Ridin’ Solo: My Day At St. Paul’s…

So yesterday, I did something that proves that I can function as a somewhat-independent adult in a big city: I rode the Tube successfully–and by myself (hence the titular Jason Derulo reference)!!!!…

…Well, not the smartest man, but, you get where I’m going here…

You see, being a very neurotic girl who, some would say, tends to “overanalyze”, I was more than a little apprehensive…I mean, granted, I’ve ridden the Underground plenty of times by now, and I know it’s a very simple thing, but I had always done so with someone else…But seeing as no one else was going where I was going (I’ll get to that in a moment), I decided to take the plunge and go it alone–after all, if I’m going to settle down in a large city after school, I have to get used to this sort of thing…And, suffice it to say, it went completely smoothly, :-)…

Now, where was it that I was trying to go???…The answer:

St. Paul’s Cathedral!!…

While there has continuously been a church at this site since 604, the building we call St. Paul’s was (fully) completed in 1720, designed by Sir Christopher Wren as a replacement for Old St. Paul’s, which was destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666…It’s safe to say that it’s become not only one of the most iconic buildings in London, but an enduring symbol of British identity and resilience through turmoil and prosperity… Unfortunately, I once again was not allowed to take pictures indoors–but that’s what the Internet’s for…

…The outside…

…The Nave…

…Close-up of the dome, which depicts various events from Paul’s life, such as his conversion, his time in Ephesus, etc….

…The Quire (or Choir)…

…The High Altar…

…Down in the crypts, where some major people–like Lord Nelson–are buried…There’s also a really cute café down there, where you can get…

…a spot of tea, along with a scone and clotted cream and jam–quite nice…

…The Whispering Gallery, 259 steps (99 ft.) above ground level…So named because someone who whispers on one side can be heard by someone on the other side of it, 112 ft. away…Also, you can get some really good up-close views of some of Sir James Thornhill’s beautiful mosaics…

And, if you can brave 904 more steps up narrow, winding staircases, through the Stone Gallery, you will arrive at the Golden Gallery, at the very top at the Dome, where you can get amazing panoramic views of the city…By the way, did you know that St. Paul’s has the 2nd-largest dome in Europe (or the world), just behind the one in St. Peter’s in Rome…

All-in-all, a very fun way to kill 5 hours on a Friday afternoon, :-)… And, in case you didn’t know, today is extra-special because: this is my 50th post–a MAJOR milestone for me–who’d’ve thought I’d have the discipline and dedication to actually keep going with this thing regularly…Success!!!!