Feed the birds…Toppins..a bag?

This is where I was today:

That’s right…the set of Mary Poppins. Just kidding of course…or am I? *Cue Mysterious Music* …Just kidding. I was of course referring to St. Pauls Cathedral.

 

St.Pauls

And those are the steps they were talking about. I’m just saying. In case you care. Which I know you do.

 

I picked this for my thursday lonesome adventure cause ever since I saw the cathedral at night completely lit up and looking radiant at night its been on my list so I said why not?

I navigated the tube to get there and wandered inside (its 8.50 for the student rate to get in but totally worth every pence) and I started wandering around only to realize that the mid-day mass was going on and since I had skipped my usual trip to the church on thursday I sat down. The thing about going to a mass in a church like St.Pauls is that its a little distracting because of all the people and the incredible design of the church itself but I’m hardcore so I focused…more or less..

The other thing that threw me off was the fact that its an Anglican church and not catholic. I had to sit in the back so I knew what to do!  And when I was done with the Our Father…they kept going..with the kingdom and power and glory are thine now and forever?…But I was done talking…it was awkward…Anyway then I had the dilemma of if I was allowed to to receive communion in an Anglican church. I madea split second decision to do it, so I have received communion in St.Pauls cathedral. Thats pretty cool if you ask me. When I went to receive there was a church person (wearing black robes not sure what they’re called) who was staring me down. I got nervous he was going to ask me for an Anglican I.D. card or something. But when I got close he smiled and said Hey!. So weird. Also, i had a giggle problem when I got up to the priest..vicar?..whatever. Kasey Panetta: Keepin’ It Classy since 1989.

I wandered around the main floor of the church and finally came to what I had been looking for: The American Memorial Chapel. During the Blitzkreig in WWII not even St.Pauls was safe and actually took a hit from a shell that went down to the basement leaving a gaping hole in the cathedral. When it was rebuilt, they made the spot into an american memorial paid for by british people in memorium of all the American lives lost by those stationed in Britain. Pretty intense and beautifully done.

BTW. You can’t take pictures in the church so I’ve stolen this one to show you the alter. Thats how much I love you.

The American Chapel

I then tossed caution to the wind to take the hike up the 257 steps to the whispering gallery. Basically, its a little walkway that runs around the dome of the church and if you sit on one side you can hear people talking 32 meters away on the other side of the dome. This was kinda creepy because mostly you just hear whispers. But while I was sitting I heard one REALLY loud whisper of “SHHHHHHH” *pause* “SHHHHHH”…This is where I was creeped out thinking that this was Jesus calling and I better listen up until it was followed by “Say hello to Jeremy for me!”…Jesus? Probably not. But Hey Jeremy! After I got tired of listening to mostly grown adults whispering secret messages to the other side while their children looked up in slightly humiliated disgust. I hiked up 119 more steps to the Stone Gallery. This runs around the outside of the dome giving 360 degree views of the city through high iron safety bars. So switching back to my own photography…

Stone Gallery

Really high...through bars...

I should note that when I went into the Cathedral it was raining…check out the sky…blue skies…grey skies…Love this city. When I was climbing the stairs I heard someone behind me go..I love London…blue to grey in 2.5. I actually laughed out loud. Thats right I was the creeper laughing by herself.

Thames and The Eye

Rays of light over London

I stopped here to have a cheezit snack. Thanks Aunt T. I was the ultimate American. However now I check off have cheezits on a church off the life list.

After that I ventured up another 152 steps to the Golden Gallery which I shall refer to as the Inches from an Untimely Death Gallery. The 152 steps are, by the way, open iron spirals like you would find in a lighthouse. When I went to go up the stairs there was a group of 6 little kids (maybe 6 years old) going up with their teacher. My first thought was oh no this is going to take forever. Well, let me tell you something. Those little kids smoked my ass. They ran up those stairs no fear while I was trying to convince myself that I could do it. Again, in amazement of small children. The girl behind me who was about 20 was also gripping the railing like a lifeline so I didn’t feel TOO bad. To get to the final top I had to walk up a stair case so tiny  my shoulders could barely fit…each was brushing  wall. No fat americans allowed.

When I got to the top she was still behind me and I witnessed a meltdown of the teacher with the little kids. Picture this please:

Teach counting the kids: One…two…three…four…five… *pause* one…two…three..four..five…*Panic voice* Wheres the other one!?!

Other teacher: You only had five.

Teach: I HAD SIX! One! TWO! THREE! FOUR! FIVE!

Me: Um..excuse me…

Teach: ONE! TWOTHREEFOURFIVE! WHERE IS THE OTHER ONE?!?!

Me: Um…sir?

Teach: still counting

Me:…She’s behind you.

Teach: What?

Me: Number 6…shes standing behind you.

Teach: *turns around.* Oh thank god.

Nice to know you can trust the teacher to really look before he panics.

Back to Steps away from Untimely death.

This platform was about 1 foot wide with a small iron railing separating me from a really long fall. Really. Long. Fall.

But worth the beautiful view of London.

 

Death.

Please observe the railing and also the fact that when I took this my back was pressed against the wall. Thats how wide it is.

 

Tiny people and millenium bridge

Pretty again.

I was standing and looking out over London when I bumped into the girl who had been climbing the stairs behind me. She basically summed up my feelings with one sentence

Girl: This. Is. Terrifying.

Me: Thats for sure. It ain’t no jersey lighthouse…

Girl: Shutup. You’re from jersey?!

Me: Yeah.

Girl: Me too! Where are you from?

Me: Warren County. You?

Girl: Monmouth.

Turns out she was in London for a week but studying abroad in Brussels. We had a nice little chat. Go Jersey. We’re everywhere!

Then I headed back downstairs. The Death Stairs. and back into the church to check out the crypt.

An interesting thing about the tons of stairs. There is a warning about how it is one way up so if you start you have to keep going so you better not be a fattie or a quitter. When KT and I were in Dublin we were sort of lost and someone came up to help us. He told us it was about a 15 min walk. Then asked us where we were from. When we said the states he said. Oh well it might be a bit difficult for YOU. What the hell is that supposed to mean? Jerk. So take that Dublin Stranger I conquered St.Pauls stairs. In. You. Face. Moving on.

 

 

The Crypt has some really famous people buried there including Florence Nightingale, Arthur The Duke of Wellington, JMW Turner, William Blake and of course the architect of the church Sir Christopher Wren. On top of this it has tons of memorials to soldiers who have died and served the country. It’s actually quite moving in a crypty sort of way.

Also, it is that time of year where they sell poppies to support the british military. I figured that was a worthy cause to donate to.

 

Dedicated to those who have served and fallen...

 

 

Thursday night we headed off to see the Orchestra and sat behind the musicians. It was a little bit weird but worth the 2 pound ticket. It was really amazing but I discovered I have a limited attention span for these things. The first piece was 7 min long. The next? 27 min. 20 min Intermission before the final piece. How long was that one you ask? 60 min. Ouch. That one hurts the team. I did enjoy it alot and it was cool to sit behind the orchestra and literally be sitting on the stage right near my trumpet family but 60 min? Seriously.

Hope you enjoyed that little trip.

Cheers,

Kc