I'm definitely dreaming...

My first day in London was beyond anything I could have ever imagined!  I was singing the Lord's praises the whole day for bringing me to such an amazing and beautiful place.  I am already completely IN LOVE with London.  I'll give you all a quick summary of all that I've learned and seen in just one day!

Here are some things I observed during my first day (some being lessons learned the hard way):

1. Londoners walk extremely quickly.  They are not afraid to push you out of the way if you're slowing them down.  I will fit right in!
2. The ladies of London do all of that speedy walking in gigantic heels!  I don't know if I am that classy quite yet...
3. If it is clear and sunny when you get on the tube, it will be pouring rain when you get off (and vice versa).  ALWAYS have an umbrella...
4. Summer does not mean warm weather in London.  At one point today the temps were in the low 50's!  Should've packed more layers...
5. When grocery shopping, don't buy more than you can carry for the two miles it takes to get home.  Many people have to go to the supermarket every single day, if not multiple times a day, but it's definitely better than aching shoulders.

As I made my way from the airport to my flat, the driver had 97.3 FM playing in the car.  In San Antonio, Texas, that means pure country music from KJ 97.  In London, 97.3 gets you LBC - "London's Biggest Conversation."  I heard about all of the latest news in the area, and I got a solid hour's worth of listening to some lovely British accents - a perfect introduction to the UK!

After I got settled in my flat (actually more spacious than I was expecting!), I needed to run a few errands, so I headed to Oxford Street.  This is London's version of 5th Avenue in New York, only it appeared to me to be bigger, more crowded, and even more luxurious.  There is everything from a five-story H&M to an Aston Martin dealership.

Next, I took a walk in Hyde Park.  It's 350 acres of lush greens, ponds, and historical buildings right in the center of the city.  I was amazed at how quiet and peaceful it was!  The weather was fairly clear today so you can see just how pretty it is.

Right across from Hyde Park is Grosvenor Square, which is where most of the foreign embassies are located.  There are a number of special statues honoring American heroes, such as Dwight D. Eisenhower pictured below.  The building in the background with the gold eagle on its front is the U.S. Embassy, which is where I will be working all summer!

 

Just as I was about to head home, I noticed that it was getting darker but the skies were still pretty and clear, so it would be a perfect time to catch the last rays of light striking one of the most beautiful sights in the world.  As you can imagine, the sunset did NOT disappoint.  A perfect end to my blissful day.

That's all for now!  As I said before, I am already enthralled by this beautiful city.  I spent the whole day wondering if it was all real.  I'm pretty sure I'll wake up in Boerne tomorrow...but hopefully not ;) There is so much exploring to be done, and I will share more soon!

Much love,
Hayley