A Sea of Poppies

This British Life and Culture trip was to Westminster Abbey. It is located across the street from Parliament and is where royal coronations and weddings occur. This is also the burial site of many major English royals and cultural figures. Our visit coincided with the Armistice Day, UK's version of Veteran's Day. Where the US remembers veterans from all wars, Armistice Day commemorates the day the Great War, World War 1, ended on 11 November. In the weeks leading up, there is a collection drive for the Poppy Appeal. For a one pound donation you get a red paper poppy to wear. The poppy was chosen as it was the first flower to grow on the battlefields of WW1. In addition to the poppies people wear, out front of the Abbey is a field of crosses and poppies.

On the day of the field trip we only walked by and took a tour of the inside where we saw many famous burial sites of famous composers, politicians, writers, and royals. The one that meant the most to me was the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in honor of all the soldiers who were never identified. Because of the Poppy Appeal it was surrounded by red poppies, it was beautiful. There is a tradition that began with the wedding of King George VI, when his bride Elizabeth placed her bouquet on the tomb in honor of her brother who died in the war. Since then every bride to be married in the Abbey has placed her bouquet on the tomb.

The following day, I went back to the Abbey to see the Field of Remembrance filled with poppies and crosses. It was raining that day but was still a beautiful, touching site to see.

Until we meet again,

-Maggie the traveler