London: Apocalypse Now.

Well, the world still has yet to end over here. Mom and I spent the day at Westminster Abbey, the Benjamin Franklin House, Twinings, Covent Garden, and finished the day off with a trip on the London Eye. Casual.

Westminster was even cooler the second time around. I found the George Howe memorial (near the James Montagu memorial, as it were), but I couldn't sneak a picture. I pointed out to my mom John André's grave and memorial in the nave of the Abbey. Yes, you read that right: John André, Benedict's bestie. The Abbey was also being decorated with wreaths and garlands while we were there, and Mom was obsessing over the (real) trees. At 11 o'clock, they had another prayer and then invited us to join them for a prayer at the shrine of Edward the Confessor (where all British monarchs have prayed after their coronation since the Abbey's completion). That was really cool. I touched the stone of the shrine. Oh, and I took Mom to John Burgoyne.

The man needs more love.

After Westminster, we walked to 36 Craven Street for a "Historical Experience" tour of Benjamin Franklin's House, which he lived in over the course of 16 years, as recommended by Professor DiGiacomantonio. Apparently, when they were fixing the house, they discovered thousands of bones in what is now the basement theater. There was an anatomy lab during Franklin's time by the owner's daughter's husband, so the bones were from cadavers. We were taken through the rooms of the house, which had an interactive technology set up, by a woman playing the landlady's daughter, Polly Hewson. 

I think this woman stole my dream job.

I think the tour was supposed to be taking place on Franklin's last day in the house in 1775, before he departed for Philadelphia. I wanted to ask if Franklin at all interacted with any Americans who were studying at Middle Temple--like Rutledge--but I figured Polly or the intern would think I'm crazy. Surely, Franklin must have, though; he was such a gallivanting man-about-town.

I'm probably not the first female to hang off Franklin's fence.

The most fitting thing to do after visiting the London home of Benjamin Franklin is clearly a trip to Twinings, located in the same shop on the Strand since 1706. Mom and I were in there sampling teas for at least an hour and a half. The Spiced Mulled blend was delicious, in case you were wondering, and the brand ambassador who served us our tea was incredibly informative about the history of tea in England. (If you want further information, just ask me to regurgitate it--I'd be more than happy to.)

Walls and walls and walls of tea.

After more wandering and an hour of relaxing at the hotel, we crossed the Jubilee Bridge to get to the London Eye.

I'm glad we rode the Eye at night--I probably would have had a meltdown/vomited during the daytime, being terrified of heights as I am. Of course, the champagne likely helped calm me down, too.

The Shard and St. Paul's.

Trafalgar Square (Christmas tree in the middle).

 Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.

Tomorrow we're going to Piccadilly for some shopping, but I think we're going to visit the Banqueting House in Whitehall in the morning. Charles I was executed there, in case you were wondering what the historical significance is.

Obligatory Eye photo in front of Parliament.