Revisit to CRW & Temple

Next day was pretty tired for everyone after arriving back in the London so late. Some students had to head out in the morning for their internships. There were no classes in the morning which helped some sleep in a bit, but just the emotional exhaustion was seeming to get to everyone. In the evening, we had our Screwtape Letters cadre and had some great discussions. Becky and I are so pleased with how open and honest the students are being.

The next morning it was time to head out with my class to go visit the Chruchill War Rooms on the correct day. We headed out at 8:30am. Becky rode the train downtown with us but went on and spent the day walking around and visiting location in the Temple area. She had read a great deal about this area of London and how it was a unique place in London that served as the center of law and the courts and also served as a safe haven for those who had run into trouble with the monarchy of the day. The Knights Templer were the ones who built the area around Temple Church. All of this began in the mid-12th century. Becky saw that there was going to be a recital in the church that afternoon and so she stayed and enjoyed the talent and music. When I met up with her later I saw the fox standing outside the church building. She did not join us for the War Rooms as she and I had visited two weeks prior.

The students and I did the guided tour of the Chruchill War Rooms and then we had scones and tea in the cafe and talked afterwards. The students really had their eyes open to intense situation the people there had to work and for some to live in.

They really got a chance to feel what it would have been like to have to live in so much tension. After we ate and talked, I let the students go back through the War Rooms on their own using the AV guided tour and to also explorer the Churchill Museum. After that the students were free for the day.

Once I met up with Becky we stopped in at a cafe and shared our day and had a hot drink. We walked around the area and were going to try and go see St. Paul’s Cathedral, which neither of us have made it too yet. Along the way we stumbled across a small church hidden down and alley we just happened to notice. It is called St. Bride’s Church. The steeple of this church is what many wedding cakes looks like today. The church has a crypt area that shows the many eras the church has lived through. The first iteration of the church dates back to the 6th century. Since that time there have been seven different churches built on the site. Some include the Roman era and one of the last was one version burned during the great London fire. The current version was designed by Sir Christopher Wren. So much history and so many layers. In the crypt they have now setup a museum that helps visitors see all the layers.

After visiting the church, we decided to attend the evensong at Westminster Abbey. We quickly caught a tube train and made it there as people were queuing. The event only lasts an hour, but just being in the abbey is really a treat. The whole building is amazing. It is of course huge, but there are so many sections and so many carvings throughout. We were not there to tour it so we could only be guided to our seats. They have a small choir that sings during the evensong, and it is gorgeous. It was a very nice event, and we are so glad that we went. I plan to return and take the full tour of the abbey. It alone has so much history and is the place that many of the monarchs are all buried there.

Another full day, but it is definitely starting to feel like spring is coming to London. The days are getting a bit longer and the days are getting warmer. The sun is actually starting to shine more as well.