Thu June 13 - 19:15 (London: National Portrait Gallery)

At the end of Trafalgar Square stood the National Gallery of Art.

It was free and many centuries of art covered the wall starting from the 12th and 13th centuries. There were many British artists, but they had works from all over Europe including various paintings from the Renaissance. Many Italian, French, Dutch, and Spanish pieces hung on the hall walls including Rembrant, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Manet, Monet, a few Van Gogh and dozens of other Italian and Spanish artists that I can't recall or even begin to spell.
It was interesting to see the progression of the early 1300 pieces, which were mostly religious and primitive, evolve to more refined pieces of the Renaissance. Even more fascinating was watching the religious subjects disappear as the churches went through reformations and many stopped commissioning paintings. Many artists turned to natural landscapes as their subjects as many countries did not allow them to paint religious figures because it distracted church goers from the Word of God.
Then artists started experimenting with their brushstrokes and got into the impressionist era which classical painters looked down upon. Another interesting fact was during the Renaissance, almost all painters went to Italy to study and master the art. Then later generations stopped travelling to Italy, but learned the Italian techniques from their teachers, who had travelled to Italy.
They had a special exhibit there, which was only there this year. It was called Saints Alive. The artist took inspiration from other paintings in the Museum which were all paintings of martyred saints. Then he drew ideas for mechanical working sculptures. He wanted people to interact with those paintings in a new way. You would have to look at the brochure I took because I don't even know how to begin to describe it. It was very interesting and entertaining at the same time.
On my walk back to the hotel, I saw a banner for an event tonight called the Horse Guards Parade with Fireworks and Military Bands, which was being held at the Horse Guards Museum. Also, the Queen of England is attending! I bought a ticket and went back to the hotel. I am currently sitting in the stands now waiting for this show to begin.