The Tower of London and a River Cruise
When in London, you need to visit the Tower of London. This place is DEFINITELY worth your money. This site is located along the north bank of the river Thames. There is so much history behind this beautiful fortress. The restoration of the tower is impressive! Our group got to see the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London. Some of the jewels were so massive, they did not even look real! I also really enjoyed looking at the ravens on the site. I had never seen one in person. I read that they consume raw meat and blood soaked biscuits? EW! But regardless, they were cool to see. Another fun thing I saw at the tower was a statue of a polar bear. Apparently the King and Queen owned a polar bear within the confines. I can't even begin to imagine what a polar bear walking around London would look like...
After we toured the Tower of London and grabbed a bite to eat, we headed on a river cruise of the Thames River. The weather was extremely cold and rainy so we sat on the inside of the boat. This was a good time to relax, look at some cool views, and get off of our feet for a while. I enjoyed getting to float along the river of Thames.
Later on in the day when we were done with our excursions, a few of my classmates and I went to visit a few pubs around Southwark. This was a great way for us to get to know each other. I feel like the bar/pub scene is a lot more casual here than in the United States. Many Londoners go after work, still wearing their suits at the pub. The pubs also close pretty early around here. On most nights they close around 11. But hey, I needed the sleep anyways!
I am already loving this experience that CCSA has brought me and I have only been here a few days. This program brings you out of your comfort zone to meet new people and to explore new things. I love that all of the people in my class are so ready to explore this amazing city with me!
