Mind the Gap: FOR JESS: Walking the Walls of Londinium (aka

Beginning our trip on the Tube!

Well this walk was super long and informative. And long. It didn't help that we got lost. So there's something I've learned already. Don't be over confident because if there's ever a hitch in your plan (like certain tube stations being closed) then you're hopeless. We had to take multiple tubes and then even still we had to take a bus which crossed London Bridge. Turns out... we were supposed to be on the other side of the Thames - the side we had been on. So we learned our way around transportation. Tube, bus, and foot!

Lucky for us, Londoners are extremely helpful and kind. A fantastic lady showed us how to take a bus heading towards London Bridge and then walk to Tower Hill from there. It's something I wish we Americans would work a little harder on (or maybe just me), so I know when I'm back home, I'll be more brave and helpful to people I see who need a hand.

We also had the delightful London experience of being hit on by a group of drunk men. (It was 11:00 in the morning too... wowza!) They came up and talked to us asking about where we were from and what we were doing here. They were delighted to hear that we were from Utah and then they tried to speak like Americans. They also sang "New York, New York." I can't even recall half of what they said because it was so random and filled with laughter - though they weren't ever rude exactly. Apparently both of our cultures find the other culture fascinating? It definitely wasn't Utah!

Arch of Merchant Seamen

One of the many things we saw was a replica of the Triumphal Arch, only it has listed names of Merchant Seamen killed in the "14-18 War." It was very sobering to look around and see so many names lining the walls of this large structure. I think in America we focus a lot more on WW2 and forget that here in the UK WW1 was devastating. I feel like the more I learn here, the more important it is to appreciate the world as one whole unity. I love that each country has its own national pride, but it's also important to recognize the impact the world wars especially had on other countries as well as our own. Just food for thought.

There was a little tiny street "Crutched Friars" that eventually became "Jewry Street." Here's the irony: this area of London is where many Jews were persecuted and forced to convert to Christianity. Think Merchant of Venice only horribly real. A bit bizarre that this location would share both a Jewish and Christian name.

Postman's Park

We were nearing the end of our walk (the walk that was now nearing seven hours) when we found out that we'd missed a little turn off into a small garden. We walked around just taking a quick look when we neared the back and saw this wall of old plaques. Turns out all these plaques are dedicated to everyday citizen who lost their lives while trying to help others. It was so sobering. We all stood silently and just read the many stories of selfless sacrifice. One of the ones I appreciated read, "John Cranmer Cambridge - Aged 23 - A clerk in the London county council who was drowned near Ostend whilst saving the life of a stranger and a foreigner - August 8, 1901." There was even one from 2007. And to think we'd almost skipped it... We were all sufficiently humbled as we made our way back to our tube.

The last thing I learned was that I'm with an amazing group of girls. We're partiers who have such fun times together, we're the awkward tourists who take pictures everywhere we go, and we're spiritual daughters of God doing our best to follow Christ.

Picture taken over my head
of everyone while they'd
been laughing.

Being tourists and taking pictures
at the London Wall

Reverently reading the plaques in
Postman's Park

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends," John 15:13 (scripture accompanying the plaques in Postman's Park).