I've made it!!!

Ahoy!
So the flight to England was long, tiring and really not that great, but hey, I figure you get that! Above is out of the window at Doha International Airport, figured you needed to see how dusty and hazy in was in the air!! Being in England is such a thrill that the trying flights were worth it. So much has happened in just a day and a half. I've met two Aussie, both staying in the same room as me, who seem pretty cool. The place I'm staying in is The Green Man - a refurbished pub which now has a hostel over the bar, and the character of this place is just awesome! People are very mellowed, and the pub is a CLASSIC English pub!Today I went on a tour of London with Premium Tours. But my day really started with me getting lost in the back streets, lanes and alleys of London! There is some very fancey, very expensive where I got lost! However, I did find this old church... and when I figure out how to upload, I will do so, but for now, just imagine it - it was beautiful!

In any case about the tour, I'd go on another tour of theirs any day, it was well worth it! The day started with a boat trip down the River Thames, to The Tower of London. The stories of murder, betrayal, mystery and treason are soo fascinating! I didn't get to look at everything in lots of detail, but I did manage to go into the white castle, and see the armour of Henry the Eighth, and walked past the Traitor's Gate, where traitors to the crown were brought through to be executed! And in the Bloody Tower, it is said that two princes were murdered by their uncle (I think) and now haunt the tower.

At the Tower of London is the Jewel Tower, where the crown jewels of the British Royal Families is on display. Unfortunately we couldn't take photos, so sorry. They were quite exquisite... I'm still more of a silver fan, however some of the jeweled crowns were absolutely stunning! Also, I saw the ravens of the Tower of London. The belief that if they should ever leave the tower is a strange one. In any case, they cannot leave, their wings are clipped to stop them from flying away, poor things... and all for a superstition... (There have always been ravens at the Tower of London, and some are usually seen strutting about Tower Green. They are unfriendly and it is unwise to touch or feed them. Their wings are clipped so that they cannot fly away. A curious superstition dating from the time of Charles II prophesises that when there are no longer ravens in the Tower both the White Tower and the British Commonwealth will fall.)

After the Tower of London, we went and saw the changing of the guard - the Royal Guards who guard the monarch, who in this case is Queen Elizabeth II. It was very strict, and yet they are sooo funny to watch! The Royal Guard (and the British) really know how to stand on ceremony! We stuck around after they returned to the barracks, and took a couple of photos, watching soldiers jump when their commanding officer started screaming at them practically!


We had a very short stop over to take a few snappys of Westminster Abbey and all the statues and icons around it. Then we dropped off the half day tourists at Trafalgar Square, and went on to St Paul's Cathedral. Before we went on our tour, we went to lunch. One of the ladies on the tour (whom I was lunching with) almost lost her wallet to some miscreant little deviant, who opened her bag so sneakily she didn't even feel it. However, a passing stranger and his wife caught this deviant in the act! So the lady got her wallet back! And we had lunch with Ray and his wife Shafe.


Again, not allowed to take photographs in St Paul's, however a photo wouldn't describe it properly. This in one thing you need to see to feel! The dome, the sheer size and decoration and beauty in this building is honestly just breathe taking! The detail in the art work - which was rejected 3 times by men who had to approve the design, is just amazing! Queen Mary however, thought it was a boring building, and ensured mosaics and statues went into the cathedral, which suited the architect fine as he wanted to have that beauty in the first place.
And lastly, the London Eye - eclipsed only by the ferris wheel in Singapore, the London Eye is still just amazing! It took half an hour to go around, and I think I got some ok photos of Big Ben and the House of Parliament. And then back to The Green Man, using the Underground - this way of travel is very fast and really fun!

However, now for the time being, I am very tired - its 9.10pm and I need to go to bed! I am soo tired STILL!!!

Kael