jeremy in london!

i traveled over 8,000 miles for this photo, and the story behind it is just as special as the memory this photo will give me to last the rest of my life.  my quest in london above all else was to see the parliament building and the famous clock tower big ben and it all begin with a simple trip on the bus.

victoria tower stands at the south end of the house of parliament and the house of  lords.  it is an enormously impressive structure with britains flag flying high above its top

i boarded from streatham hill, a small town in south london enroute to the middle of the city.  the hustle and bustle of the city began to grow as we approached the city center and passengers began squeezing tighter and tighter inside the iconic big, red double decker.  little did the bus driver know as he commanded each rotation of the wheels on the bus, that my heart began to pound ever more rigorously as we came closer and closer to our destination...

the steps of lambeth bridge, victoria tower peeks through in the background

and then, suddenly it happened.  as we made our way through a tunnel, a sight these eyes have waited to see for a lifetime began to slowly apparate on the other end...the london skyline presented itself to me in an act of true british magic. the emotions burst out of me in a wide, face splitting smile that i couldnt and wouldnt hold back in the slightest...

the house of parliament,  commons and big ben light up londons skyline.

all the many things i had the opportunity to experience in the city of london are too numerous to try and express here now.  the moments i have wifi access are usually short, and i wouldnt want it any other way! so please allow the following photos to express what i do not have time to put into words  :)

buckingham palace!  i was told i just missed seeing the formal papers on display announcing the new royal baby

windsor castle was my london day trip:  its the oldest active castle in the world and also the official residence of the queen!  this is a view of the castles dry moat

the gardens of windsor as well as the many other activities it takes to maintain a castle helped to develop the town of windsor that sits just outside the castle walls

gaurds patrol the grounds of windsor.  here they were on their way to replace one soldier from his post

my wonderful host kamila took me for drinks at her favorite pub waxy o'connors, it was a castle all in its own with atleast 15 different rooms and levels with little nooks everywhere!  never seen anything like it!

a special thank you to my friend jack for showing me what a night on the town in london is all about, a true english pub crawl!  and also to my amazing host kamila!  my experience in london was better than anything i could have hoped for and so much of that is due to you and your hospitality, thank you!

tomorrow i am off to paris, the city of romance & love and theres no telling what might happen  ;)  i am truly sad to be leaving the uk.  I face the unknown in each new day that comes and i welcome the excitment this inspires in my soul. i find myself in awe of the deeply rich culture that europeans possess...cheers london, bonjour paris!

stay tuned for the second stop of my european tour, paris france  

thanks for reading!

- j