More Emails from the U.K...

This is the second in a series of two columns featuring my emails to my husband in South Dakota while I was traveling overseas in May...


Sent: Saturday, May 22, 2010

Subject: Greetings from London City

Hi Brian!

I am on an Internet timer here at the hotel, so I'll have to make this quick. Pardon any typos - this keyboard is weird. We arrived in London early Friday evening and have spent the last 24 hours touring the city. The first part of today, Saturday, was a motor tour. London is a very big city with very crowded sidewalks and streets. However, it is strangely peaceful here. I have not heard any yelling, seen any fights or tussles, like I experienced in big cities in the U.S.

Saw Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the British Museum, the Charles Dickens Museum, Piccadilly Circus, the Thames River and many beautiful parks. At Buckingham Palace we saw the changing of the guards marching in procession with a band. I have video and photos of it.

On Sunday, we will tour the Tower of London and see Shakespeare's play Macbeth at the Globe Theater. Monday we will tour Oxford University in Oxford, England. Tuesday is a free day and we may catch another play that evening.Wednesday we leave London for Chicago and then back to Omaha.

While in London, we have traveled on the light rail system and then on foot to get to Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, the British Museum, Charles Dicken's Museum, Picadilly Circus, Harrod's and so many other sites.

Our tour guide is excellent. We have learned so much about the history, government, culture and topography of our travels from him. The people here are very friendly and polite.

Every day, I have to pinch myself. I just can't believe that I have visited Ireland, Wales and now England!

My love to you!

Paula


Subject: Hello from London City

Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010

My dear Brian....

We toured Oxford University today. It's both vast and sprawling. Classes were in session. We could tell which students were taking their final exams because they were dressed in regalia, which is a required custom at Oxford.

Most students here use bicycles with large baskets to get around campus and town. You should see the bikes parked outside of buildings on campus! Too many to count. It's like going back in time a bit.

The accommodations and food are good. The bakeries are unbelievable and there are so many! Getting in a lot of walking.

Traveling internationally, at least to the U.K. and Ireland, is very easy and much like traveling to any point in the states, except you need to show your passport and you hear very little English with so many tourists here from around the world.

I love you and miss you. Can't wait to see you tomorrow...

Love, hugs and kisses...

"Pauli"


2010 © Copyright Paula Damon. A resident of Southeast South Dakota, Paula Damon is a national and state award-winning columnist. Her columns have won first-place in National Federation of Press Women, South Dakota Press Women and Iowa Press Women Communications Contests. In the 2009 and 2010 South Dakota Press Women Communications Contest, Paula's columns took first-place statewide. To contact Paula, email pauladamon@iw.net, follow her blog at www.my-story-your-story.blogspot.com and find her on Facebook.