Gourmet Pizza Company. By the time we left it had started raining, and I forgot my umbrella back in the room, thankfully the rain was fairly short and light (this time) that we could make it back to the dorm before the tours started without becoming drenched.

My new friend Lindsay and I decided to go on the tour led by the World War II professor. We walked around the London Eye, over Westminster Bridge, toward Parliament and Big Ben (or Queen Elizabeth's Tower as it's called now), around Westminster Abbey, down by Downing Street, around to St. James Palace, and finally toward Trafalgar Square where the tour ended (I'll post pics below!).

After the tour, Lindsay and I began our trek back to the dorm but decided we were starving, we ate at a wonderful italian restaurant under a bridge near Waterloo Station. The fact that there are restaurants and shops under the bridges is such a neat thing!

After dinner, we walked toward Waterloo Bridge (Which is in the opposite direction from the dorm that the station is) and got some frozen yogurt from a neon pink food truck called SNOG (pics below).

We walked with our yogurt down the river toward Millennium Bridge, but didn't cross it or cross under it. I found out later that had we, we would have seen the Globe theatre! Drat!

Here are some photos of the day!

From under the London Eye

Parliament and Queen Elizabeth Tower

The Queen's Gate: This is the gate that the Queen enters when she opens Parliament each season. Only the Queen is allowed to enter this way. This picture definitely doesn't do the gold justice!