Through Tired Eyes

I noticed the crowds today -- I mean, really noticed them.  Because I noticed them, I began thinking about them in a context I hadn't before.  London is a busy city and I can imagine that from above it looks sort of like an ant hill.  Streams of people are always scurrying around in lines, some on a long journey, others burrowing deep into the earth (aka the Tube) - all trying to get somewhere or do something.  Here's some of the crowd shots I captured today:

Mobs of people at the Tower of London.

Waiting in line to get in - let's whip out the camera.

Ants on the way to the ant hill that is St. Paul's Cathedral.  Crossing the Millennium Bridge.

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I believe that there are a couple things responsible for why the crowds seemed so prominent today ... the first being that today marks the two week point in our journey.  Our little area of Bloomsbury is becoming familiar and though I haven't seen everything, many things are no longer new in my eyes.  I've become accustomed to side-stepping around camera wielding tourists and weaving and bobbing around large tour groups.  Now that my eyes are no longer looking up and around at all of the buildings, they are pointed straight ahead -- at the crowds.  This scene was multiplied today, as The Tower of London is a huge tourist attraction with many tight spaces.  I'm glad that we got there early enough to see the Crown Jewels without having to stand in a massive line.

The second reason is more of a personal opinion.  I sensed a general feeling of "over-it-ness" from the group today - this may not necessarily be true, perhaps just a vision from my tired eyes.  Two weeks of straight travel/touring and busier than busy eight hour days (not to mention hours of homework to be done) tend to tire one out - no matter how enthused the person.  Sore feet, tired legs, drooping eyes, packed brains, and aching backs made the crowds seem louder, more obnoxious, and stuffier than ever.  

The crowds also made me a little sad today.  The Tower of London is an ancient place - originally built in 1066.  It has housed royalty, served as a refuge, and even held prisoners captive.  What I saw today was a playground for little kids (who were running up and down the wooden staircases), surrounded by a gift shop whose merchandise reflect only the stereotypes of such a historic place. (*Side note: I sort of understand why - I come from a tourist driven economy). I can't even begin to imagine what the untold stories of this potentially wondrous place are.  I began to wonder how much of the building was original, and how much they have to replace on a regular basis.  I had the same thought yesterday as we climbed the 500 stairs at St. Paul's Cathedral.  There were indentations in the wooden stairs, marking the millions of tourists who have come through.  How will these places hold up for years to come -- and how can they maintain their cultural importance and integrity?

It seemed as if our normally chipper group dragged like zombies from our mile plus walk from The Tower of London to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.  I'm not going to censor myself from saying that I was a little disappointed that we weren't scheduled to tour or experience the theatre at all - we merely gazed at it from the outside.  However, Elizabeth and I are going to try to get tickets for sometime next week.  I hate to blather on like some ungrateful soul - I mean, c'mon ... I'm in London.

Thankfully, I knew that this "get over the hump day" was eventually going to make its way into my schedule so I've mentally prepared myself for it.  I know myself well enough to know that at some point in time I would get tired and perhaps not feel as excited to be here - basically taking this incredible opportunity for granted.  Rather than extending this feeling through the rest of my days here, then realizing at the end that I regret feeling this way - it stops here and now.  Thank you blog for being a great form of release and a place for public ranting.

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I am very much looking forward to visiting the British Library tomorrow, as well as the iconic Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross.  A night of rest and relaxation will put me at ease for tomorrow's adventure - no longer with tired eyes.  They will be as bright and excited as they were on day one.  I'm going to leave you with a short clip just for the pure joy of it :).  With promise of bright eyes and bushy tails tomorrow - Tara, out.