london holiday

Saturday was our first trek into London without the group.  We walked about 10 miles over the course of the day and were completely dead on the way home, which in no way hindered Jo from making fun of the French guys behind us and turning red when she realized how loud it was.  :)
 
We started the day at Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guard.  We were there and hour and 45 min early, so that we would be in the very front.  We endured 3 rain showers and were 15 minutes from the changing when they put up a sign that there would be no changing of the guard today.  Dang.
 
We then walked over and saw Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Abbey- but didn't go in to any of them.  Then we rode the London Eye, which is a giganitc ferris wheel that takes you 135 meters into the air, so that you can see all of London at once.  It took about half and hour to ride, and it was so much fun!  Then we walked down this sidewalk that was covered in performers of all types, out to make some money off the tourists.  Our personal favorite was the Statue Man who kissed Jo's hand, and then wouldn't let go.  We just stood there and laughed unitl she convinced us to put some more money in the cup so he would let her go.  he was quite the business man. 
 
We walked over and saw Trafalgar Square, and then on the Piccadilly Circus for lunch.  We ate on the sidewalk because there were no benches ANYWHERE, and were stared at like we were crazies...oh well.  We then walked down Bond St, which is where all of the designer shops are located (for example: Dolce and Gabana, Prada, Gucci, Cartier, etc.).  It was definitely posh.  We couldn't even go into the chocolate shoppe without feeling completly out of place. 
 
We were back in Oxford in time for dinner, and then I receieved a letter from Bart.  I had forgotten that I asked him to write me a letter before he left and send it to me here.  It was quite a delightful shock.  I read the letter as I walked down the street to the church to double check worship times.  With silent tears streaming down my smiling cheeks, and my hand over my heart, I read and walked without looking up.  At one point I misread the tone of his words, and heard the words, "He loves you."  I looked back, knowing the voice was passing by, and saw a man who smiled and nodded in reassurance.  When I looked back again to thank him, the man was gone.
 
The letter was beautiful, as all of Bart's words are, and it was exactly what I needed.  We've only been apart a week and a half, but the knowledge that there will be absolutely no contact for 5 more weeks is tough to swallow.  The distance is not the difficult part-- it's the inability to communicate through words on a regular basis- to share life with one another in the present.  But he is here with me.  I feel him here like I feel the rain-- real and warm.