Architecture class/ tour of Westminster

(photos are faily poor today seeing as the professor walks at a quick clip, and does not do much stopping for... photos: west end of westminster abbey ( i just found out that "minster" means "church". i would call that a fun fact, but that seems like a thing people may know..) ; banqueting house; building that may or mat not be part of the horse guards, but is connected to it; my college to the left of trees ; and the gate to Regent's Park directly to the right of those trees; big ben, houses of parliament, london eye..none of which was focused on today.)

So my classroom for the day was a number of exciting architectural places, beginning with Westminster Abbey. We did a rather quick run through of the building, but i have been there before and will go back with another class, so no worries. Designed and executed by Charles Barry and ...surname goes here..Pugin, the abbey is pretty much the quintessential Gothic style, with the pointed archways, ribbed vaults, large windows to let in lots of heavenly light, supported by carved flying butresses. It also apparently has the highest vaulted ceiling in cathedral in Western Europe, or some equally impressive fact. The security clergyman told us that, so i hadn't been taking notes at that point. Anyway, it's great. How can anything not be great if it has flying butresses? Lots of famous people are buried there (Poet's Corner), and those who aren't have had monuments erected in their name.

I could give you all the information i learned, but i doubt any of you are quite as interested in architecture as i am, so this is going to be one of those e-mail me if you are actually interested type posts. (if you don't have my e-mail, its either 08_smolski@stagweb.fairfield.edu or molskis@regents.ac.uk, pick your poison).

We then walked down whitehall street, past # 10 and # 11 Downing Street where the Prime Minister resides. The heavily guarded gates made much more sense once i read the street sign. There were about four men posted outside, including one with a machine gun. If a Brit has a large scary black gun, you know they mean business. Poor Tony is in a bit of trouble as you all may have heard. I didn't realize people here disliked him so much, but politics is almost interesting when you hearing from the British point of view. Almost. They want him out, and apparently he doesn't want out. This causes general unhappiness which is overtly displayed by most Britons I encounter.

Right, so hope you like stream of consciousness, rambling writing or you are out of luck. There's no time for planning or revision here, friends, just straight up Molski thoughts.

... yes, well, I made it past the street unscathed, and walked down where we stopped at the Banqueting House, the only remaining part of Whitehall Palace. The lower portion was apparently used as a "drinking den" for James I; whereas the upper level is quite a lovely spatious room, complete with painted ceilings by Peter Paul Reubens and his minions. While we were in this room, apparently one of the stars of the popular British tv show " Little Britain" walked by us. Most likely he is looking to rent out the hall for a party,which one can do for a mere 10,000 pounds. Which I have done. So. Hope you can all attend on Friday, the cover charge will about about 1,000 pounds each. No worries. I'll bring some Jaffa cakes and tea.

We then passed through the Horse Guards, which are apparently the offices of the british army, though they have no standing army. Usually there are guards with great feathery helmets astride horses at the gate, but today there were none. Pretty sure i could have broken in if i wanted to. I chose not to. We saw some more buildings, walked more, (you've probably stopped reading now) and everyone else ran to the tubes. I decided to walk back, since it seemed like a good idea at the time. And in essence, it was; i had just forgotten to wear sneakers today.

I did, however, wander into more bookstores on the way back (found out Rupert
Everett and Michael Palin of Monty Python fame are both partaking in some sort of talk that one can attend for 5 pounds), as well as the Spamalot box office. There will most likely not be student discounts for a few months, so i have to get on that. Let's ignore the fact that i've already seen it, as that means nothing right now. I ambled back through the park where i saw something being filmed, though it didn't seem to involve anyone familiar. I guess I'll just have to make sure to pay attention to people i pass on the street... who knows who i may meet? end of song.