Ok, I just have to say this! Never stay at hostel 639 off Kensal Green tube stop!!!

We left our comparatively luxury room in the center of London at St. Christopher's to have our "alone"day yesterday...and when we arrived at around 8pm ( after a 40 minute train ride out from the city), we wanted to have our money back.

The shower was inside the dorm room ( which proved difficult for dressing and keeping the room temp comfortable), the bathrooms were dirty and crowded, and there were mongaloids galore, similar to the DMV, milling shadily about. The blankets looked as if they were never washed, and when Troy took his usual post at top bunk, I feared the rusty coils' ability to hold him up through the night. It was a commercial for where you do not want to stay...We did meet some cute Swedish folks who were visiting friends in London. They told us about their trip to India, how to dress, and a little beach town near Goa to visit :-) Keep in touch you guys!!!

In any case, Troy and I both decided about every week or so, we would have our "alone" day...Time to relax, do what we want, and take a break from the 24 hours a day we spend together. Both of us agreed we had a good time. Troy saw the changing of the guards ( I went to Buckingham with the same intention, however swarms of aggressive folks turned me off, and I ventured into the park-see picture) somehow getting to the front gates through the crowd and actually getting some good video. As soon as I figure out how to post video on our site, I will :-))

We then took similar trails, at different times, through the city, to Westminster Abbey, and St. Paul's Cathedral. Troy ventured to the top with a discarded ticket, avoiding the 8 pound charge to acsend to the tower, and I sat with a group of students who were able to sit right in the cloister less than 10 feet away from the choir. Troy said the view from the top was amazing and panoramic; everything in London from the Thames to downtown clearly visible. I went to a choral evensong, posing as a Spanish high school student >:-) and was completely blown away at the detail of the ceiling, and architecture.

Compared to Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's is modern, but nonetheless spectacular. The site however, has been a place of worship for almost 1400 years!!! The "new" church ( 4th of that location) is enormous, and the cloisters were lined with a dark, rich-looking wood carved meticulously with angels faces. Above the wood ( by looks about 5 stories) were millions of golen tiles creating biblical scenes. It is the most incredible thing I have seen inside any church....I could hardly take my eyes of the ceiling, and I was so glad I stayed for the service which included songs sung by a boys choir. They had traditional "picadil" collars ( by the way this collar is where the name piccadilly comes from, of piccadilly circus), and long black robes. I wish I could have taken at least one picture, but they forbid it.

Troy liked the chapel in Westminster Abbey which had original tiles and artwork dating from the 15th century, amazingly, still visible. It also houses tombs and memorials for royalty and famous/important people like Charles Dickenson, Edward I, Henry III, Oliver Cromwell, and the two princes killed at the Tower of London. I should have payed more attention in History as I am sure there were many more I saw, which were equally as amazing, but I didn't want to pay 4 pounds for an audioguide :-) Most of the wooden tombs were original, and it was an amazing feeling to be in the same spot with remains over 750 years old. Several of the inscriptions were so heart-wrenching and beautiful, tears welled up for a few moments.

Troy had a more leisurely day, taking more time at Buckingham, Westminster and St. Paul's, while I spent the whole day walking ( save the 1/2 hour I took at Trafalgar Square to eat lunch). I was able to see Covent Garden ( a must-see for me, as its the site where My Fair Lady begins) Surprisingly, the columns and square look exactly like in the movie, and it was delightfully bustling with weekend commerce, fruits, clothing, and random things.

I walked along the Thames, by Sommerset House, Waterloo bridge, and also checked out Piccadilly circus. It's like a small Times Square mixed with Union Square in SF.

Today is our last full day in London, and we are both tired....so we went back to St. Christopher's to use the free wifi and lounge. This is where I type to you all right now, although it's 5:36am Pacific time, so I'm sure you won't be reading this yet--

Tonight we stay with Peter and his fiance, then tomorrow at 3pm is our flight to Salzburg.
Cheers!