The Marching Captains travelled to London, England and performed in The 39th running of London’s New Year’s Day Parade on Wednesday, Jan. 1. The Captains got to live like locals and see famous historical landmarks and sites during this six day trip. They arrived on Sunday, Dec. 29 after a six and a half hour flight. They received pocket-sized itinerary books, which contained a detailed daily schedule as well as maps and directions around the city.
The Marching Captains received LNYDP wallets containing their own Visitor Oyster Card, which allowed them to travel on London’s underground and 24 hour bus network. This allowed them to go anywhere in London both at their leisure and for their guided tours. On Monday, Dec. 30, the Captains took a spectacular tour of London’s most famous landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, home of the two Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London. There were an additional four unique audio walks to
choose from, including London: Rock & Roll Capital of the World, Southbank Stroll, Harry Potter’s London and Princes, Palaces and Power.
On Tuesday, Dec. 31, the Marching Captains experienced the delights of the county of Oxfordshire with a visit to the City of Oxford. Known as the ‘city of dreaming spires’, the university buildings and the 39 colleges dominate the centre of the city. They got to visit the Christ Church College, founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII. Its grounds contain a number of architecturally significant buildings including Tom Tower and the Great Dining Hall, which have both been featured in the Harry Potter series.
To ring in the new year on Wednesday, Jan. 1, the Marching Captains performed at the London New Years Day Parade. They marched two miles down the route headed east to Piccadilly Circus before going down Regent Street St James’s. They performed the CNU Fight Song, Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond and Let’s Dance by David Bowie. Friends and family were able to watch through a live satellite broadcast, with nearly half a million people watching.
On Thursday, Jan. 2, the Marching Captains boarded a Thames River boat for a 40 minute cruise, going as far upstream as Southwark Bridge, passing the Palace of Westminster and the London Eye and as far downstream as Tower Bridge. After arriving at the Tower Pier, they took a tour of the Tower of London, learning about some of the most remarkable stories from across the centuries. The Tower held many famous prisoners from the highest levels of society and the Captains were able to visit the places of their confinement and read the graffiti left by prisoners
from over 500 years ago.
On their last day of the trip, the Marching Captains took a visit to Windsor, where they experienced the delights of the county of Berkshire. They got to experience the beautiful historic country town, renowned for its cobbled lanes and narrow passages. At the heart of the town is the castle which for over 900 years has been the residence and fortress for the British monarch. They visited St. George’s Chapel, which is the burial place of 11 English monarchs including Queen Elizabeth II, Henry VIII and Charles I.
The Marching Captains departed on Saturday, Jan. 4 and took home memories of their visit to the capital city.
