Part 2 of My England and Scotland Escapades

Us at Buckingham Palace

Back for part 2. Christmas was a dream in London. After getting clapped by the time change and getting literally no sleep, we embarked to Buckingham Palace per my mom’s request. But hey, we weren’t mad. The Palace was insane, we were blown away with the details of the building and the gates covered in black and gold. There was a sick statue of a bunch of past English royalty that was literally dripping in aura. As a Greco-Roman lover, it was such an intimate experience to see so many beautiful sculptures. While I was marveling at the Palace, the statues and surrounding buildings, I felt like I was dreaming, like as if my eyes were deceiving me. I didn’t want to leave despite the place being packed with a bunch of fellow tourists. We walked around some more to check out shops and munch some more amazing British food. The next day we went to an amazing castle that was erected almost 1000 years ago called the Tower of London. As a castle nerd, I was ecstatic! It is amazing to see such a massive castle still have so much intact without much wear and tear. It was a history heyday for me as I learned about the Normans conquering England and learning about the lives of the kings and queens who lived within the castle walls. Then we walked into the rooms which were full of the stuff I nerd out about: the evolution of arms and armor over the centuries of medieval England. All of the chain mail, the plate armor for the knights and their horses, the swords, axes, halberds, etc. I was in cloud nine and didn’t want to leave. After enjoying the weapons and armor for a while, we went to a gift shop where I bought two knight covered steins (beer cups). 

We then went into a room in the castle that displayed the Crown Jewels and the royalty of all of the English kings. Unfortunately we couldn’t take any pictures or videos while inside the Jewel House as it was called. Inside the Jewel House at the Tower of London, you walk into the vault of the British Monarchy. Absolutely breathtaking stuff. The collection holds over 23,000 gemstones, but the main event is the Regalia—the actual crowns, orbs, and scepters used in coronations. My mom loved the symbolism and spirituality of these coronations. She has been learning about the symbolic significance of kingly coronations and thoroughly enjoyed being able to see these things in person. The most insane item in the exhibit is the Imperial State Crown, which is a 3-lb masterpiece of gold and silver loaded with 2,868 diamonds, including the massive Cullinan II. Come to find out that one of the jewels on this crown could easily be sold for $2-3 billion or more. The Sovereign’s Sceptre, which houses the Cullinan I, a 530-carat diamond that is the largest top-quality cut white diamond in the world. I understand why this room didn’t allow people to take photos or videos. Beyond the diamonds and other precious stones, there are some relics that survived the melting pots of the 1600s. The Coronation Spoon is the oldest piece there, dating back to the 12th century, and it’s displayed alongside the heavy Swords of State. These include the Sword of Spiritual Justice and Curtana (the Sword of Mercy), which has a blunt tip to symbolize a knight's restraint. These displays of power and history make you realize these aren't just "props"—they are all legitimate steel and gold artifacts that have been at the center of English history for centuries. They are the real deal and it was amazing to see them in the flesh.

You’d think he’s compensating for something?

After our visit to the Tower of London, we arrived at one of the most gorgeous buildings I’ve ever laid my eyes on: The one and only Westminster Abbey. Another literal jaw-dropping experience being there. I didn’t realize until we walked inside how massive the building was. There lay the caskets of all the English and Norman kings. All of the English kings and queens were crowned in this Abbey for a thousand years. I felt so much peace inside that building as I gazed upon the Greco-Roman sculptures of Apostles and other Saints, the Gothic archways and pillars and the intricate details of the stained glass. My parents, brother and I were completely blown away with the Abbey. 

Later, we got some lunch at a local pub a few blocks away. I got some classic Sausage and Mash and it was delicious. After lunch, my dad and brother went to an Arsenal football game. My mom and I decided that we wanted to go back to Westminster Abbey because we didn’t stay there very long. When we got back to the Abbey, my mom got a chilling phone call from my sister Evie that she was having her baby 4 months premature so while we were in the abbey, she was on the phone off and on for a couple of hours. Meanwhile, I’m just big chillin’ in the Abbey and relishing in the beauty of it all. The architecture, the gregorian chanting in the background preparing for an evening service, the statues, the lit candles in preparation for the Advent, everything about it was surreal. I looked on the outside as very melancholy, but internally I was soaking up the experience like  a sponge. I literally have had dreams about experiences like this: being in a European abbey or Cathedral. So to say this was a literal dream come true is an absolute understatement. 

One of my favorite knight helmets

While having the time of my life there, I noticed a clergyman come up to me and say, “We are having Evensong in about an hour and a half, would you be interested in joining us?” How could I refuse? I said, “absolutely, I do” even though I had no idea what that was. After some quick research on my handy-dandy phone, I learned more about this evening service. The service was breathtaking. My mom and I got front row seats in front of the world-renowned Westminster Abbey choir. I felt as if I was dreaming like it didn’t seem real. The music, the acoustics, and the overall service was sublime and I didn’t want to leave. My mom loved it almost as much as me, even though we aren’t Catholic or Anglican, we deeply appreciated the people worshipping God in this way. It was an incredible experience. By the time the service was over, my brother and dad finished the football game and we resumed our time cruisin’ through London. My only regret being in London was not being able to get a photo on Abbey Rd. Oh well, all the more reason to go back. 

I genuinely do not understand why so many people I know personally hate London and England in general. I had the literal time of my life there. I tell wankers who feel that way that it sure as hell beats being in Redding, CA. I just don’t get it. People are clowns nowadays and only want to travel so they can take some cringe selfies in front of some iconic location, get bored being there after a few minutes and on to the next place. They only take photos of themselves so they can post them on social media for clout. I seriously hate people like this, man. Constantly traveling the world to say, “Ohe hey guys. Look at me and where I’m at.” Blah blah blah. They don’t care about the history, culture or create real memories or experiences in the places they visit. They just crave external validation and I loathe it. Anywho, sorry for the rant. I’ll get off of my soap box now. London was such an amazing start to our overall trip and I would definitely love to go back again. And there you have it, part 2 of my trip to England. I would love to go back at soon and visit other places in the country. My next post will be of our train ride and visit to Edinburgh, Scotland. And man, do I have some juicy stuff to share with you of where we went. Until then, thank you for reading this blog post. Take care!