I see London... (part 1)

George and I just got back from an amazing trip to London and Dublin! Just another perk of Stanford's GSB program is that they require their students to have an "international experience" which involves a study trip to another country. Second year students lead these trips and set up meetings with the top influential people in big name companies, which provided George with the opportunity to interact with the executives of Tesco (UK's version of Walmart), GlaxoSmithKline (major pharmaceutical company), Lord Brown (former CEO of BP) and so many others. And, while George was working hard in his meetings all day, I got to enjoy the sights and scenes of London.... not a bad deal!

On our first day there - Easter - it snowed big beautiful white flakes that were so lovely in the air and so cold and miserable when they landed. George and I weren't quite prepared for that type of weather, but we were determined to make the most of one of George's only meeting-free days. So, we grabbed a map and hopped on one of London's iconic double-decker buses (lower level of course to avoid the wind and snow) and went on a complete tour of the city and then hopped off to see the Tower of London.


The Tower of London served as the country's castle in wartime, as the king's residence in the time of peace, and unfortunately the prison and execution site of many rebels. The castle is surrounded by a grass moat (it used to be water) and has all the beauty, gore, and tourists that you'd expect. However, in the present time the Tower is most famous for being the home of the crown jewels. Of course, we weren't allowed to take pictures, but trust me, they were magnificent! Below is George and I on one of the Tower's outer walls.

Just outside the Tower of London, there is a perfect view of the Tower Bridge, which is often confused for the London Bridge. This drawbridge that straddles the Thames river is raised and lowered by sophisticated steam engines that allow tall-masted ships to pass through. It is actually one of the few bridges where river traffic still takes precedence over road traffic.

Our first day ended with some good 'ol English fish and chips and hot chocolate. Then it was back to the hotel to thaw out!

Day two entailed a group tour of Lord's, which is recognized as the 'Home of Cricket' as well as the game's spiritual 'headquarters'. The club's owner remains the guardian of the Laws and Spirit of Cricket and touring Lord's stadium is in a way like touring Wrigley Field in the US. As a group, we had a tour of the club and learned the rules and history of the game, plus got to see some kiddos taking lessons.

Day three, George had meetings all day and I toured some of London's sights with the other wives on the trip. First we went to Kensington Palace (and yes, Mackenzie, I thought of you the whole time!), which was the home of the King and Queen until they moved to Buckingham Palace in 1760. Most notably this was the home of Queen Victoria and Princess Diana. Again, we weren't allowed to take pictures inside (which was sort of the theme of the trip) but here I am outside the palace. To the left is a monument to Queen Victoria who was actually born on the premise.


Then we headed to Westminster Abbey, which is considered the religious heart of England and is where the country's kings and queens have been crowned and buried since 1066. Honestly, at first I thought it might feel a little eerie with the tombs of so many influential historical figures such as Queen Elizabeth and King Henry VIII, but it was all too ornate and beautiful to be anything but amazing. The age of this building and all the history it contains was just so incredible and awe-inspiring.



On our way to Westminster Abbey the clouds were breaking and I got this great shot of Big Ben, another iconic London landmark. Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love clocks, and Big Ben, named for its 13 ton bell, is so large that from the ground you can actually see the minute hand moving.

We ended our day of palaces and royalty at Buckingham palace, which has been the home to Britain's royal family since the early 1800s. Although definitely neat to see, you're only allowed to go inside when the Queen is away during the summer months and we weren't able to get the timing right to see the changing of the guards so the palace itself is kind of a nonevent. But regardless here's the pic!

That evening George and I went to see the Broadway version of Lion King, except for the English accents. It was a first for both of us and we were blown away. I have to admit, I even cried... twice.

More to follow...