Sunday, March 16, 2008

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Oustide of Christ Chuch--rocking our awesome pirate hats that we got as part of the scavenger hunt!! 
Our clues--and evidence that we failed, and only got two stamps
Happy St. Patricks DAY!! 
The weather was awful, but we tried to have a good time anyway! 
Christ Church--The first Anglican/Episcopal Church in Ireland.
Crypt of Christ Church--really cool.
Kylea, me, and Emily rocking our brand new Irish Rugby jerseys..which we are all never taking off because they were ridiculously expensive.
Another tomb in Christ Church.
Right after we bought our jerseys, with the salesmen in the store who had awesome ST. Patty's day hats!! 

So--this weekend is the Annual St. Patrick's Festival in Dublin..we went in yesterday for the rugby match/do a really fun scavanger hunt that was supposed to take us all over the city, but it started to downpour after our second stop, and we decided to take refuge in a pub and wait for the match to start.
Unfortunately Ireland lost to England, which was truly depressing, but it was still an amazing day! The parade is tomorrow, so when I get a chance (which might not be for two weeks) I'll post pictures from that! 

Saturday, March 15, 2008

London, England

Kylea and I on Westminster Bridge on the way to the Eye
View of Parliment and Big Ben from the Eye
Kylea and I on the Eye
View from the Eye
Veiw of London Harbour from the Eye
Me in front of Downing Street, the whole security gate is kinda lame, you can't even get a decent picture
In front of Westminster Abbey, where so many amazing people are burried. It was so cool to see the graves of Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Mary, Mary Queen of Scots, Henry VI,VII,andVIII, Handle, etc. Also-they actually still have daily services, which is really cool.
BIG BENN!! 
Parliament

View from the back of Parliament of Westminster Bridge and the Eye
Some guards at the Citadel, practicing marching, and they kept messing up, and the drill sergeant would yell and they would have to go do it again. it was pretty great. 
The memorial statue to Queen Victoria in front of Buckingham Palace.
The gates at Buckingham Palace
Kylea and I infront of Buckingham Palace, I was so disappointed, that there were no guards in red suits with the big funny hats that you get to mess with and make pictures of! 
The obligatory red phone booth photo, that every american who ever goes to England has to make.
Kylea and I with one of  the horse guards, who cant talk, or move, its pretty funny. 

Princess Diana Memorial Walk through King James Park, which is absolutely gorgeous. 
Me in King James Park--isn't it pretty?! 
A traditional English breakfast, Sausage, beans, toast, "bacon" (which is really more like fried ham, so I guess Canadian Bacon), musrooms, and roasted tomatoes!
Enjoying beans on toast! 
Yea, so you know how in Mary Poppins, the boy takes his money to feed the birds, a tuppance, a tuppance? well. you can't do that anymore. The British government decided it was illegal. Way to kill all the fun, Parliament,
Trafalgar Sqaure! Smack dab in the heart of London! 
Kylea and I in front of the fountain in Trafalgar Sqaure
The Lovely girls who let us stay with them! Katie, Liz and Amy! Kaite and Liz are actually visiting us this weekend for St. Patricks Day!
Traditional Mind the Gap sign found in the Tube stations. 
I love that they call the ATMs Holes in the Wall! 
Although it has taken me almost a full week, finally here are pictures from London! 
I LOVED London! It was absolutely amazing! The weather while we were there was gorgeous and sunny, and seeing Big Ben, Parliament, and riding the Eye was absolutely wonderful! I feel like the pictures really say it all!