Borough Market and Big Benny

Yesterday was spent eating, walking, and taking pictures.  Three really great things.  We had the whole day to ourselves so we decided to check out Borough Market.  We left the centre and when we got to the tube station we realized none of us knew how to get there.  This may or may not have been the first time this happened...(we keep leaving thinking someone knows how to get there and then that someone actually thinks you are the one that knows and you don't.)  Thanks to Chelsea's map of London and our incredible innate navigational skills we finally found Borough Market.  It is filled with tons of food vendors and tons of people.

Times this by 6 to get an idea of how big the market really is.
And the whole thing is packed like this.  It is crazy.

CHEESE HEAVEN

One of my favorite things so far about London has been the cool things you find as you are walking to get places.  On our way back to the tube, we found these adorable umbrellas and ivy covered wall.

Modeling real good as usual

After the market, on our way to the next adventure, there was a massive down pour.  If I had to describe the weather in London in one word, I would say: INCONSISTENT. Sun comes out, jacket off, breeze, jacket on, sun out again, jacket off, really warms up, so glad to be in a dress, then it lightly sprinkles, jacket on, sun comes out, rain stops, jacket off, down pour of the century suddenly, jacket on, run for cover, soaking wet, sun comes out, heats up, jacket off.  All of that the span of a few hours. 

Rain jackets.  The best investment ever.

We visited the London Eye, Big Ben, Westminster, and Parliament Square to see all the iconic buildings and sights.  This area was swarming with tourists.  I mean technically we are tourists too but we are living here for almost 2 months so we are level 2 maybe even level 3 tourists unlike all the level 1 tourists we saw.  

Big Ben

Hey Benny

The London Eye

Later Saturday night we took a walk around Kensington Gardens.  It is part of Hyde Park and is literally just down the street from where we live.  It is so beautiful.  Walking through the park has been one of my favorite things to do so far.  Kensington Palace is located in the park and is home to William, Kate and Baby Prince George.  Ya like I'm living a street away from Royals...it's whatever.

I think they accidentally locked us out.   Weird right?
 I mean Chels and I belong with the Royals.  Just look at us.

Loving London

We finally made it to London and ever since we arrived it has been go, go, go! As part of our study abroad we have to take a class called London Walks (yes we kinda forgot that this is called a STUDY abroad and we have to take these things called classes and now realize how not cool that is). This course requires us to take specific walks around the city that teaches us about the historical and noteworthy parts of London.  It has been a lot of fun walking around and getting to know London.  I have loved seeing these great monuments that I have stared at countless times in pictures.

In front of the London Centre.  It is so beautiful!

Outside the wall of the Tower of London

Adorable blue door in the Tower of London

Tower of London Bridge

Lola's cupcakes in Spitalfields Market

SO YUMMY!
Yes mom. I checked to make sure I wasn't allergic
to them.  Don't worry.

So many cute blue doors here.  I'm in love.

Only took going in to 6 different stores to
finally find blessed mother mary Dr. Pepper.

Okaaay so apparently this is the Tower of London Bridge....Not the London Bridge.
The London Bridge is some lame little bridge that is just some road over the Thames River that is
just in front of us in this picture.
Who knew?
(See I'm learning so much)

Watching Wimbledon outside of Liverpool Station 

Just two days and we have walked miles and miles and have had so much fun!  I am so excited to continue to get to know London even better.  I mean we are practically masters of the tube and starting to say random things with British accents.

Just Get Us To London

Well. All I can say is things don't always go as planned. I will spare you the whinny sob story I could spit out of how United Airlines transferred us, made us miss three planes, left us stranded in Chicago over night, and will make us late for class in London.  Trust me, you don't want me to get started.  All I know is there is a silver lining to every situation.  Yes, it was very difficult to see find that last night in all the panic of trying to figure out what to do but after a momentary break down/freak out, everything is just fine.  I knew this study abroad would be an adventure, I just didn't expect it to be this adventure.  But it is an adventure nonetheless. I'm sitting in the Chicago airport blogging.  Two things I never thought I would do.

First arriving at the Salt Lake Airport

Waiting on the runway for an hour and a half 

Wednesday morning at the Chicago airport

So we are back on our way.  We will get to London on Thursday morning at 6:45 am.  It will be about 42 hours of traveling, but at least we get to go to London.  and I feel pretty lucky about that.