Class 2e started their adventure by meeting at 3am at Pyrzowice airport. The flight was quick and comfortable, ending at London Luton. The first day was already sunny, and the sun was to stay with us until the last minutes of our stay in the UK capital. Our first walk around the city was full of interesting places and events; St Peter’s Catholic Cathedral, the ceremonial changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, St James’ Park – one of the most beautiful parks in the world, where we were greeted by its winged inhabitants – ducks, geese, swans….
Which building is the most recognisable in London? The Palace of Westminster, of course! The stately Big Ben welcomed us with its sound. Whitehall or the government quarter with the Prime Minister’s house at 10 Downing Street, Trafalgar Square with Nelson’s column and the works of art in the National Gallery filled our first afternoon. The rest of the evening was spent getting to know the host families or families hosting us and spent it chatting in English.
The dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum are doing well, as are all the other flora and fauna specimens. It was fantastic to wander through this mine of knowledge in biology, chemistry, geography, physics or astronomy. Rounding off this great lesson was the Science Museum with its exhibits on medicine, aviation, telecommunications, computer science or mathematics. The beautiful sunny weather encouraged further walks outdoors, and so immediately afterwards we went for another walk – this time to see the statue of Prince Albert in Kensington Gardens, Marble Arch and Oxford Street.
What is the name of the most famous Ferris wheel in London ? That’s right, the London Eye, from which we had the opportunity to see Westminster Abbey, the Thames, Buckingham Palace and London’s parks and gardens. Next was a boat cruise on the Thames, the most important waterway in the UK. The destination was the Greenwich district, where we learned various information about sailing and geographical discovery at the National Maritime Museum. We set our sites on the two hemispheres, thanks to the 0 meridian and the Royal Astronomical Observatory. We also learned about the Tower of London, which is the oldest surviving palace and defence building. On the day, we admired the beautiful scenery from Tower Bridge and the city skyline bathed in sunshine in Greenwich Park. Our return from Greenwich was equally interesting, as we travelled on the DLR Autonomous Railway.
On day four of our trip we visited the wax figure museum, or Madame Tussauds. Regent’s Park, located nearby, was a great opportunity to get some fresh air and feast our eyes on beautiful nature. A journey on the London Underground took us this time to the British Museum. The huge interiors and exhibits from all cultures helped to expand our knowledge of history and geography, but also literature. ‘I learned interesting things, for example about the culture of ancient Egypt. In my opinion, the most interesting thing was the figure of the ancient cat, which is quite distinctive as it has earrings in its nose and ears,’ concluded one of the participants of the expedition.
The return journey this time led through the West End with its cinemas and theatres, Piccadilly Circus with the largest advertising screens in the country and the historic statue of Eros. It is impossible to be bored in London. Every passage and every stop brings with it the opportunity to discover something new and surprising.
In the morning we said goodbye to the families who had hosted us. A short journey on a double-decker bus took us to an art gallery called , ‘Tate Britain’. While some people were discussing, visiting intriguing works of art, others were creating in the drawing section. It turned out that IILO has a lot of artistic talent! Then a walk to St Pauls’s Cathedral and where the City of London once ended and where the London Stock Exchange also lies. A walk across Millennium Bridge to the Tate Modern – a very special gallery. A few more moments in Leicester Square, a quick glimpse of China Town and already Pancreas Station with its both historic and modern interiors – trains leave from here for the Continent, for example, and we were off to Luton Airport.
Participants in the language workshop lived in the homes of British families. Each day started with an early wake-up call and breakfast. At the end of the day, after exploring the city, the families would come to pick us up. They were curious about what we had seen that day and we always talked about it over the delicious dinner they prepared for us.
Staying in the homes of English families left many memories: long and interesting conversations in English, food that was often different from what we have in Poland. ‘By far the most delicious was the chicken in Asian sauce,’ remarked a participant of the trip when asked.
