Final Project - Visual Journalism

Hannah Diffee

Professor Reppert

Reporting and Writing for the Mass Media

Fall 2024

Final Project - Visual Journalism

A Day in London

This past April, I had the opportunity to travel to England for a Wesley Heritage Tour. On the trip, I learned about the history of the Methodist Church and visited iconic spiritual landmarks such as John and Charles Wesley's childhood home, the Aldersgate Flame, and Christ Church College at the University of Oxford.

Each tour day was structured, with group excursions in the mornings and afternoons and meal breaks that allowed us to taste local cuisine. The final day of the tour was a "free day" in London.

We arrived in London on April 21, right at the end of the London Marathon. The streets around Trafalgar Square were flooded with runners, spectators, and general pedestrians. As we inched through traffic in our tour bus, I saw more people crammed on one street than I had ever seen before.

April 22nd
We started the day by having breakfast at our hotel, Hilton Kensington. This is one of the nicest hotels I have stayed in, and it had a fantastic breakfast selection. However, I tried a crumpet that morning and was not a huge fan. I need to try one again someday.

Our first stop was the Churchill War Rooms, the "secret underground headquarters" where Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his government determined the course of World War II. My dad was the most excited about it, but I enjoyed the immersive experience and seeing history preserved so well. 

Our next destination was Westminster Abbey, a royal church in the center of London. The church has been the site of 40 royal coronations since 1066 and at least 16 royal weddings since 1100. It is the burial site for 18 English, Scottish, and British monarchs, including Queen Elizabeth I and Edward the Confessor.

The exterior of Westminster Abbey

Beautiful architecture!

            

Above: The Lady Chapel

Throughout the journey, we saw several other landmarks, like Buckingham Palace and the London Eye (which was, unfortunately, not running that day). 

Above: A huge crowd surrounded the royal palace.

Our penultimate stop (and the most fun!) was Java Whiskers Cat Cafe in White City. I had never been to a cat cafe before this, so I was over the moon. We had the chance to socialize with many lovely cats while we drank tea and ate sandwiches.

Our final destination was Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross Station. Fans of the Harry Potter franchise recognize the mythical platform as the location where Harry and his friends depart for Hogwarts. The London site, located between the real platforms 9 and 10, is home to a store that sells wands, robes, merchandise, and an assortment of Harry Potter-related treats. Tourists can pay to have their photo taken next to a trolley in front of the Platform 9 3/4 sign, but we opted to take pictures from a distance. We left the store with snacks and a bottle of Butterbeer, a drink made of cream soda and caramel extract.

Food & Drink Highlights:

Above: Fish and chips are commonly served with peas.

Above: Biscoff Blondie Hot Chocolate