London and my 21st!

Hi! Hope everyone is doing alright. This past weekend Emily and I went to London with our friends Claire and Kendra. It was a blast and we saw and did a ton of stuff.

Friday when we got there we walked along Oxford street and Regent street, which are main shopping streets, we walked over to Westminster Abbey and just checked out the outside. We also checked out Big Ben and Parliament which are right near the Abbey. Next we went to King's Cross station to see Platform 9 3/4 from Harry Potter. Then we headed out of the city center to the Warner Bros studio where they filmed the Harry Potter movies and got to see a bunch of props and sets and learn a bit of behind the scenes stuff about the movies. We then went back to the city center and had a delicious Italian dinner. After dinner we tried to go to the London Eye, but unfortunately it had already closed. We were all exhausted so we headed back to the hostel and passed out.

Hogwarts Castle

Oxford Street

Parliament and Big Ben

Saturday we started by walking to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guards. After that we went to check out Piccadilly Square. Then we ate brunch at a cute place in the west end near all of the theatres. After lunch we headed to Her Majesty's Theatre to see the musical Phantom of the Opera. It was amazing, just no words for how great the voices were, especially the Phantom, he was crazy good. After the musical we grabbed some dinner at Chipotle and got a little taste of home. Then we walked to Hyde Park to go to Winter Wonderland a Christmas carnival that was going on. It was cool, but there were lots of people there and it was a little overwhelming. When we'd had enough of the carnival we got a drink at a pub nearby and then headed home.

Buckingham Palace 

Her Majesty's Theatre

On Sunday, Birthday day, we went to a nice breakfast and sipped on some bellinis. Then we got on the tube and went to the river Thames and explored the cites along the river. We saw the Tower of London and Tower Bridge and then walked to St. Paul's Cathedral which was beautiful inside and out. Then we headed back to the London Eye and rode on it around sunset. After the Eye we headed to an area called Camden and got our ears pierced. Then we got dinner and continued celebrating my birthday.

Tower Bridge

St. Paul's 

View of the river Thames from the Eye

The drink list, documented by Emily, included the following...
1. bellini
2. Blue moon at ye
3. il padrino wine at strada
4. il padrino
5. il padrino
6. Elephant head at elephant head
7. House White at Poppies fish and chips
8. Bah Humbug beer at Oxford Arms
9. Bah Humbug
10. Brandy Alexander (chocolate and vanilla ice cream, nutella, brandy) at The Diner
11. Brandy Alexander
12. Jameson & Ginger Beer @ Lock 17
13. Shot of Sambuca at Lock 17
14. Another shot of Sambuca
15. Little Miss Sunshine at the Bucks Head
16. Purple People Eater at the Bucks Head
17. Tequila shots at Zebrano
18. Tequila shots at Zebrano
19. Margarita at Gem
20. Rum and coke at Gem
21. Tequila Shots!!! At Gem

All in all it was a fabulous birthday, definitely the best one yet. It all went surprisingly well and we all easily made it back to the hostel in one piece. London, overall, was great and I would love to go back sometime.
We are really excited for a concert on Wednesday and Spain on Friday. These last few weeks will be crazy, but great.
Thanks for reading! More to come soon!
-Sam and Emily