Monday: British Museum

Monday we didn't have as much time as we would have liked, but we wandered over to the British Museum-- the Tube experience to get to Trafalgar Square was a PAIN! We switched at Bank station and I swear we had to walk a mile in the transfer tunnels to get to the next train! I felt a little sad about the amount of time we had there, only a couple of hours, but when I realized I could spend an entire two DAYS in the BM I didn't feel as bad-- there wasn't any way we could have fit all that in!

Neptune near the Tower

Underground!

Freddy Mercury in Gold-- he would have been proud!

Really cool building. There was a Pizza Hut in the bottom-- I guess that happens when you're overrun with really awesome architecture! 

Representation of the Seven Planets from Thailand

Royal Seal

From the Asia Room-- love the eyebrows on this guy!

Buddha

Wrist detail on my favorite Bodhisattva in the Asia room 

Face detail on my favorite Bodhisattva in the Asia room

Dancing Shiva

MUMMIES!

The Greek and Roman rooms were extensive and really neat! I have "facial recognition" on my camera and it was SO excited to have faces to recognize! 

Iranian tablet depicting a war boat

Mummy bed

Horus has his eye on you!

Saturday: Wedding Day!

Part Three: The ACTUAL WEDDING!

Well, this is the part that really shows why I split today up in to three parts-- loads of pictures! The reception was at the Tower Bridge and it was just thrilling!

Thames River at Sunset

Tower at Sunset

Us on the Breezy Bridge

Tower Road from the top!

There are two walkways, we switched back and forth throughout the night. The first walkway had nibbles and (MORE) champagne, then we went to the other for dinner, then back to the first for cake cutting, drinks, and dancing!!

Thames River at Night from Walkway 2

Each table was named for one of David and Elyse's favorite shows-- I wish I had taken a picture of the seating chart, but among the other tables were "LOST" and "Dexter"! 

Walkway 2 After Dinner

Cake cutting!

They had an intricately choreographed first dance-- it was VERY impressive!

ALPHA LOVE! 

(Elyse is one of my AOII pledge sisters!)

The four of us at the end of a great night of dancing!

The Thames from Walkway 1

One more shot!

The favors were little tiny cakes! One was lemon, the other chocolate, and it was probably the best wedding cake I've ever had! Even the fondant was more than edible, which is something most bakeries haven't quite nailed down...

Me and Steph, one of the many new friends I made that weekend!

The Paralympic Agitos

The Bridge from the other side as we walked to the Hilton after all was said and done -- I've never gone from 1p to 3a without noticing the time before!

Saturday: Wedding Day!

Part Two: The Bus Tour

To have time to take pictures and relax and get back up to London proper, David and Elyse sent us on a bus tour!

Parlaiment

A very cool light that I was at eye level with on the bus!

Rising out of the foreground

One of the Olympic gold medalists was from near Trafalgar square-- traditionally, the post boxes are red, but they painted this one gold in honor of him!

Olympic Bunting

Coca Cola Presents: Your Tube Updates!

The second part of this sign was, "PUBLIC DRINKING AHEAD"

Fountain at Trafalgar

Pulling up to the Bridge-- view from the second level of the bus!

Sunday: TOWER OF LONDON!

(that's supposed to be said in your best spooky voice)

Entry

First "modern" style fireplace in the tower-- this is in Henry VIII's bedroom

A very cool model of the munitions house-- it's lovely on the outside...

And then on the inside, if you look closely in the window, you'll see a little dragon in there protecting everything! What's everything? Why the rows and rows of tiny munitions racks!

Ax and chopping block. THE ax and chopping block.

Curiosities of the Tower indeed!

Babboons from the menagerie installation

chillin'

Home of the Crown Jewels!

White Tower in all its glory!

Across the yard

More of the cool iron statues around

This is what you could see if you were a prisoner at the Tower!

In the Menagerie room, there are more monkeys!

Old and New

In an upscale prisoner's room

Guard

Jeremy reading about Anne Boleyn being buried here before I got yelled at for taking a picture when I shouldn't have. I DIDN'T SEE THE SIGN! I EVEN LOOKED! Gah. Color me embarrassed. 

The Cradle Tower