Day 1, 16 November 2013, London

“Finnair might be going on strike.” That was what Ms K told us, one day before the actual flight. We were concerned if this meant that the long anticipated trip will be postponed or even cancelled. Fortunately, that same evening, we were notified that our flight had been changed to Singapore Airlines.  It became a 13 hour long journey to London and this direct flight helped us to reduce the time we would otherwise spend transiting in Helsinki. The workbook we received and the entertainment provided also helped us to kill time during the journey there, but I’m assuming most of us indulged in the latter.

After checking in at Changi Airport and clearing Immigration, we were asked to write down our own reflections regarding London, and I am sure that we all felt excited to set off to London. Afterall, we have all heard much about the wonders of London.  Of course, most of us felt bad leaving our loved ones behind, but it is just temporary.

Once we arrived at 0530, we could almost immediately pick up our luggage as the queue in the customs was not long. The long journey was worth it, because when we all went outdoors into the cold, some of us could wear our winter clothing for the first time and we got to see our own breaths turn into mist. The weather was also very chilly, which refreshed me at first with a ‘high’ temperature of four degrees expected today.

Once the coach arrived, we boarded it. At Knightsbridge/Kensington, Sean, our Blue Badge Tour Guide, joined us. It was enjoyable listening to him, but the jetlag made us really tired, which probably explained why we were not so participative today. Anyway, his humour made it easier for us and he pointed out several iconic sights to us such as the Royal Park and Hyde Park. We also made a photo stop at the infamous Royal Albert Hall which is well-known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941.

Subsequently, the next photo-stop was at Buckingham Palace. Thankfully, it was not so crowded, which allowed us to roam and explore the entire area without a frenzied crowed.  At this point, some of us were surprised to find that in reality Buckhingham Palace appears smaller than it does on screen. 

After that, Sean brought us for a short walk through St. James Park. Personally, I find it amazing that such lush green can be found in such a concrete jungle. It surely serves as a stark contrast to the rest of urban London. Additionally, fowl and squirrels can be seen there.  It truly is important to maintain such green lungs and keep them accessible as such spaces can give Londoners a sense of solitude amidst the hectic lifestyle.

  

After that, we trekked over to Westminster Abbey where we were introduced to the gothic-inspired architecture which did not fail to leave us awe-struck.  From its towering Norman masonry to the secluded magnificence of its cloisters, Westminster Abbey is an architectural masterpiece.  We were told that the early builders created the famous vaulted ceiling in such a way  that it makes the visitors look up the ceiling, as if they were  looking up to God.

At the Abbey’s entrance, there is also a tribute to an unknown soldier, known as the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, to institute a common memory of all the unknown soldiers who got killed in war. Interestingly, as a mark of respect, Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton had to make her way around the grave stone during her wedding procession, as it is the only one in the ancient building that no one is allowed to walk on.

Coincidentally, to commemorate Armistice Day, we also passed by another memorial site, where soldiers who died in war was commemorated with poppies placed in the ground. I felt nothing but respect and somber for these young soldiers who died for their country.

After this, we headed to the Tower of London, where we had our first London lunch at EAT. as a group.  For approximately five pounds, we could purchase a mexican chicken wrap, a crayfish and rocket sandwich or even a piping hot chicken noodle soup.  We even had some change leftover for snacks. We also saw a fish & chips shop nearby. The interesting thing was that it did not have tables for the customers as it is a ‘grab-and-go’ meal, which is, as Sean mentioned, “a part of the Londoners’ culture”.

Back to the tour, the Tower of London is a historic castle and fortress on the banks of the Thames River known for its prison as well as its bloody past.  

Paradoxically, the tower was never supposed to be a prison. It was originally built by William the Conqueror to keep people out of the tower but once it was discovered that the tower was just as effective at keeping people in, it was used as a Prison.  We also visited the Wakefield Tower, where we learnt  various, gruesome stories about the torture methods as well as the tale of Richard III dictating that two boy princes be killed so he could succeed the throne.  As much as we enjoyed visiting, we could not help but wonder if the blatant commercialization from the beefeaters impersonators to the numerous souvenir shops serves to preserve the rich history or cheapen it.

After that, we hopped on the Coach and had a drive-by tour passing by The Inns of Court, Embankment and Big Ben en route to the Houses of Parliament. 

Here, we had to undergo a thorough security check before we could enter. Then, we discovered from our animated and engaging  tour guide, Jacob, that there are 2 ‘houses’ here – House of Lords and House of Commons – that interact with each other to rule Britain.  The Members of Parliament in the House of Common are democratically elected to represent the interest and concerns of the UK public. What we found intriguing was that till today the House of Commons still makes use of an old and rather eccentric method of voting. After the vote has been announced by the Speaker of the House, the MPs present are given eight minutes to move in one of two rooms – the ‘yes’ room or the ‘no’ room. When the time is up, the doors are locked and the MPs line up to be counted.  This led to a discussion about the value of tradition and its impact on identity today.

Finally, as it became darker and night fell, we ended off the day with a dinner at the hotel.  Battling jetlag really drained us of our energy.  Well, off to bed for now and to the historical town of Cambridge tomorrow! 

Written by Andy, 13S27.