Lord Mayor's Parade!

I am exhausted and so very very cold, but today was a really good day! My alarm went off at 8am on a Saturday which was depressing! I was out of the house by 9:15 (yeah.. I laid in bed for a bit) I bought another month of my tube pass and headed to the parade! I just want to say once again that I hate the tube on the weekends. I know they are upgrading for the Olympics, but do you HAVE to shut down an entire section of the underground system?? Just saying. So after I got off at Baker Street to grab the Circle line I realized that it was down, so I took the Metropolitan line to Liverpool Street. I was worried because the parade started at 10:45 and there was NO one on the tube. I just thought that everyone was already there and I wouldn’t be able to see a thing. (you cant leave your flat go to the Macy’s Day parade an hour and a half before it starts and expect to see!) So I was worried. I get out of the tube and it is still quiet. I pull out the smartphone (I forgot my map!) and walk towards one of the parade streets. There was barely anyone there. I got a front row spot! Granted I was behind a row of soldiers, but I could still see when the parade went around the corner. I could see everything coming down the road, and then turn. It was awesome.

This parade was so stereotypical British. Picture Sherlock Holmes era Britain in your head… that is what the majority of the parade was! Actually the couple next to me told me all about the parade. The Lord Mayor is elected for a year. Each guild has a leader and they can become sheriff, and then out of the sheriff they are elected Lord Mayor. So the parade was a ton a guilds that still exist from the middle ages. Some have just been creates, but most of them are old. There was the horse tack guild, glovers, bowers, arrow makers, gunsmiths, etc. it was fun. Inbetween the guild was the military. Basically it was the guild and the army. It was cool though. The military know how to march and their uniforms are really cool. So the parade was really fun! Freya texted me saying that she was running late (she was going to the later parade. It starts at the Guildhall, goes to St Paul, and then back) I went to the Banquet Hall before meeting up with her. I am glad it was free (thanks to my membership!) It was worth seeing def! The architecture was amazing (thanks to Indigo Jones) and the ceiling… painted by none other than Peter Paul Rubens. Charles I was beheaded here… it was one of the last things he saw! Crazy!

I then went to Mansion House tube stop and from Freya. WAY more people were at the later parade. The crowd was 10 people deep! I was glad that I had already seen it. When it was done we met up with her friends (I learned that the guy I had met on Sunday was her boyfriend!) so it was his and his two friends. They were really nice, but the one was a little much. Its hard to explain… he was just very British. That was Robert. Edward was a lot nicer and chill. We went to St Pauls since we were so close to see the tent city. (I don’t know how big it is in the States… the tent city protesting capitalism.) I don’t know exactly what they are protesting, but you cant really stop capitalism by sitting in front of tents for the day… Just saying.

At four we met up with some Christies girls. We headed to a bridge for the fireworks. There were SO many people. The fireworks were amazing over the river. They didn’t last long though.. only about 15 minutes which was disappointing and the finale was not a finale! But for 15 minutes they were the best fireworks I have ever seen. I had an amazing front row spot. I was just good at snagging those today!

After everyone was trying to pick a pub to go to and everyone had different opinions. I ended up just calling it a day. I had been out since 9:15 and standing for that long, so I was tired. If there would have been a def plan I may have tagged along. Honestly I didn’t want to spend any money either. I didn’t spend a penny today!! I was so proud of myself! (well except for my tube card but that is a need to get to school and such!)

Tomorrow is a trip to the library, laundry and cleaning. I am looking forward to sleeping in!