Visiting an English-speaking country was very refreshing. Ordering a sandwich was suddenly easy. I could even read street signs and historical inscriptions! It felt like I was closer to home. It just didn’t feel as foreign.
Though, you could definitely tell it wasn’t America. The most obvious signs were the British accents and that people drove on the wrong side of the road. Also, their vernacular was very different. For instance:
- “Tube” = Subway
- “Coach” = Bus
- “Leads” = Wires
- “Chips” = Fries
The word “love” was also widely used. Either in “sorry love,” “hello love,” or “lovely day.” Also the word “fancy” such as “Fancy an ice cream?” I love their sayings and vocabulary. It just made my day.
As expected, it was very cloudy and rainy in London. To stay warm and dry, Ryan and I went to inside attractions, bought the Hop-On Hop-Off bus tour, and saw multiple performances.
We saw all of London on the Hop-On Hop-Off bus tour, but the only attractions we really explored were the Tower of London and the British Museum. The Tower of London was definitely my favorite. The history of the castle was very interesting, including how high status prisoners were treated and the exotic zoo kept in one of the towers. It was really cool. We didn’t wait in line to see the crown jewels because we had other plans, but we did see the old crowns without their jewels.
Another one of my favorite moments in London was meeting some of the cast members from “Six: The Musical.” It was nominated for Best Musical this year, and the show did not disappoint. It was so fun! I totally geeked out when I met a few of them in person, especially my favorite cast member. And I got their signatures!! It was quite a surreal moment.
Ryan and I also geeked out when we got to pose for the 9 3/4 platform. It was definitely worth the wait. Both of us were very giddy afterwards. We also really enjoyed watching “A Comedy About A Bank Robbery.” Their acting, the sets, and the songs were incredible! I never laughed so hard at a play before.
Here are a few other observations I had about London and British culture:
- Londoners are NOT afraid to cross the street. They’re like Portlanders but with umbrellas.
- The British are very to the point and open to talking about any topic in public. Really anything.
- Theater is a HUGE aspect of London’s culture.
- Lots of monarch history represented. Multiple buildings, streets, and even their currency reference their past monarchs.
- Definitely Oregon weather in London. Does sunlight even exist?
- Double-decker buses!
- Old phone booths!
- The buildings didn’t really have sharp corners, but rounded ones with windows and platforms. They were sooooooo cute!
Enjoy these pictures of my adventures! This next weekend, I’m mainly staying in Prague but I’ll also be taking a day trip to Dresden. Expect more travel stories soon!
Ryan and I arrive in London! 
Me, the River Thames, and the Tower Bridge 
Ryan and I on the London Hop-On Hop-Off bus tour 
Me in the National Gallery Plaza (Trafalgar Square) 
We watched the “Mousetrap,” a murder mystery, for Halloween 
Ryan and I in the theater of the “Mousetrap” 
Ryan and I about to in to the Tower of London 
View of the River Thames and the Tower Bridge from the Tower of London 
The tower where the Crown Jewels are kept. Cute guards! 
Me in front of the White Tower, the oldest tower from the Tower of London (13th Century) 
Big Ben! Very… underwhelming 
River Thames and the London Eye at night 
“Six: The Musical” cast members! Three of them from the original cast! They were FABULOUS! 
Me and “Howard” from “Six: The Musical.” She’s my favorite character 😀 
Found a telephone booth! (Wasn’t too difficult to find) 
Heading off to Hogwarts! 
For some reason, the wall wouldn’t let us in initially. We had to push a bit for it us to pass through 
The Parthenon in the British Museum 
The Rosetta Stone in the British Museum
From Portland to Prague 
Fascinating stuff! Thanks for sharing!
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