London Calling!

BY: ALEX SCHULTE

Last weekend the majority of the students here at Harlaxton signed up for a trip to London.  We left Thursday evening of the 16th and arrived in London at our hotel, the Royal National.  A few friends and I unpacked and then went to the pub on the corner to grab a few drinks and talk.  

Friday morning, a friend and I set out to explore this amazing city.  As we were without any cell service or wifi, we relied on our maps and street signs to find our destinations.  We walked through Soho, Chinatown, Piccadilly Circus, along Oxford street and then arrived at Buckingham Palace.  We were able to see the changing of the guard until we got caught in the freezing rain and decided to find a nice place to eat lunch.  We then walked down to Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and Parliament.  My friend went back to the hotel and I sat along the Thames for a while to take in the view.  I then met a group from Harlaxton for our tour of Parliament.  Sadly, no photos were allowed inside, but it is an absolutely gorgeous and ornate building that hosts so much history.  After Parliament, a group of us took the tube back to our hotel to change, eat dinner, and have drinks at a pub.

Saturday, my friend and I went to the British Museum and British Library.  At the library we got to see original copies of the works of Shakespeare, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Beowulf, Alice in Wonderland, Magna Carta, and The Beatles.  We then had lunch and went to Kings Cross to take our lovely tourist photos with the Platform 9 3/4 sign.  That evening a large group of us from Harlaxton went on a pub crawl that took us to five pubs/clubs.  We stayed out late dancing and walking back through the streets of London.

Sunday, we all wearily packed our bags and took the bus to the beautiful Hampton Court Palace and then back to the Manor.

London Recap:

1. Definitely take time to walk through the city.  It has so much to offer and you definitely get a feel for the city when you walk along its beautiful streets.

2. Take lots of pictures.  Who knows when you’ll go back.

3. Don’t try to cram everything in if you don’t have the time.  Pick your top places and go from there.  Also be willing to go with the flow and trek off the beaten path.

4. Enjoy the London nightlife.  The pub crawl was a bit crowded and rowdy, but definitely go to a few pubs or clubs and enjoy the night.

5. Do not run up the stairs from the tube station.  Trust me.

Alex Schulte