Adventures in International Education

Today’s tour began by meeting Stella Richards at Lola’s Cupcakes and touring Saint Paul’s Cathedral. Stella and her family are my neighbors in Stowe and were brought up in the United Kingdom. So I had a first-class guide for today’s journey around London. 

We had a joyful reunion at Blackfriars and immediately joined the queue for Saint Paul’s Cathedral. The church itself, designed by Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London in 1666, was completed in 1711. The previous cathedral, built by the Normans after the 1087 fire, was consecrated in 1240. The current cathedral serves as a magnificent historical as well as religious icon. The church recognizes both its religious and cultural significance, with a cleric announcing a moment of silence at 11:00 for those associated with the cathedral.

Like much I have seen in London, Saint Paul’s contains a massive amount of history for one visitor to comprehend. My focus on this trip connects to my experience in India, however, and in this cathedral I saw several links to the Empire and the British Raj. Memorials to generals who had served as Viceroy to India or assisted the British East India Company lined the walls of the church or the crypt. One plaque honored the Indian soldiers who had served in the British Army during the First and Second World Wars.

India remains on my mind as I explore London and the UK. Colonialism played a role in India’s development and the after-effects of the British Raj continue to affect Indian life. Behind the plaques and statues lie the history of colonialism.

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Other Notables

The first U.S. president, George Washington, has a bust in a quiet corner of the crypt as does Florence Nightingale, recognized for her nursing services in the Crimean War. A bust of Lawrence of Arabia (Thomas Edward Lawrence) hangs on the wall as do plaques for governors of Australia and New Zealand.

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The crypt contains the remains of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, who played a role in India, and Horatio Nelson, hero of Trafalgar. Saint Paul’s was the scene of many funerals, including those of Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher.

After lunch at a vegan buffet, we walked along the Embankment with views of the skyline and the Thames. We spent time in the Tate Modern Museum (and saw another Henry Moore sculpture; the first was in Saint Paul’s). We walked to Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, and took a bus to the Indian quarter of Brick Yard. Stella and her friend Kath walked me through Old Spitalfields Market then we paid our respects to the the Kindertransport memorial at Liverpool Station, which recognizes the Jewish children who found refuge in England from the Nazis during World War II. The Talking Beautiful Stuff post contains more information about the Kindertransport as does this link to six million memorials.

Walking for the day

This post shortens a long day into several impressions. But we saw a lot of the city—the Russian guitar player, an exhibit of World Wildlife photos, and a visit to the top of the new Tate building with incredible views of London. My phone tells me I walked 11.6 miles for the Thursday, 1 August 2019. No wonder my feet are tired! My previous tours around London have involved walking a “mere” seven or eight miles… Thanks, Stella!!!