Wednesday May 18

I am so bad at writing. I need to finish my Europe trip. I promise to get it done in these next two weeks. After this, I can actually update you on my normal life.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011
      Today we woke up at 4:30 am to cath the EuroRail from Paris to London. The train was very smooth. I like traveling that way. We went under the English Channel so technicially we took the "chunnel". My ears kept popping like they do on an airplane.  The French countryside was beautiful with all the little villages but it was surprising to see things like the power lines. I don't know why I thought it would be more rural than it was, but I just assumed. Silly me. 

       We went straight to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guard. It took two hours and it was not that exciting. Chantal got sick in the crowd. We had to push through tons of people  to get to a grassy area for her to throw up. She actually threw up in her mouth and had to hold it in so she didn't chuck on everyone. Poor, poor Chantal. 

        Then we went straight to Westminster Abbey. We went to mass in this little wooden paneled room and it was crazy beautiful. We even got to take communion. So beautiful and meaningful. The funny part that happened was the two priests passed around the bread first and then the wine. Except the bread priest came by me twice. I tried to motion that I had already had "the body", but  he didn't realize and so I took the body twice. I guess I was extra blessed that day. 

       Afterwards, we took the tube (subway) to Harrods and Oxford Street. It is crazy huge. I ate delicious vegetable brothy soup and bought a green silk skirt at Topshop. We also stopped at a little leather glove shop and I bought a pair of forest green leather driving gloves.

       The tube ride back to the chunnel was so incredibly crowded and hot and overwhelming. We moved two inches at a time and were almost ate to catch or EuroRail back to Paris. We made it though and passed out in our little room after eating cherries in bed.

EuroTrain station in Paris

French countryside

The only one awake in the dark chunnel. What to do? Take self portraits naturally.

Chantal and I outside Buckingham Palace.

The parade. This was about 1/8 of the crowd that eventually made it there.

Some of the girls on the trip.

They were neat for 10 minutes, but Clifton High School has better marching.

The rich people street right by Buckingham Palace. There's a huuuuuge park on the left that is beautiful. This is also the route that Will and Kate took to Westminster.

My dream house when I move to London someday.

Me in front of Westminster.

Couldn't miss this photo op.

Might have been the best meal of the trip. Vegetable soup at Harrod's Department Store.

Some pictures I stole from some of the girls. Someone captioned this one "Spice World". Haha.

One more picture. We were waiting for the group. Unfortunately, my camera battery died after Westminster, so there are no pictures of Harrods, or Oxford Street. I guess I'll just have to go back. Darn.

I promise to be better about finishing this information. I know there are a few of you who read it who would love to see exactly what I did.

But for now I need to change and head to dinner with my friend Heather.

Always,
Hannah