Elizabeth and I decided to be bold and head into London to try and catch a glimpse of the festivities. We really didn't have a plan at all, but we figured Buckingham Palace would be our best bet. At 5:45 we were on the train from Cambridge, and by 7:00 we were stepping off the tube. Our first purchase of the day was our very unofficial commemorative flags. In the center of the Union Jack was the now famous engagement photo. Elizabeth and I were proud to wave them all day - and it may or may not be hanging in my room right now.
Loving my new flag...
Now, we weren't expecting to be able to see anything. We were both just perfectly happy to observe the madness of the day. It was a once in a lifetime experience, so there was no way we could pass it up. We ended up being super lucky all day. Our first spot on the Mall near Buckingham was amazing, and it only got better as the day went on. Gradually, we moved a little bit closer and closer. In the end, we were only about six people from the road so we had prime spots for the procession.
You can see the excitement in my face. Pure happiness!
We got there really early, but we were supremely lucky to get there when we did. At about 7:45 they stopped letting people into our area, so we just made the cut off. Since we got there at 7:00 and had about 4 hours to kill, we spent a lot of time making friends with people around us. We made buddies with a guy about our age that had come specially from South Africa. He had camped out the night before, so we couldn't help but snicker that we had the same spots as him. Then there was the Russel Brand wannabe that was selling people rolls of toilet paper. For two pounds, you could add a couple of inches to your height - what a deal! There was also the little boy that joked that he was going to charge his father 100 pounds an hour to sit on his shoulders and the group of prim ladies that brought little bottles of chardonnay with them. There were plenty of ridiculous hats and people dressed up. I especially loved the gentlemen with the huge Sideshow Bob wig that was bright red. He was also painted red and he was wearing red everything - down to the leg warmers. The only sucky thing was that he was on a step stool, so he blocked everyone with his big head. Oh, and did I mention that he had an annoying horn that he kept blowing? Yeah, I'm sure you can tell I loved that guy. One thing I have to say is that this was the politest crowd I have ever been in. I couldn't help but note that everyone was very respectful of those ahead of them. Instead of pushing and shoving to the front, most people just accepted what spot they found.
Massive crowd gathered by Buckingham.
The band provided us with some lovely entertainment.
The band would pass through periodically, which provided the crowd with great entertainment. Everyone was really excited, and they would pretty much cheer for anything. Although the crowd cheered on the waving street cleaners, our first real event of the day was the guests leaving Buckingham. First we had the Queen, which was very exciting. Thank goodness she wore yellow - it made it so much easier to spot her through the windows of her car.
It's the Queen and Prince Phillip!
The crowd really went wild for Kate Middleton though. On her way to Westminster she made a big loop through the procession route. In the video you can really see how wild the crowd goes - everyone was just so excited!
Kate Middleton on her way to Westminster.
The actual ceremony was broadcasted for the gathered crowd. This made the whole thing more hilarious. I especially enjoyed the National Anthem, which gave the crowd the opportunity to join in on the spirit of the event.
As the wedding went on, the crowd got livelier and livelier. Check out the video below of the crowd during the vows. I especially loved the erupting cheers when they say "I will."
The whole ceremony passed fairly quickly and everyone soon prepared themselves for the procession. The videos below really represent how crazy the crowd was. Apologies for the shaky camera work - I was jostled a little bit. First, we had the newlyweds and their wedding party:
Kate & Wills, as they are affectionately known here.
Lovely! I'm only slightly obsessed with them.
Prince Harry, waving to the crowd.
Pippa, looking just as beautiful as her sister.
Who were closely followed by Prince Charles and the Queen and Prince Phillip. Check out those guards:
It's only the Queen. No big deal.
At this point, the procession was over. We knew that they would be all stepping out onto the balcony, so we were trying to figure out how to get into the grounds. Eventually, they opened a barricade and our little section gathered in. The only problem was, the area we gathered into was also sectioned off and our view was obstructed by the television cameras. Things really started to suck when we saw the police ushering in a massive crowd of people from way down the mall. This sparked chants of "Let us out! Let us out!" As people filed past us, everyone surrounding us pretty much agreed to jump the barricades together. Good news guys - my knee is nice and strong. After helping a couple of older ladies over, I was able to jump the barricade - and in a dress no less! And you said I'm not a lady.
In the middle of the crowd, waiting for them to appear on the balcony.
We quickly darted through the crowd and found a spot much closer to the front. We had a great view of the balcony. Once again, we couldn't believe our luck. Elizabeth and I were just happy to be there, so we were pretty excited. We couldn't stop waving wildly at the newlyweds, hoping that they somehow were able to spot us in the crowd.
Elizabeth and me in the crowd.
The whole gang is here!
The newly married couple
As expected, it took a loooong time to get out of Buckingham. At one point they only had one gate open, so it was a bit ridiculous. Elizabeth and I, instead of pushing through the large crowd, decided to check out the reporters. We were so excited to see Anderson Cooper and Piers Morgan, who is on the right with his back to me.
Anderson is sooo dreamy! What a silver fox.
We did manage to make it out - about 8 hours after we had arrived. After lolling around in Green Park and watching the highlights from the wedding on the big screen, we made our way back to Kings Cross. Out final farewell to London was an obligatory picture with Platform 9 3/4. Being the massive Harry Potter fans that we are, there was no way to could pass up that opportunity.
With my royal wedding partner in crime.
A visit to Platform 9 3/4 - the perfect end to an already magical day.
On Saturday we set out bright and early in search of Stonehenge. After the GPS led us off-road (literally), we finally found the famous stones. They are absolutely in the middle of nowhere. We were driving along with nothing on either side of the road, and we then we spotted it all of a sudden. The only thing to keep Stonehenge company are the tourists and sheep grazing nearby. We were really lucky to have beautiful weather again so we were eager to spend some time in the sun wandering around Stonehenge. I will admit, I left with a new sunburn. My wimpy white skin was no match for the equally wimpy English sun.
Elizabeth and me at Stonehenge.
You can't go up to it anymore, but there is a wide circle roped off around it. As I'm sure you all know, Stonehenge is infamous for its mystery. We don't really know exactly what it was used for or who exactly built it, but that really only adds to the experience. We enjoyed the audio tour and especially enjoyed the gift shop. I was tickled by a sweatshirt that said "Stonehenge: Est. 3000 B.C." But alas, I left with my mandatory coffee mug in hand.
There was no way I could leave without a Mom Picture first.
Canterbury Cathedral
The front of Canterbury Cathedral.
From there we made our way to Canterbury. The drive was a few hours from Stonehenge, so we again passed the time jamming to some tunes and appreciating the views. After dropping our bags off, we immediately set off in search of the famed Canterbury Cathedral. I always love visiting massive cathedrals and churches. The decadence never fails to impress and I am always genuinely amazed with the result. In this instance, the Canterbury Cathedral is massive. We wandered the grounds and surrounding courtyards for quite a while before heading off for dinner. After an oh-so-delicious Italian feast, we returned to Canterbury Cathedral for their Easter Vigil mass.
Enjoying the grounds of the cathedral. Check out that sunburn.
Inside Canterbury Cathedral for mass.
Upon entering we were immediately given a candle and 36-page booklet for mass. That should have been our first warning that mass was going to be loooong. After sitting in our seats, the whole lot of us filed outside where there was a fire roaring. The Archbishop of Canterbury was there, and he began the service by lighting a big candle and some incense from the fire. We then all filed back into the church -- slowly, might I add. In the doorway we each lit our candles, which only bottlenecked the group. At this point, all of the lights were turned off inside so were forced to navigate via candlelight. Oh, there was also some great singing going on up front. For about 10 (excruciating) minutes, a man sang loudly and monotonously. Let's put it this way, his song alone went on for 2 pages of the booklet. Aaaaand that's about how the rest of the mass went. After hearing a couple more songs that threatened to lull is to sleep and the stories of Moses and the parting of the Red Sea and Jonah and the whale, we were itching to escape. We had already been there for 70 minutes and were only 14 pages into the booklet. It was shaping up to be a looooong(er) mass and were were already nodding off. At the first available moment, we made our escape. All in all, it was a bit disappointing. We were all jazzed because we were going to Easter mass at Canterbury Cathedral, but we didn't enjoy it at all. I will say that it was cool to have the Archbishop of Canterbury give mass, but that's all I really liked about it. Needless to say, I don't think I'll ever convert to the Church of England.
After bumming around Edinburgh for a couple of weeks, I headed down to England to visit Elizabeth. On Good Friday I hopped on an early flight and met up with Elizabeth at London Stansted at about 7:30. After downing a couple of lattes and donuts, we were on our way to Bath. From there the drive was a few hours, so we spent our time catching up and jamming out to some music.The views were pretty amazing - a lot of rolling hills interspersed with bright yellow fields of rape flowers.
Entrance to the Jane Austen Centre.
We arrived at Bath around noon. After freshening up a bit, we headed out to see the town. After walking around the High Street a bit and grabbing a quick pasty for lunch, we made our way to the Jane Austen Centre.The museum itself is pretty small, so it didn't really take too long to go through the entire thing. We did enjoy the fact that all of the workers were in period costume and that the history of her life was covered quite thoroughly. Plus, Mr. Darcy -- and I'm talkin' about the good BBC Darcy -- was everywhere. It should really be renamed the Colin Firth Centre. When you walk in, you are immediately greeted with his handsome face welcoming you. Most rooms had his picture somewhere, but the best was the gift shop. Most things being sold had his face on it, including a full size poster. I especially appreciated the poster on display, complete with an Oscar newly attached to it. I left happy, with my Mr. Darcy coffee mug in hand.
Entrance to the Roman Baths
Our next logical stop was the town's namesake - the Roman Baths. I entered the museum with really no previous knowledge of what the baths actually were. Sure, I knew about the public bathing aspect, but that was pretty much it. The baths themselves draw from the hot springs, which then run into the river. There is a prevailing belief that the water can cure any ailment, so the baths were traditionally used as a cure-all. Their origins date back to the Roman occupation of Britain between the first and fifth centuries. Once the Romans withdrew, the Roman Baths were gradually built up over the next few hundred years. In its heyday, the baths were a way for the elite to socialize and Bath became a resort town. People would flock from all over the country in search of a place to rent for the summer months, where they would enjoy the richness and relaxation that the Roman Baths had to offer.
View of the Great Bath with the cathedral in the background.
Mom Picture - always a classic.
Sacred Spring - due to underlying gases that are released, it looks like it is boiling.
The Frigidarium - the cool pool of water that was entered after the Great Bath.
We didn't have much else on the agenda after the Roman Baths. We checked out the Circus, which is a circular ring of townhouses. They are divided into three equal sections and date back to the middle of the 18th century. In the center of the ring are a few large trees, which look like they were probably planted as saplings when the Circus was completed. Jane Austen writes about walking in the Circus, so we naturally tried to follow in her footsteps. It's kind of funny, really, how much Jane Austen is associated with the town of Bath. During the about five years that she lived in Bath with her family, she complained constantly of writer's block. Austen was apparently turned off by the richness of the resort town and she could not wait to return to the country.
Two years ago while visiting Kari, Cat, and Blythe in Washington D.C. I was able to (barely) catch the cherry blossom trees. The beautiful flowering trees are just one of the many things that the city is known for, so I was thrilled and became a wee bit obsessed.
Cherry blossoms....beautiful!
Cherry blossoms and the Capitol Building. Win!
Which brings me to now....I am having a major love affair with Edinburgh at the moment. There are cherry blossoms all over the city, which has made an already beautiful city all the more charming. I've spent the last couple of days walking around with my camera out, feeling like it's my first week all over again. I wasn't expecting them, so the flowering trees have been a lovely surprise.
I love the color pink, so this suits me just fine.
Throw in the castle, and I'm a happy woman.
Princes Street Gardens are all the more gorgeous.
Princes Street....makes me love shopping even more, which is probably a bad thing.
Check out that blue sky...doesn't
happen very often here.
Two years ago when I studied abroad in Edinburgh, I was blessed with some pretty great flatmates. I've already spoken a bit about Kari, so now it's Catriona's turn. Catriona is from Oban, which is in the Western Highlands. She invited me for a small visit, so I jumped at the opportunity. On Monday morning I grabbed a train and was on my way. The train itself was gorgeous. The view out the windows were breathtaking and I kept grabbing my camera in an attempt to capture it.
Beautiful view from the train window.
Catriona met me at the train station and we were immediately on our way. Our first stop was a little beach. Oban is right on the Atlantic, so the ocean and the surrounding Highlands were remarkable. There was a little swing set at the beach. It was quite possibly the most beautiful view I have ever had from a swing. It sure as heck beat Woodview School's playground.
Now this is the life...
I mean, the view is only OK...
From there we made out way to Castle Stalker. Now, anyone that has ever been to Scotland will recognize this from the postcards. It is completely surrounded by water on Loch Laich, so you can't go up to it. Instead, there is a little overlook cafe where you can admire the view while sipping a cup of coffee. On a fun note, it was apparently used while filming Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Castle Stalker, straight out of a postcard.
That night, Catriona and I made a delicious Italian feast for dinner. It was perfectly complemented with the beginning of our Grey's Anatomy fest. We rented season one of our mutually favored show, and it was beyond finished by the next night. I'm not sure if we should be proud or ashamed.
It looked kinda like a tiny Colosseum.
The next day started at Oban's finest, McCaig's Tower. A rich old man, John Stuart McCaig, designed and built the tower himself. It was meant to be a monument to his family, but it was unfinished. When he died, he stipulated in his will that his money go towards finishing the tower. Needless to say, his family was pissed. They sued for control over his estate and the money then ended up going to his sister. The best part is that when his sister died, she also left her money to the same thing. The exact same lawsuit and outcome followed. Anyways, despite the harried past, McCaig's Tower is a pretty cool and quirky place. It is set high up in Oban, so the views from the walls are beautiful.
View from McCaig's Tower. Hello Atlantic!
Enjoying the blooming spring flowers at McCaig's Tower!
Our next stop that morning was Dunstaffnage Castle. This is apparently one of the oldest standing stone castle in Scotland. It was built in the early 13th century. Dates like that always blow my mind. I mean, it's older than my entire country! Dunstaffnage has some interesting history. There is some speculation that the Stone of Scone was once there, although it is more likely that it was at Iona. Since the 15th century, the castle has been held by the Clan Campbell. To this day, there is still a post called the Hereditary Captain of Dunstaffnage. Nowadays, the only requirement of the office is that they have to spend 3 nights a year at the castle. Considering there is no roof and it is apparently haunted, I'm not sure how awesome those 3 nights would be.
Oban is, according to Catriona, the seafood capital of the world. So for lunch we had to get some. After a delicious seafood pie, we were on our way again. For the afternoon we took a drive to the Bridge Over The Atlantic. Built in 1782, you cross the bridge to get to the Isle of Seil. It was actually kinda freaky driving over it. It's only one lane, so you have to be sure that no one is coming from the other direction. Also, the arch is so high that you lose sight of the road when you're going over the top.It's a very simple bridge, but the view is, again, beautiful. Actually, I'm not sure that the views were ever once underwhelming the entire trip.
Pretty pretty pretty!
Afterwards, we had a bit of an unintentional adventure. While driving around, we hit a huge pothole and got a flat tire. We pulled the car over and grabbed our cell phones, only to discover that we didn't have a signal. Well...that's a bit of an issue. There were some houses nearby, so Catriona ran over and knocked on their doors in hopes of being able to use a phone. Unfortunately, no one answered there...and at this point we were at a bit of a loss. Neither of us had ever changed a tire, so we weren't sure how to even begin. (Note to self: LEARN!) Luckily, a car happened to pass by and Catriona flagged the driver down. As she was asking to borrow his phone, he offered to have a look at it. He ended up changing the tire for us, which was absolutely amazing. We both felt like a slob watching him do it, but I couldn't help but feel like this was a scene directly out of a movie. He was our knight in shining honor, saving two damsels in distress. On the plus side, we were at least stranded along a beautiful shoreline.
Pretty stellar place to be stranded.
Frolicking in Glencoe.
We settled on a visit to Fort William. We drove very leisurely, stopping frequently to get out of the car and take pictures. I think I made Catriona stop like 50 times - it was that pretty. It was a fairly rainy day (shocker) but that type of weather tends to suit the landscape. With the mist and grey clouds, the Highlands look majestic and like something out of a movie. I especially enjoyed driving through Glencoe. There, we stopped and walked along the road a bit. Glencoe is known for its scenic Highlands and an infamous massacre that happened there in 1692. I have been to Glencoe before, but had always been slightly disappointed. I'd always been to the visitor center, which doesn't provide very remarkable views. Driving through the park, however, I feel like I finally got the Glencoe experience.
Just one of the many beautiful views during our drive.
Check out the perfect reflection in the loch!
Catriona and me. Holy skinny arm Batman!
After a lunch stop in town, Catriona and I headed the Fort William gondola. This gondola brings you up the Nevis Mountain Range. Ben Nevis the highest mountain in the United Kingdom and all of the British Isles. At 4,409 feet, it's a pretty impressive sight. I really enjoyed this part, since it was a cool experience and it provided me with gorgeous views -- which is my favorite part of any trip. It's apparently Britain's only mountain gondola, so it's a fairly unique experience over here. Luckily it wasn't that far off the ground, because then I would have really been freaking out.
Pretty sweet views during our gondola ride.
As you can tell, I really enjoyed this little trip. Oban was gorgeous and I couldn't believe that this was where Catriona grew up. I felt like this was more of a genuine Scottish experience -- goodbye coach trips! I hardly knew ye.
View of Kilchurn Castle from the train - another one of Scotland's standard postcards.
I woke up one morning and this was outside my window. Catriona was not as impressed and excited as I was.
Daffodils are everywhere! Makes me feel like spring is officially here.
Skinny arming it with Castle Stalker. I sense a new picture category...
Mom Picture, or Sororitastic Picture?
I could not get over the combination of the Atlantic and the Highlands.
One of the 50 times I made Catriona stop so I could take a picture.
Dipping my toes in the Atlantic!
Hair, billowing in the wind. Majestic Mom Picture.
We got there really early, but we were supremely lucky to get there when we did. At about 7:45 they stopped letting people into our area, so we just made the cut off. Since we got there at 7:00 and had about 4 hours to kill, we spent a lot of time making friends with people around us. We made buddies with a guy about our age that had come specially from South Africa. He had camped out the night before, so we couldn't help but snicker that we had the same spots as him. Then there was the Russel Brand wannabe that was selling people rolls of toilet paper. For two pounds, you could add a couple of inches to your height - what a deal! There was also the little boy that joked that he was going to charge his father 100 pounds an hour to sit on his shoulders and the group of prim ladies that brought little bottles of chardonnay with them. There were plenty of ridiculous hats and people dressed up. I especially loved the gentlemen with the huge Sideshow Bob wig that was bright red. He was also painted red and he was wearing red everything - down to the leg warmers. The only sucky thing was that he was on a step stool, so he blocked everyone with his big head. Oh, and did I mention that he had an annoying horn that he kept blowing? Yeah, I'm sure you can tell I loved that guy. One thing I have to say is that this was the politest crowd I have ever been in. I couldn't help but note that everyone was very respectful of those ahead of them. Instead of pushing and shoving to the front, most people just accepted what spot they found. 
