PICTURE: I just thought you guys might want to see what my face looked like after I ran to the Parliament from Waterloo. hahahaha, great times.
It was a busy day, actually... It has been a busy week, as you can see. Today I woke up for class, and it was very hard. I was still sluggish from all the food from Thanksgiving. In fact when I went to eat breakfast I was still full! haha, oh man so wonderful.
In my creative writing class, I had read out one of my pieces. It was fun, and everyone seemed to like what I wrote which was happy. Also, they give me really good comments to help me work on my writing. Which I love by the way.
After class I had to run home and eat a quick lunch because I thought I had an hour before I had to get on a train to get into central London. However, it turned out that I had two hours, so after I ate lunch and got my package from the post office I relaxed for a little. THANK YOU AUNT SANDY FOR THE PACKAGE! Everyone gets really excited for the candy, my landlady including! I relaxed too much however which forced me to rush again.
I ran out of my flat to realize I had forgotten my paper that would let me go into the Parliament, which is where I was headed. I was supposed to go to the Globe in the morning but, class was kind of mandatory and I really enjoy this class so I opted out of the Globe. Because I had to go back to my flat to get my paper, I missed the train by milliseconds. The doors closed as i put my hand on it, that is how close I was. I had to wait 20 minutes for the next train, but this also meant that I would have 10 minutes to get from Waterloo station to the entrance of Parliament that I needed to get too. I paced back and forth as I waited for the train because I was so anxious about missing my chance to get into the Parliament. I have been waiting all semester for this trip.
The train came but it took about 6 minutes longer than usual, because it randomly kept slowing down where there was no station. I walked all the way to the first carriage and as the doors opened I was off. I pulled out my ticket that would let me out the gate and began walking really really fast. As soon as I got through the gate I began running. I ran all through the station and around all the commuters. I ran over the bridge to the other side of the road, all the way down the stairs the park to the London Eye, the tourist filled walkway in front of the aquarium and film museum and across the bridge goes of the the Thames River. Down the road by the Big Ben and onto Victoria Street, past 1/2 of the Parliament building and to the guards. In all its about 1 mile, maybe more and I ran it in less than 10 minutes with my sleek winter coat, jeans, purse and hat. Good news, I did not loose my pants, on the train I tightened my belt to the last notch so I could run freely. As I got to the guards, still running, I whipped out my paper and they waved me by, stopping a guard further on from stopping me. When I got to security they stopped me to take my picture to enter the actual Parliament building. I stopped behind my tutor (professor) and as far as he knew I had be directly behind him the whole time. It was amazing.
Parliament was amazing. The history that has built up in this place, from Henry the Eighth to the current royal family. We were not able to take pictures, so you will have to believe me how incredible the roofs were. The ceiling were elaborately decorated with symbols of the United Kingdom. Symbols that represented Wales, Scotland, England and Norther Ireland. There was painted gold on most surfaces. We saw where they held execution trials, were the only British Prime Minister who was ever assassinated was shot, where women strapped themselves to statues to get the vote, were the Queen walks when she visits the Parliament once a year. We saw were the House of Lords and the House of Commons meets. The Queens actual throne made of 23k gold. Where Prince Charles sits when he visits. Which rooms were blasted by German Bombs during The Blitz. Basically everything, our tour guide was really informed and he informed us really well. The group I was with was really fun too because we felt comfortable asking a lot of questions and it got us a lot of information.
We learned how they vote for things, which is a really interesting process. The are basically required to vote with their party, two of which are the Labor and the Conservative. They have people called the Whips who actually will act out physically to make sure that all members of a party vote the same answer as the rest of their party. That is such a bizarre idea. Also, they do votes physically, so there is no secret who is voting for what. They have the option to walk through two different doors, the 'no' door or the 'aye' door. Then they are counted this way. There can be no possible mistake. They also publish books of the votes, so the public will always know exactly who voted for what. I think there are some good ideas and some very strange ones, but with my imagination I easily saw some very dramatic situations that could ensue from the voting process.
Also, they have two boxes where the members are required to swear an oath to the Queen every year. The tour guide had me place my hands on the very box full of religious texts that the government officials used. I put my hands on the very surface that Churchill did when he was Prime Minister and involved with the Parliament. It was really incredible. Every room was so beautiful. I am sooooo glad I ran as fast as I did so I could make it.
<3 you!
