Mind the Gap

I have fallen in love with London. There are few things I love more than the bustle of a busy metropolis. Especially one that includes a Starbucks on every corner, the Gap, a fantastic theater scene, and elegant architecture. Accompanying Matthew and I to this fine city were the lovely Lauren C Davis and Merritt Denman!

LONDON!

 Shopping on Portobello Road near Notting Hill

I wish I could say I was able to afford a cab ride in one of these puppies,

BUT alas... I just took the Tube everywhere instead! 

Get ready to go Underground

 **The next stop will be Leicester Square. Please mind the gap as you exit**

 TUBE

(photo credit: Merritt Denman)

We arrived rather late in London on Thursday night after a spectacular flight across the North Sea and the plains of England.

 Oh heyyy Ryanair

After a good nights rest, we set off on our first task for the day: find cheap theater tickets. After taking the tube to Leicester Square, we discovered that ______ was not selling Les Mis tickets. This presented a dilemma because we were determined to see Les Miserables. Therefore, we headed on over the Queen's Theater where the show was running. Here we were able to get student tickets for THAT very night, Friday night. Next, we spent an entire hour basking in our excitement! Matthew was slightly less intrigued than us three girls, but he was happy to be along. And we drank coffee which he always loves.

(Lauren is technically drinking hot chocolate, but let's pretend we all drank coffee)

Finished my latte before Matthew even had a chance to take a picture... 

Other activities during this day included a visit to the British Museum and British Library, which are at my favorite Tube stop, St Pancras Kings Cross

Mummies at the museum

 Gold ships

Some sort of clock mirror from the twentieth century. Now that I "reflect" on this picture, it's kind of creepy... Pun intended.

At the British library, we were able to see numerous famous documents including Jane Austen's diary, original Beatles lyrics, a few of the first translations of the bible, and the score for Handel's Messiah!!!

HERE IT IS

Isn't it beautiful. I like to picture Handel himself writing this out. It is pure genius.

The time passed quickly until we made our way to the theater. 

Look at that stud walking through London. 

 

Classic

 During intermission

It really was a fantastic performance. Multiple points brought me to tears. Jean Valjean and Eponine were my two favorites. Jean Valjean had an INCREDIBLE voice. It was breathtaking. We were all so thankful to be able to see Les Mis in London!

It wouldn't be a trip to London without seeing Buckingham Palace and the guards. On Saturday we spent the morning hanging out around the Queen Victoria Memorial waiting for the guards to change. 

 

 Matthew and Queen Victoria

Buckingham Palace

Some really pretty horses

 

The Guards!!

After this we ventured to Notting Hill where we shopped along Portobello Road for a couple of hours. I was able to have some English Tea right on the side of Portobello road. It was delicious!

It was a typically windy and rainy day in London, but this did not stop us from seeing Westminster Abbey.

We were able to attend the Saturday evening worship service.

Haha

We also stopped by to say hello to Big Ben

 

(Photo credits: Merritt Denman)

Fish and Chips for dinner. Chish and Fips for dinner.

Sunday FUNday! We went to Hillsong London!

I am so thankful for the touching experience we had being at church. The local church is the hope of the world and I am SO glad Jesus gave us the opportunity to see Hillsong. Praying for blessings over their entire ministry!

Later on Sunday we visited both Tower Bridge and Tower of London. Let me tell you, they are quite a sight to behold!

Tower of London

We finished London off with a visit to the one and only Abbey Road

Take these broken wings and learn to fly 

I really am so grateful for this trip to London. It is a place I have wanted to go my whole 21 years of existence. I cannot express the tremendous reprieve that comes when you return to a country that speaks English after spending so long away from it. THANK YOU LONDON!!!!

And God save the Queen

Dear Mr.Eiffel, Thank You Very Much.

Traveling to Paris felt surreal. This is a city that I have heard about and seen my whole life, but never experienced on my own. A few things that initially struck me: 

The beautiful French language! It is so distinct and unique. I love listening to it. Dutch is to cheese as French is to butter. It's so smooth and creamy. Alright I think I've gone far enough with that.

Here's an artsy train shot of the boyfriend.

On our first day in Paris, we spent time admiring the great Eiffel Tower

DON'T WORRY! The tower is not leaning over, I am. Apparently.

 Just being real.

Oh that must be one stinkin' good crepe, Matthew! Mmmm delicious.

Photo shoot with the girls. 

 YES! You're right. Matthew did travel with 6 girls. Like I've said before, he's a trooper. The average man would not have made it through the weekend, but he did :)

European model shot pic. I guess I thought the hands behind the back was a cool idea. On second thought, I will never pose like that again. (bird arms??)

METRO RIDES COME AND GET EM

Can't get enough.

The Louvre was our second stop. Students get in for free on Friday nights! Booya. I have been informed that it would take 6 months to view every painting in the Louvre. Unfortunately, we only spent 2 hours. We did see the Mona Lisa and statues by Michelangelo. The Louvre is unbelievable! I hope I can go back again someday!

No stealing. Aka don't stick your hand in other people's purses.

The outside of the Louvre. Enter through the glass pyramid!

 Michelangelo sculpture "The Slave" 

 The Winged Victory of Samothrace

This level of detail is inconceivable

 The sculptures are my favorite. I find them fascinating.

After a few hours in the Louvre, we were quite pooped.

Day #2 began with a trip to the cemetery. I wouldn't consider myself easily creeped out. However, it was raining, cold, and I was surrounded by 70,000 buried bodies. One of them being Chopin!

Oscar Wilde's grave

Some random other pretty tomb

A broken cello... grave.

After recovering from the cemetery, we ate some more crepes and headed for THE Notre Dame. Matthew was excited.

So big!

 CHECK IT OUT

This is a beautiful painting that was hanging in the Notre Dame

 Windows in the Dame

Chandeliers

 The ceiling

At this point Matthew and I were ready to relax. SO MUCH walking. Walk. Walk. Walk.

After sitting in the Cathedral listening to the choir, we enjoyed walking around and through the Tuileries Gardens for the second time. We also took pictures by the Obelisk on the Place de la Concorde.

 In the background is the Obelisk

 This fountain is in the end of "The Devil Wears Prada"

We also stopped at the famous shopping street Champs-Elysees this afternoon. Unfortunately it was quite cold and rainy so we didn't stay very long. However, I obviously made time to stop in Gap (don't judge I miss it)... and Zara... and H&M.

And now it is time to prepare yourselves for something truly magnificent. If you're one of those blog "skimmers" it is time to STOP SKIMMING. You don't want to miss the grand finale. Matthew and I are about to make our way to the top of the Eiffel Tower. This was an amazing experience. So romantic. So beautiful. And to top it off Jesus gave us a spectacular sunset. 

The first round of pictures are from just the second story. This is prior to being shot up like a bullet to the top. We had no idea what was coming for us, but we were already enthralled.

Check out dem clouds

 Then they put us in jail. On the Eiffel. Jeiffel.

 The beautiful Seine River

 

 Profile #1 (these are basically our mug shots)

Profile #2... so serious.

So seriously EXCITED to climb to the top

And now we rise.

Here's a peak through the side on the way up. Have I mentioned yet that we climbed 674 stairs? Well we did. But now we get to enjoy the bullet (elevator).

TO THE TOP!!

BAM!

BOOM!

 WHAT!?

So happy to have our faces blown off by the beauty of the Eiffel.

Sunny and Windy.

Would you believe that the best is yet to come? Before the sun sets it is crucial that I inform you that Matthew DID pee on the top of the Eiffel tower. It's true. He did. And it was free!

Okay sunshine you do your thang.

Thank you, Mr.Eiffel from the bottom of my heart. 

The Eiffel is so strong, shiny, and brilliant. Especially at night.

Peeking through the trees!

Before calling it a night, we laid in the grass and admired the vibrant statue.

Sadly, we left Paris the next morning. I will never forget this city. There is no other place like it! If you have not been, take my word for it. Mr.Eiffel wasn't famous for nothing! 

p.s. here are some guys that climbed up the side of the Eiffel. No big deal. Just climbing. THE Eiffel.

Coming up next.... London! Until then I will be reading To the Lighthouse, a Wagner biography, and Breton's Nadja. Care to join me?