Feed the Birds...

Visiting St. Paul's Cathedral was one of those experiences that I've dreamed of for years.  Ever since I watched Mary Poppins as a little girl and heard Julie Andrews' petition to "buy my bags full of crumbs,"  I knew there was something special about St. Paul's.  My recent visit simply confirmed that St. Paul's that.  It is the heart of London, the symbol of the British people's survival, resiliency, and hope.

The current St. Paul's is actually the 4th, possibly even the 5th, cathedral to stand on the site.  Designed by Sir Christopher Wren, it dates back to the 17th century.  I was impressed when I learned about the recent cleaning of the building, which was a staggering job to undertake.  They left one small patch of the wall uncleaned to show just how dirty it was-it was so cool to see what centuries of grime had done to the church!

When I entered the cathedral, I was awe-struck by the immensity of the cathedral. It is HUGE.  I was also impressed with the style of the architecture done in the neoclassical style, which seems a little unusual for an Anglican church.  As I moved down the nave and came under the dome, I was flabbergasted by its size.  It is 365 feet from the top of the dome to the floor, a length to remind people of the time it takes for the earth to orbit the sun.  Needless to say, the dome, with its wonderful monochrome paintings of scenes from the life of Saint Paul, left an impression.

The quire is so exquisitely decorated with mosaics that just shimmered and sparkled in the low light.  One of my favorite parts of my tour through St. Paul's was seeing the American Memorial Chapel, which lays right behind the high altar.  I teared up when I saw inscribed on the floor, "to the American dead of the Second World War from the people of Britain," and as I picked out the different state insignias in the stained glass windows, I was so proud of my country and so happy that St. Paul's had given such a nice tribute to America.

I conquered the monstrous number of stairs up to the Whispering Gallery in the lower part of the dome, which was a cool view of the cathedral.  I continued my journey up the dome, finally coming out in the Golden Gallery at the very top of the dome.  My physical efforts were all worth it however when I reached the top, where I was rewarded with one of the best views of the city.

I finished my tour down in the crypt, which contains some really nice memorials and tombs many people, including the Duke of Wellington, Lord Nelson, and the architect of the cathedral himself.  Sir Christopher Wren's tomb was particularly touching, because it was very simple and modest, tucked into the corner of the crypt with a simple inscription.  His son had inscribed, "If you seek his monument, look about you."  I agree that St. Paul's is a fitting tribute to the man that built it and the city that holds it dear.