Farewell, London!

Okay, so it's not really my last day but it is the last day I'll be here with my classmates and the last day I'll be at the Study Centre.  Our waiter at the Hard Rock Cafe (where we had lunch) asked us how long we had been here and when we answered three weeks he was amazed.  It's amazing to me too how quickly the time has passed.  Three weeks really is a lot, I know, but it doesn't feel like it.  I've really grown to love this city and, as much as I miss home, hate to leave it.

For our last day of class we visited Buckingham Palace.  With all the palaces and castles I've seen this trip I wasn't expecting it to be anything different.  I was pleasantly surprised though.  The rooms are, granted, grand but they also are beautifully situated.  A nice breeze came through many of the rooms and several overlooked the lovely lawns and ponds outside.  My favorite room was the music room.  Apparently it is the room where people are often received by the queen and it's beautiful.  It has much of the grandeur of the other rooms but it's open and has floor to ceiling windows.  The portrait galleries were also wonderful.  Unlike many of the other galleries we've seen, the ceiling is made up of windows, giving you plenty of light to admire the paintings.  The state rooms had exhibits on the theme of Queen Elizabeth's coronation and we got to see the jewels and dresses she and those participating in the event wore.  It was amazing!  The detailed embroidery work in gold, silver, and silk on each dress was amazing and the diamonds in the queen's dress have to be seen to be believed.  As you may have guessed, photography was prohibited but I was able to get a few shots from outside.

We timed our exit from the palace well for we also saw some of the changing of the guard.

After that it was lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe, the first Hard Rock created, and some goodbyes.  It's so hard to believe that in less than 24 hours I will be homeward bound.  Classmates...London...I miss you already!