The City East Walk

I enjoyed the area of this walk. It was the business area of London, and we chose to do the walk around noon, so most of our walk was spent in a sea of well dressed business people, something that I loved. A lot of great pictures came from this walk, the arcitecture was really quite great. There were dark, Georgian churches blended in with beautiful smooth buildings, and I enjoyed the contrast. This area seemed to be one of the cleaner areas, and that combined with the business attire of the people around me really appealed to me. We did not have enough time the first day to complete this walk, so we went back out the next night, and I am glad for that. We followed the river, looking incredible with the lights shining on it, and then got to my favorite part. At the end of the walk is the Tower of London, and seeing that at night with a gleaming full moon was incredible. It was neat to learn of the Great Fire that happened in this area and stormed so many buildings. I must admit I previously had zero knowledge of this, so to see some buidlings that were once burned to the ground and rebuilt was neat as well.

Bloomsbury Walk

As I sit here thinking of the Bloomsbury walk, I cannot help but grin. I absolutely loved this walk. It has been my favorite of the ones I have already completed. The area was so quaint, quiet, and lovely. The district gained it's name from the Bloomsbury Group, artists and writers who lived in this area in the early 1900s. We chose to do this walk in the morning, and even though it was positively freezing, I could not help but enjoy it, even the pooring rain. Our walk began close to Bedford Square, completed in the late 1700s,  and apparently the finest surviving Georgian square. This walk included a trip to the British Museum, which was fantastic. A bit on the overwhelming side, as the building is absolutely massive, but great none the less. The museum is a place I hope to return to multiple times before I leave this city. I have always been a fan of Charles Dickens, and his works, so seeing a spot where he lived and wrote his first three novels was motivating.  The English major in me craves to see where other writers feel inspired. My favorite part of the walk came last, we wound our way through little alleys, and wound up in a square with just a couple of book shops, a cafe, and a camera store. I absolutely loved it here. The air was warm from fresh rain, and the entire atmosphere just felt content and relaxing. Certainly a spot I will revisit to do some writing sometime soon.

Soho to Trafalgar Square Walk

This was the first walk I decided to go on, and it surely did not disappoint. Mike, Amanda, Natalie, Collin, Brenden and I chose to do it at night, so that we could get the real feel of the Soho area. That too did not disappoint. It was entirely sketchy, and I loved it. It was interesting to learn how Soho became the way that it is. Who caused this rowdy area to come about? It was first the French, followed by many other foreigners, and that is why Soho is the way it is. Colorful, bright, and crazy! The other greatest highlight of the walk would have to be Chinatown. By the time we got there, my eyes were going a little crazy from all the neon lights, but I adore Chinatown in any city, and London's did not disappoint. Everywhere I looked there was intricate, oriental design, and fun little shops overflowing with Asian goods. It is absolutely amazing to learn that some of these structures have been standing since the 1700s. The architecture is my favorite style, and it is extraordinarly beautiful. Trafalgar Square was a neat sight as well, and it became even more so when I learned of the history. This square, standing for the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, is beautiful. Their is a massive monument, dedicated to Admiral Nelson, who was the victor of the battle. I thouroughly enjoyed this walk, and it actually got me rather excited to do more. I feel that each time I do one of the walks I am increasing my knowledge of London, and it is great to know the city I live in. Exploring has led to some brilliant discoveries thus far!