Travel Tuesday: St. Paul's, British Museum, Lion King

It has been a quick month already since my brother left after his five week visit with me here in Germany. If you've been reading the blog since then, you'll remember that we took a trip to London while he was here! We were only there for four days, but we sure packed in a lot of exploring! That's given me writing material for many a post, to be sure! Here's yet another: St. Paul's Cathedral, the British Museum, & seeing the Lion King in the West End!  If you know my Travel Review posts, you'll know this isn't going to be short.  And I didn't even tell you everything!  :)  Enjoy!

St. Paul's Cathedral

One of London's most famous sights, St, Paul's Cathedral was a must-see while we were visiting.  We saw it during our Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus Tour, but made a definite point of taking the Tube there to see it on foot.  The building is so large & nestled between the other buildings of the city that you really can't take it in completely.  Therefore, I've found a great picture for you that shows it in all its beauty!

While inside the Cathedral, my brother & I dared to go where few go: up 257 steps on the spiral staircase to The Whispering Gallery, then up another 119 steps to The Stone Gallery {where you go outside for panoramic views!}, then yet another 152 steps over precarious stairs in very tight spaces to reach The Golden Gallery {where you have to go outside to reach the stairs that go back down, but it's a little scary!}

How cute is this wedding double-decker bus?!  I know it sounds very strange, but there was a wedding taking place in the Cathedral's Crypt Chapel.  It was stunning, really.  {I didn't realize the significance of weddings that take place in this location!}  And after our hike to the top of St. Paul's, a refreshing drink from the Starbucks next door {is there anywhere without a Starbucks these days?  Geesh!} was in order!  Then, hopping back onto the Tube!  Mind the gap!

 
The British Museum

Wow, what an incredible place!  I'd always wanted to go here, & I was so excited that my brother & I were able to squeeze a visit into the rest of our exploring!  We weren't able to stay long, but it was immediately clear that it would take months, if not years, to see all that the Museum has on display.  And, according to an employee we met, there are thousands of artifacts owned by the Museum that are in storage elsewhere!  Incredible!  I took an Art History class years ago, & it was amazing so see the things that we learned about, to be in the place that keeps these artifacts safe!  The Rosetta Stone, Egyptian hieroglyphics, Mayan sculptures...  Oh, I loved it!

It would be wonderful to go back when I had more time to look around, but it's nice to have been there even just once!

The Lion King on London's West End

Seeing a show in London was on our list of top things to do!  And we did it!  We purchased last minute tickets at Picadilly Circus the day before the show, & the price wasn't bad!  Neither were the seats!  I've been to a few shows on Broadway, so it was really fun to be able to compare.  The show was so well done, & the costumes were unlike anything I'd seen before!  I especially liked the baby elephant & the jaguar :)  I'm not ashamed to say that I got goosebumps during the intro, when all the animals come out & "The Circle of Life" is being sung!  Beautiful!  At one point during The Lion King, they sang "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!".  We were in London, indeed!

This video of the original London cast of The Lion King is great!  I hope that you all enjoyed the travel review!  It's fun for me to think back on trips & to look at photos again!  It's such a blessing to be able to visit so many new places in the world!  ♥