London: Attractions, Museums, Culture

Big Ben and
the Houses of Parliament

Westminster Abbey

Trafalgar Square

London is a great place for visiting and for visitors.  Kevin and I loved having my parents in town a while back and more recently enjoyed the company of Rusty (our brother/brother-in-law) and Corey (a dear friend).  Rusty was here long enough to travel across to Continental Europe and spend some time in Belgium but by the time Corey arrived our focus had shifted to exploring London and the surrounding area.

St. Paul's Cathedral

Tower Bridge
with HMS Belfast

Tower of London
(home of the Crown Jewels)

Corey and I took a bus tour which provided an excellent view of many 'main attractions' including Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, St. Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge, and the Tower of London.  We hopped off the bus at Buckingham Palace to get a closer look at the home of the queen.  I'd love it if MTV would do an episode of "Cribs" touring this celebrity's abode.  I understand that she has a stable that houses the royal horses, but I wonder if she has a recording studio like Snoop or an indoor basketball court like Terrell Owens.

Buckingham Palace

Victoria & Albert Museum

British Museum

Fred Perry
British tennis champion

Wimbledon Lawn and Tennis

In addition to all of the attractions to see, London has a great selection of museums.  Most of them are free, so Corey headed to the Victoria and Albert museum and the Natural History museum while Rusty toured the British museum.  Corey and I also went to the Wimbledon Lawn and Tennis museum.  It wasn't free, but it was really good and interactive.  You can test your knowledge of the game and your hand-eye coordination skills.  I was poor in both areas.  Oh well.  There was not enough time to go to the Science museum, National Gallery or National Portrait Gallery.  However, my dad brought back a very positive report on the National Portrait Gallery and the child I am working with is convinced that the Science museum is the best.  We still have a lot more to see in this city!!

Christ Church College
University of Oxford

Staircase used in
Harry Potter.

The Eagle and Child

We took one day to get out of the city and spend some time in Oxford.  Christ Church College is a popular attraction for tourists with its famous alumni (ie Lewis Carroll, John Locke, and John Wesley), well known backdrop for movies like Harry Potter, and a beautiful cathedral.  We also visited The Eagle and Child for another beer "with" the Inklings (ie CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien) and returned to Mission Burrito where you can "get the best burrito in Oxford" (AND (in our humble opinion) anywhere in England).

You can't come to London and miss out on some traditional English culture including a meal at the local pub and a phone call from a red telephone booth.  The Royal wedding has also gained loads of attention which is quite evident.

Our time with Rusty and Corey was wonderful!  We were both encouraged by their stays.  We are very blessed to have such fantastic people in our lives and we look forward to the visits of more family and friends!!

George Frideric Handel's Messiah

I've been looking forward to Good Friday for a long time.  Not only is Good Friday the beginning of my favorite holiday, Kevin and I had front row seats to a symphony at Royal Albert Hall.  It wasn't just any symphony, it was Handel's Messiah, my favorite symphony.  As a child, it played every Sunday afternoon and as an adult, the words and melody regularly echo in my mind.  Although the symphony lasts nearly three hours, there are few words.  These words summarize the gospel message including our need for Christ, his arrival on earth, death and resurrection, and our redemption.

While I could talk for hours about this profound piece of music, I'll let the words of the symphony speak for themselves:

But who may abide the day of his coming?  And who shall stand when he appeareth?  For he is like a refiner's fire.  And he shall purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

Behold!  A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel:  "God with us".  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the governement shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.  He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows!  he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him.  And with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

 

Hallelujah: for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.  The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.  King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.  Hallelujah!


I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.  For now is Christ risen from the dead, the first-fruits of them that sleep.

Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.  The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by his blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.  Blessing, and honor, glory, and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.

Amen. 

Bruges, Belgium and the Burches

Bruges, Belgium is a picturesque medieval city with cobblestone streets, canals, horse-drawn carriages, and chocolatiers.  Kevin, Rusty (Kevin's brother), and I spent a long weekend exploring this city.  We enjoyed all the finer things of life like...








fondue,

chocolate,

and beer.

We met an interesting Dutch couple on the canal ride who pointed out "tea houses" and "wall anchors".  Tea houses overlook the canals and can be enjoyed with a cup of tea when the windows are open during the summer.  Wall anchors are needed because of the water surrounding the buildings and are long steel reinforcements inserted into buildings to provide stability.  The couple also recommended that we visit the Bruges City Hall and the Red Light district of Amsterdam.  We haven't made it to either and I'm not sure that we ever will.

Wall anchors are the black stripes on the buildings
(especially seen on the maroon building).

Swan in the
"Lake of Love"

We did, however, see some of the natural beauty of Bruges.

We went from the innocence of Bruges to the horror of Breendonk.  Fort Breendonk was a concentration camp in Belgium during World War II and confined 3500 prisoners.  Around half of the 3500 prisoners did not return from camp alive.  We visited this memorial and spent more than 2 1/2 hours soberly walking through the halls of the barracks, through the kitchen, into the torture chamber and around the mote past the execution area.  The trip was a healthy reminder of what we humans are capable of.  It's awful.

German SS

Flemish SS

Gallows

Torture chamber

Our time in Belgium did not end with Breendonk as we headed a bit north to Antwerp, the final stop.  The city especially the Cathedral and the train station were a reminder of the creativity and splendor we humans have the potential to accomplish.

Mom and Dad come to town

Cardiff Bay

My parents came to visit and although Kevin and I had to work during part of their stay, we still thoroughly enjoyed the time and took advantage of their rental car.  We drove to Cardiff for a day trip to the coast and a small taste of the Welsh culture.  We found the country to be beautiful and filled with kind and friendly people.  I don't think I'll pick up the language any time soon, though.  "Hello" is simple enough with "helo", but "exit" is "ymadael" and "bathroom" is "ystafell ymolchi".  I would not like to be stuck in a place with a full bladder!

Monkfish, Halibut, and Pasta in Cardiff

The Lake District is a popular vacation destination for the English.  The area is more than 5 hours from London, but with a few days off from work, Kevin, my parents, and I made the trek up north.  The land was more beautiful than we could've expected!  The green grass was nearly iridescent with patches of white, black, and grey were the sheep could be found grazing.  There were trees, bare trees, budding trees, and trees covered with pine needles.  The lakes were absolutely breathtaking seemingly affected only by the wind and boats ruffling the surface.  There's just one thing I would change about the lake district.  The roads.  I have never seen such narrow roads in my life and they were "two-way".  Driving may not have been so bad if not for the stone walls lining the roads.  The skill it took to drive was far beyond anything my mother or I pretend to have, so my dad and Kevin were left with full responsibility. They did a fantastic job with not even a scratch to tell the tale of the treacherous roads.

 

While in the lake district, we took one day exploring the coast.  We went to Maryport, a small fishing village along the sea which boasted of a Roman museum and aquarium.  We looked at both, but decided that the outside was a sufficient enough experience and did not venture inside.  From Maryport, we headed toward Carlisle to see Hadrian's Wall (the wall built by the Romans to keep the Scotsman out of England).  Sadly, we didn't get to see the Wall, but we did set foot in Scotland and bought some chocolate.

On the way back to London, we detoured through York to see the spectacular York Minster.  The time in York was brief but beautiful.

It was wonderful to have my parents here.  I can't believe how quickly the time went.  We saw and did so many interesting things.  We even ventured into the kitchen to make scones and cupcakes, but most importantly enjoyed time with each other.  I am very fortunate to have the parents that I do.  They are models for me of loving parents and faithful christians.