Now that I've graduated, I'm going to be a princess.

Today was simple, relaxing, and incredibly fun. We didn't have any specific time we had to do anything, and the whole day was ours for whatever. I actually got sleep for the first time one this trip last night (7 hours - as much as the first two nights of our trip put together) so I was ready. After a quiet morning, Max, Tia, and I decided to walk through Hyde Park to Kensington Palace for a tour. Well, the Palace is not quite the same as it used to be. Right now it is in the middle of it's Enchanted Palace exhibit, which is a celebration of all the princesses that have lived there - Mary, Charlotte, Caroline, Victoria, Anne, Margaret and Diana. However, this was not your everyday educational exhibit. The gardens outside were beautiful (Pictures!), and I loved them even more since they had creepy black metal decorations placed throughout them. (Another picture!) I even made a little friend in a squirrel who followed me part way through the foliage arches. (Oh hey, squirrel.) The palace had been gutted because all the furniture was being renovated, and each room was decorated in the most amazing, enchanting, sometimes creepy, magical way. You could hear small children whispering under staircases, there were black shrouds over lanterns, doors opening to brick walls with shattered mirrors with "Get out" or Turn Back" written on them, and mobiles casting eery shadows on golden statues. Each room had a different theme, such as the Room of Royal Sorrows, the Rooms of Lost Childhood, and the Gallery of War and Play. You can see me on the Seat of Power, where your voice booms and echoes when you talk. "Be careful what you say..." A monarch's choices affect everyone. My favorite rooms were Victoria's Room of a Sleeping Princess and Diana and Margaret's Room of Dancing Princess. The former was in the room where Victoria as basically kept as a prisoner in her own life by her relatives in hopes that they could take over the crown if her uncle died before she turned 18. It was actually in this room that Victoria woke up at 5 a.m., a month and a half or so after her 18th birthday, to be told she was now the Queen of England. The most incredible part of the day was that this day, June 20th, is exactly 173 years after this event. It was the most amazing coincidence, and it sent us reeling! Diana and Margaret's room was made to look like a dark forest of white trees and white roses. Throughout the palace, everyone of the princesses was represented by a dress that had been designed by famous designers and artists, including Vivienne Westwood. The dresses stood alone without bodies or mannequins inside. The most amazing one was Victoria's which was made entirely of paper cranes and was hanging from the ceiling in her room . (Picture) Diana's dress, however, was one that she had actually worn. The whole tour concluded in a long dark hall, in which hung portraits of the actual princesses. In this room, red roses tumbled out of royal fireplaces and shadows of ghosts danced on the ceiling. It was the most exquisite tour I have ever been on, and anyone who knows me knows how much I enjoy fantasy creepy and enchanting in nature. This tour was worth more than what I paid for it.

After Kensington Palace, the three of us walked through much of Hyde Park on our way to visit Josh and the rest of the Machamer family. I was so excited to see them all, especially the girls! I cannot get enough of Riley and Avery, and to have that whole family here in London is so exciting. On our way to Westminster on the north side of the park, we passed the Princess Diana Memorial Playground, which is an amazing park you can only enter if you have children with you. I'm hoping to borrow Josh's kids some day so we can play together! Once at Josh's we got to see his flat, and I was so happy to get hugs from the girls. Each of them gave me a princess picture they had drawn that I am going to keep by my bed. All seven of us walked over to a pub called Duke of Kendal, where we all talked and I bought the hungry girls bowls of chips (french fries!). We then continued on to a part of the city dominated by Middle Eastern culture. At this amazing whole in the wall deli, we found an entire case-sized selection of baklava. Of course, we got a big assortment of four different kinds and each had five pieces as we walked back through the park after saying goodbye to the Machamers. You can see a picture of Max with three-fourths of the Machamers (the fourth - Riley - is holding my hand). On the way back the three of us walked the bridge over the Serpentine in the park. The last few hours were spent at home getting ready for class, reading Macbeth, cooking a dinner of beans and sausage with Max, and just being ridiculous with my roommates. Much needed. Goodnight everyone! I miss you all!