It's time I was on my way - Westminster Abbey and the Last few days

Leaves are falling all around, It's time I was on my way.

Thanks to you, I'm much obliged for such a pleasant stay.

But now it's time for me to go. The autumn moon lights my way.

For now I smell the rain, and with it pain, and it's headed my way.

Sometimes I grow so tired, but I know I've got one thing I got to do...

Ramble On...

- Led Zeppelin (Song here, Lyrics here)

Since the first day of our trip, when we caught sight of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament from across the River Thames, I was had a great desire to see my favourite part of London up close: Westminster Abbey. The great, Gothic architecture of the exterior reminds me of Notre Dame Cathedral, which holds a special place in my heart. 

I took a quick tube to see Big Ben and the Abbey by myself during the first week; the weather was nice (not raining for a change), so I figured it a good opportunity to take some photos.

Hey there, Ben.

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.

The North-side exterior of the Abbey.

Fast forward a few days, and we're on the Circle Line to Westminster.

This is Westminster. Change here for the Jubilee Line.

The first thing one sees upon exiting the Westminster Tube Station

Entering the cathedral through the Great North Doors, my jaw dropped to the floor. It was more gorgeous than St. Paul's. The first thing that came to my mind was "Wow". I was surrounded on all sides by giants of History: Isaac Newton, St. Edward the Confessor, Queen Elizabeth I, King George VI, Geoffrey Chaucer, and George Handel to name a few. To put it bluntly, it was the most ornate and beautiful graveyard I have ever seen. 

Unfortunately, like with St. Paul's, there were no photographs allowed inside the Abbey itself. We were allowed, however, to take photographs and videos of the Abbey's Cloisters and Gardens, which were verdant and beautiful.

The highlight of the day for me was being able to pray at the shrine of St. Edward the Confessor. Because it is so fragile, the shrine is only open twice a day for prayer. Having not been to Church since Christmas Day, I believed it was a privilege to take a breather for five minutes in a silent, contemplate prayer in such a historic cathedral. During the responsorial section of the prayer, I took a look and around me. It was as if the whole world had disappeared, save the shrine and the high Gothic ceilings of the Abbey. It was wonderful. When the minister concluded, I stayed in my chair for an additional minute and said a silent prayer. I thanked God for the opportunity to go on this trip, for meeting a group of great people, and prayed for a safe flight back.

After the Abbey, a small group of us (Christian, Genesis, and Ling) decided to take a trip across the Thames to the London Eye. The sun had come out, and it was almost dusk.

 

Genesis, Christian, Ling, and me crossing the bridge to the Eye.

The London Eye.

It was perfect sight-viewing weather. On our way we ran into Kehana and Gianna who told us that the Eye was closed for repairs. We had missed our opportunity to ride it by only a few hours! Our disappointment didn't last long, as we we got to see the sun set over Big Ben as a consolation.

That night, we went out as a class to celebrate the end of our two weeks together with some drinks and some karaoke. We had the opportunity to meet and get to know several of Dr. Chalk's family members, who hail from Northern England. We all had a great time, and it was a fitting way to end such a great trip.

Before we knew it, we were back in Heathrow waiting for a 4 PM flight to JFK.

My final meal on English soil: fish and chips, of course.

Laura, Emily, Christian, and Me (not so) patiently awaiting takeoff.

It was an arduous eight-hour flight, but we all made it home in one piece. It was strange how time seemed to go so quickly when we were away. That being said, we all formed a great bond during our stay in England. We hadn't even taken off, and we were already planning a class reunion! To say that these were the best two weeks in of my undergraduate career would be a great understatement. Thank you all for following my journey as I've experienced it. I hope you had as much fun reading about these places as I had actually visiting them!

Best Wishes,

Greg Zajac