Lots of Walks

So for both my art and architecture class and the anchor class to the Bucknell in London Program (Pillars of a Global Society: Infrastructure, Society, Economy, Culture) go on many many walks. Even though this is the fact, I still joined the YMCA right near my flat. It is actually the first YMCA in the world, which is pretty neat. Its HUGE and I've been pretty successful at attending so far. Today was a lot more crowded than two days ago, because I went around 6:30 pm when lots of people were stopping by on the way home from work.
Before the gym today, our engineering class went on a walk to the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE) near Westminister Abbey. The ICE was an incredible building, the first steel framed building in London. The nerd in me obviously thinks this is awesome. Earlier today in my art and architecture class we saw the rest of Westminster and Trafalgar Square. Westminster Abbey is enormous and so beautiful.  Here is a picture from the back of the Abbey.

Other walks we have done for art and architecture led us through the financial districts and we were able to see some cool buildings that are more recently developed and built. One being the Swiss Re Building, which some people refer to as "the pickle" as well as a a building by Richard Rogers where all the things that would normally be on the inside of the building are put on the outside. Like the elevators in this picture: 

How cool is that?! We also saw a memorial for everyday heroes on our architecture walk last week. It was a really neat garden and plaques with specific stories of people who died trying to save someone else, including young children saving their siblings from getting hit by a car, etc. Pretty amazing area. 

In other news, I can't wait to ride on the london eye. 

 Maybe it'll even be sunny again!!

But first things first, we head to Bath, Stonehenge, and Salisbury tomorrow! Possibly to Tintagel castle as well. Updates will come shortly after the trip