Getting Lost on Purpose

     Today my program took us on a boat trip to Greenwich, from which we were able to explore on our own (which included finding our way back home independently).  This program has given us the tools we will need to live in London so far, and encourages us to learn the city by ourselves and at our own pace.  


     On the River Thames we saw a great deal of beautiful sights.  Here are a few photos I took:

I love Big Ben.  Prepare for more photos.

The London Eye.

Tower Bridge.  Again, Prepare for more photos to come.

Such as this one: a closer view.

I just loved this picture.  It COULD have been taken anywhere, but it was taken on the River Cruise as we were passing Canary Wharf, right before Greenwich, so it counts as a London photo.

This piece of art is called the Millennium Man.  It is just a bunch of twisted metal, and yet you can see the outline of a man in the center.  I thought it was pretty neat.

And these are some other pictures I took during the rest of my day:

I don't know which way I'm going!  This is me, walking the Prime Meridian in Greenwich.  Am I in the East, or in the West?  Maybe both?  Or perhaps neither?

This is Trafalgar Tavern.  It is a Victorian pub where William Gladstone and Charles Dickens used to eat.  They unfortunately are the only ones who could AFFORD to eat there, so we ate elsewhere (which was not that much cheaper in the long run).

I had to take a  picture of this statue.  One thing I have quickly noticed about people in Britain, is that they feel obligated to answer your inquiries on how to get somewhere, even if they have no idea where the place is themselves.  They tend to say "carry on down the road; you can't miss it."  But oh yes you can, and most likely will, since chances are it's not there.

When we were looking for Trafalgar Tavern after circling Greenwich, we asked for directions.  We were given the most specific directions I think I've ever received, which included that there would be a statue of Nelson on our way (not as if we had any clue who that was or what he'd look like).  What did we see on the pathway?  This statue, with the name plate "Nelson."

Not terribly interesting, but I was shocked nonetheless on the thoroughness.

After Greenwich we explored.  I wanted to go to Belsize Park, where one of my favorite directors was rumored to have lived a few years ago.  I figured it would be a place to see if someone with that kind of money chose to take up residency there.

I have never had such a difficult time getting somewhere in my life!

It seemed simple enough: there was a Tube (aka Underground or subway), stop named after the location.  Unfortunately, the only line that went through there was down for maintenance.  In preparation for the Olympics, in edition to normal maintenance, there is a lot of closures, particularly on the weekends.

I had to use the buses instead.  They are more difficult to figure out than the Tube, but more predictable (if you understand them).  Long story short, it took me much longer to get there than I had planned on, and almost as long to get back.  

The benefit?  I had the chance to see a great deal of London I would not have otherwise ventured to.

     Today was fun, if not unproductive.  Tomorrow we are going to the market, and I may be doing something I've always wanted to do.  Stay tuned!