Her Majesty’s Government
British Museum
Back to London today, a special treat awaited us. The local Member of Parliament (MP), Jeremy Hunt, was able to secure for us an inside tour of the Houses of Parliament. Our tour started in the Westminster Hall, the oldest remaining part of the Palace. Dating to the 11th Century, there are plaques on the floor noting the important people who have lied in state in the hall, as well as a few who had been executed in the hall (including William Wallace). We then toured the House of Commons and learned about the procedures and traditions of the British Parliament. Unfortunately, the Lords were sitting in session so we could not enter the House of Lords.
Then it was off to the British Museum, home of 6,000,000 or so items of history. From the Elgin Marbles to the Rosetta Stone, to thousands of vases, masks and sculptures from all eras of history. The Great Hall of the Museum is visually stunning, and the artifacts inspiring.
Get out the credit cards, Covent Garden was our last stop of the day. Filled with street performers, markets and all the trendy shops, everyone enjoyed seeking out treasures to take home.
The evening ended with the annual student vs. staff soccer game, which the students pulled off the win 5-4 in penalty kicks. A great time was had by all!
Tomorrow it is back to London, where each group will have it’s own afternoon. We’ll meet up in the evening to attend the musical Billy Elliot.
