A Beautiful Day in London

It was such a beautiful day in London today. I started the day today at the museum of brands, which showcases items and brands from several decades ago all the way through today. Some of the brands displayed were Cadbury Chocolate, Mars and the evolution of the Pepsi can. It was interesting to see how these brands and products have changed throughout the years. Some products look drastically different today, while others appear quite similar to the original product. I was a bit underwhelmed by the presentation of all the brands because it was aisles and aisles of glass cases. I would have liked to see this museum a bit more open, not so dark and possibly even some interactive exhibits. With that being said, it was still interesting to see all the brands at the museum After the museum of brands, I headed to the beautiful Regent's Park, which is studded with roses. I had packed a picnic knowing that today was going to be gorgeous and I wanted to soak up every minute. I chose a nice shady spot under a large willow tree to enjoy my lunch. As you can see from the picture, all I was missing was a red and white check blanket. :) I enjoyed a nice rest in the grass under the warm sun after my lunch. It was wonderful to enjoy the natural beauty of London away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Many people had similar plans today as I saw businessmen, religious groups and families enjoying the beauty of the park. After a nice snooze under the sun, I headed to one of the largest shopping districts in London, Oxford Street. This hot shopping outlet is so grand and popular that it has its own public relations department. Drawing so many tourists and other shoppers each day, it is necessary to keep a handle on the goings on. The buildings on Oxford Street are beautiful like every other street in London. The neat part about these ornate buildings however, is that they house some very high class shops and are therefore renovated beautifully. As I strolled through the shops I noticed lots of trendy shoes, glistening jewelry (or "jewellery as the Brits spell it) and some serious fashion statements. I could not help myself but to try out some of the fun items in the shops. Some of my favorite things that I saw today on Oxford Street were the large hats adorned with feathers, flowers and glitz galore. I have always wanted an excuse to wear a big flowing hat and I think shopping today may be the closest I will get to actually owning one. Even though I did not buy one I had a fantastic time nonetheless. :) After visiting many shops it was time to head back to my flat. Today will forever be known as the day I rode my first double-decker red London bus. Because I had yet to venture on the bus, I decided that the middle of the day would probably be the best time to learn the system. I chose to sit on the top deck of the bus to get a good view of the land. The sight from the top was quite awesome. I could see all around me, but also see how daring the bus drivers are. I will hopefully get to ride another bus, but I am still not totally comfortable with this transportation method because I don't know the routes. As a nice way to unwind this evening I headed to the magnificent Westminster Cathedral, just a short walk from my flat, to hear an organ concert. Sitting and listening to the music was a great way to reflect on the day. While the music selection was a bit different than I may have liked, I still enjoyed being in the beautiful cathedral. I have provided an image of the outside of the church, but unfortunately have nothing from the inside to share. I'm off to sleep now, early morning!

AM