London

Wow!

It seems that so much time has flown by already. I finished up my trip with Karen on Sunday and they drove me to the Winchester train station on their way to work. It was perfect as I was able to take the train to London and get there quite early.

After I arrived in London, I tried to get some of the sights I wanted to see out of the way that I knew Jen wouldn't be interested in. I went back to the Imperial War Museum that I remembered from my first trip but didn't get to spend enough time in. It really is very impressive. You walk into the entryway and there before you are the real planes, tanks, bombs, etc. from various wars and many countries. I explored several exhibits including the World War I and II exhibits, the Holocaust and Crimes against Humanity exhibits, and the Secret War(MI5 and MI6 spy stuff), and the Children's War.

The Holocaust exhibit has a portion on Auchwitz which made me think and pray for the 180 group that is visiting there soon. The exhibit is beautifully done, but doesn't capture the oppressive feel of evil as you walk through the Auschwitz gates, nor the disbelief and sick feeling you get from seeing the rooms full of items taken from the Jews (shoes, suitcases, hair, etc.).

The Spy exhibit was fascinating as I enjoyed seeing the collars, soap, etc. with invisible ink in them. The small weapons to be hidden on a person, etc.

From the war museum I spent time in Leister square, ate dinner in the courtyard of the Sommerset house, and went to the theater production of the "Drowsy Chaperone." It was hilarious as it opened with a dark stage and a voice saying, "Have you ever sat in a dark theater and thought, Dear Lord in heaven, please let it be good."

The next morning I left my hostel near Earl's Court and went to the Winston Churchill and the War Cabinet Rooms exhibit. It was fascinating. It was basically kept exactly as it was at that time with the same wall paint, books left where they were when people went home, etc. There were several rooms including the council room, map room, Churchill's secret room to telephone the president, the separate bedrooms for he and his wife as well as rooms for other working people.

There was a museum dedicated to Churchill. I especially enjoyed listening to excerpts from many of his speeches during 1940. I was reminded again of how dire the circumstances were for Britain at that time as they were one of the last standing against the Nazis, and the relief that was palpable as the U.S. joined the war after Pearl Harbor in 1941. It was the first time that Churchill felt that the war could be won. I loved this quote from Churchill about WWII. "I felt as if I were walking with destiny, and that all my past life had been but a preparation for this hour and for this trial...I was sure I should not fail." What an incredible man!

After that I meandered through the National Gallery. I enjoy art, but actually standing one foot away from Vincent Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" painting is amazing. The beauty, creativity, and genious behind such works really touches the soul in a way you can't put into words. These are the things that books can't teach you.

Next, I went to Victoria's Grosvenor Garden to meet Jen. I'm so glad I'm not traveling alone. It's so nice to share experiences together.

Cheers!

Stacy