i was ecstatic since december when i knew i would be going to united kingdom. europe! it was the one thing i was looking forward to when 2005 came. i didn't care about the almost 18 hour flight (that is, with a stopover in singapore). i didn't even mind the jetlag, nor the cold that is sure to greet me when i arrived. all i cared about was that i was going to see england.
my first stop was london. i got to stay there for a day (well, almost) before i headed off to newcastle. cel and i met the next morning and immediately went to see big ben, the houses of parliament and westminster abbey.
we took about a million pictures during that stop, it was so obvious that we were tourists. excited ones. we decided not to take the train but to keep on walking. we knew there was much more to see that way. we were looking for buckingham palace when we saw guards on horses so we decided to stop, wondering if where we were was already buckingham. but the place was small and there was no gate at all and so we figured that probably wasn't it. still, it didn't stop us from watching the guards change. we then went to trafalgar square and took more pictures. by then, it was time to head back to the hotel to get my things. i almost didn't make it to my flight! i said goodbye to london, but happy in knowing i'll be back after few days. and off to newcastle i went.
newcastle was about work (which is the real reason why i went to england). i knew it would
be possible to attend the meetings via conference calls but meeting our colleagues in person was the real benefit in attending in person. i met glenn, peter and anna (europe), debbie and alma (latin america) and other contacts like brahim and harry. it was a very intensive three-day workshop but we still managed to enjoy ourselves. we went to a dog race on tuesday night --- i won about 40 pence. it isn't much but it was a thrill to win. wednesday night, we went to a nice spanish restaurant for dinner. after that, we went out for drinks at a bar beside the millenium bridge. it was great finally meeting the people i've talked to for so long. it's great having new friends.
friday noon, i went back to london, excited in getting to see more sights. cel fetched me from the airport and we went to her friend's house.
since it was already midday, we decided just to go around luton and see a movie. the next day, cel and i went out early and explored new sights around london. we went to madame tussaud's and the planetarium. we were planning on going inside but decided not to at the last minute because it was a bit pricey. we went to regent's park instead. after that, we headed for buckingham palace and this time we found it. it was actually near the trafalgar square and had we had more time during our first day, we would have seen it then. we went to see the london bridge (which is a really ordinary bridge, i might say), the tower bridge and the london tower. 
that was our only agenda for the day but since we still had time, we decided to go to st. paul's cathedral and to the british museuem. the museum was huge and had a tremendous amount of things on display. i even saw the mummy of cleopatra! at the end of the day, our feet were aching so much but we were happy nonetheless. sunday morning, we went to drop cel's bag off. after a good and hearty breakfast, we went to windsor castle together with mandy and his family. and all too soon, it was time to go back home. i wanted to stay longer but don't have neither time nor money to spare.
it's an understatement to say that the trip has been wonderful. many many thanks to all the people who made it so great. i am hoping that one day i'll get to see more of europe.
10 comments:
i like ur night shot sa millenium bridge, malapit ba yan sa london bridge and tower bridge?
ganda rin ng iba mong pic, london na london... galing mo ring magsulat, inggit ako ;)
-cruise
www.markangpogi.blogspot.com
Ahhh that sounds so fun. I've always wanted to go to London.
cruise: the millenium bridge is in newcastle, around an hour's flight from london. :) that's the only thing i got to see there. i just hope next time, i'll have more time to explore newcastle (if there ever is a next time --- hehehe!). salamat sa comment. try reading the links i have. maraming mas magagaling sumulat sa akin sa mga kaibigan ko. :)
singing butler: yeah, it was fun. expensive, though. :) thanks for dropping by. are you really a butler? and you do sing? or is that just a pen name? :)
hehehe... oo nga, tsong... sa wakas! :) sana pati sa ibang bansa sa europa e makarating din ako. :) pero ang target namin ngayon is latin america. hehehe! kelan kaya?
wowowie! inggit me... gsto ko rin punta london! :D
romer: ey tsong! hirap ding ipagkasya lahat kasi syempre gusto mo ikuwento lahat ng nangyari. pero kasi pag sobrang hinabaan ko, baka wala nang magbasa. hehehe! :) i'm sure makakapunta ka rin ng europe. at kung pupunta ka ng london, syempre bibigyan kita ng directions, maps at kung anu-ano pa para naman ma-enjoy mo rin ang stay mo dun. :)
My 2 favorite cities are new york and london! what I would do to go back there again :)glad to hear u had a blast. I can relate :)Haven't blog hopped in a long time. Hope u had a great valentine's day :)
hanagirl: ako naman hindi pa nakakapunta ng new york. would love to go there. you're the nth person na alam kong favorite ang new york. my cousins are there so at least i have somewhere to stay for sure pag nakapunta ako dun. hehehe! :)
wow - i so want to go there! Euro-trip...THAT'S the ultimate dream for me. :D
nette: maybe you could go there after your stint in japan. :) thanks for dropping by. :)
mitch: ay sus, ang dali kaya sa iyo na magpunta jan. sabihin mo sa labidabs mo, jan na lang ang honeymoon. o kung tapos na, second honeymoon! :) uy, gusto ko rin magpunta ng disney world! sa tokyo disneyland pa lang ako nakakapunta super excited na ako. hehehe! :)
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