Day 27, "The day I lost a little respect for England"

Today I woke up and headed into London. After a slight delay on the tube (which resulted in having to change trains) I landed a slight walk form Buckingham Palace and had enough time to get there before the Changing of the Guards. This was a bit lame. First off it's way too touristy and crowded for me. Secondly, one of the bands that marches in with them played Abba songs (I figured out it was Abba when people around me started singing 'Mama Mia' along with them, they also played 'Fernando'), that definitely brought the UK down a few notches in my book. Then I walked up the Mall to Trafalgar Square. I grabbed a quick lunch (and cheap, under six pounds for a sandwich and coke) in the cafe in the crypt of St. Martin in the Field. After this I headed into the National Gallery. There were a few really good Monet Pieces. I really liked 'Water Lilies, Setting Sun' and then looking at another painting a little bit away discovered that 'Water Lilies, Setting Sun' looks so much better from an angle about 15 feet away, it was just so much more real and alive. I also thought the 'Snow Scene at Argenteuil' was amazing. After that I walked down towards Parliament and back up by the Thames. I eventually found myself in a Starbucks and read and drank some coffee for awhile enjoying being off my feet. At about four I headed towards Westminster Abbey and at 4:30 made my way in for Evensong which began at 5:00. They seem to focus more on the men's choir than on the boys choir compared to Canterbury Cathedral (at least that's the impression I got tonight). Overall I liked Canterbury's Evensong better, but it was still amazing. I then headed back to the hotel and grabbed something to eat. Now I'm just planing out tomorrow. I'm thinking St. Paul's (to check on tickets to the event in the afternoon that Dean Robert told me to go to and look for him at. After that depending on if I'll be going to the thing at St. Paul's in the afternoon I'll head up to either the London Museum or the British Museum (or both if I won't be returning to St. Paul's for the Order of St. John event). And I think I'll close out the day by attending Evensong at St. Paul's (so either way I'll end up there again that day) and if I like St. Paul's I think I may attend their sung Eucharist on Sunday morning.