Our last day!

Well, this is the last day of our trip.  We got up early this morning and took a cab to Disneyland Paris!  The entire of Disneyland, Disney Studio, and Disney Marketplace would fit into the Magic Kingdom.  Non the less, it was still awesome!  We saw Notre Dam, Champs Elysee and some other sights briefly on our drive. When we got to Disney we bought our tickets and I think we were both close to tears because it felt like home.  We were there a little early so we lined up outside Discovery Land and when the opened bee lines for Phantom Manor.  I was psyched!  I love the Haunted Mansion at MK so was really looking forward to this.  It had a much darker feel than the one at MK and the spooks in the graveyard were even more gruesome.  Scary!  Then we went on Pirates and that was so neat.  They have a much longer ride with two drops.  The second one was kind of scary but very fun, we went on it twice.  We then went on Pinocchio's adventure which was kind of dumb, It's A Small World which was a lot longer, and lastly Buzz Lightyear Blast.  It was fun going through everything and hearing French.  We were also able to go on a walk through of the sub from 1000 Leagues Under the Sea.  The Castle is Sleeping Beauty and you can walk through the top of it and go into the dungeons were a dragon lives.  One other thing there was a hedge maze of Alice in Wonderland.  In all, a great last day.

The cab was kind of expensive so we decided to take the train back.  We bought our tickets and asked the ticket girl how the train worked, she pointed at a platform and left it there.  We managed to find the right stop and then transfer trains.  It was a fun adventure but one I'm glad we didn't do late at night.  We came up from the train right by the Eiffel Tower so we stopped at a bakery to buy some supper and walked back to our hotel.  Now we are watching some good old French TV and going to bed early because we leave for the airport at 6:45.  We will be there plenty early but we have learned to give ourselves extra time.  We hope you have all enjoyed our blog, we have had a wonderful time but are ready to come home.  Catch up with you all later!

Paris!

Hello from Paris everyone!  Today started with me being sick.  I mean like vertigo happening, couldn't walk straight.  I knew that I should have questioned my pharmacist when he switched me to generic medication before leaving.  I know, generic is the same as name brand but my body always reacts to it.  So I drugged myself up, closed my eyes through the taxi drive and made it to the eruostar station.  Once on the eurostar which is a two hour drive from London to Paris we went under the  English Channel and through some beautiful countryside, or that's what Tim said.  I slept.  We expected the English Channel part to be really long but Tim said it was really only like 20-30 minutes.  Before I knew it he was waking me up in Paris.

Let me just say Paris is not a happy welcome.  When I woke up I felt perfect which was good but then we got off the train and saw guards in army fatigues with machine guns.  Yes, machine guns.  SCARY!!  We don't usually see that in good old MN.  We managed to find our way to a taxi where we were whisked off to our hotel.  As we left our hotel this morning we were hoping for a bigger one in Paris.  Silly us, our hotel room has just enough space for a bed.  Yup, my side of the bed is next to the bathroom and Tim will have to walk over me to get in there.  The bathtub would maybe fit my cat Ned and has no chance of fitting me.  We had to laugh at this.  The elevator also fits one person and a skinny one at that so up three flights of steps we walk.

We headed off to the Eiffel Tower and enjoyed a few minutes taking pictures but then decided we might try going up in it.  We then saw the line and thought we would rather jump in the river than wait in that long line so we settled at a cafe with a beautiful view.  Things have been going just a little too easily so when we went to pay our card was declined.  I sat at the table while Tim went to a ATM to get money and was denied there as well.  Of course no one uses Discover here so while I stressed with a nice waiter patting my shoulder and telling me it didn't matter it would work out.  Tim finally got ahold of the bank and they unlocked our card and we could finally pay.  We then headed back to our hotel to rest.

Tomorrow we go to Disneyland and then the next day home!  I have to say that I am ready.  We are on day 7 here and I am exhausted.  This is the type of trip that I don't think we will fully appreciate until we are home and have time to reflect.  Hope everything is going well with all of you.   Write to you tomorrow!

A View From the Top

Today we started the day with a fun walk to the area near Westminster Abby where we went on the London Eye.  It was a really fun way to see everything that we had visited during our stay here.  The London Eye takes half an hour to go around and allows you views on both sides of the river Thames.  Tim got a lot of pictures and we then went on to Westminster Abby.

I was not sure what to expect from the Abby.  The outside is beautiful and awe inspiring.  There was a long line so we had time to really look at the architecture and neat embellishments of the Abby.  There is no picture taking inside the Abby and it is so hard to explain what you see.  All around you are memorials and burial sights of people.  We saw where Queen Mary I and Queen Elizabeth I were entombed and memorials for Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, and other poets.  The part that is a little unsettling are the burial sights like those of the queens, they are above ground with their effigies on top.  We were also able to see the museum where they have other effigies and artifacts to look at.  The last thing we saw was the coronation chair that was of course last used during the current queens coronation.  This is a place where I can see people visiting many times as there is so much to take in.  You are walking along looking at everything that is right in front of you and forget to look up at the amazing ceilings.  If you look up you miss so much that is right around you.  Every place we have visited I could go back to and notice something different.  I am burnt out with the tours and am glad for a little break tomorrow.


Tomorrow morning we are boarding the train to travel under the English Channel and head into Paris, France.  We are hoping to get as much sight seeing in as possible during the first half day as we are planning on going to Disneyland Paris.  I know, go to Paris to visit Disney but it is on my list of things to do before I die and honestly being somewhere a little familiar will be nice.  We actually ran into our first American today from North Carolina.  He was amazed and overwhelmed with everything just starting his trip and it was fun to hear his opinion.  It was also nice for us to hear someone from home.


My London recap:  everyone should visit here.  The history and wonderful and is not something that you can put into words.  Every line, minute of stress, dollar spent was worth it.  Walking through such history is amazing.  There are times I felt the past right next to me as you listened to the stories through audio tours.  Some moment made you laugh while others made you cry.  I'm so glad that we bought the tour books from the various places we visited so we can read and remember everything we learned.  Every single place here has a history and pretty soon they all start melting into one long memory.  Plus, the English country side that we visited our first two days was also wonderful.  Yes, it was full of stress with the driving, but I highly suggest seeing it.  Beautiful green hills dotted with white sheep and stone walls are something else to see.  I will miss London when we leave.

We hope everyone back home is well, we are excited to catch up with everyone when we get home.  The only item on our list that did not get accomplished was the Hard Rock Cafe.  No matter when we tried to go there the line was so long that we would opt to get another historical sight done instead.  We did see the outside at least.  On to Paris!

Off With Her Head!

Today was a day of little accomplishment.  We got up early and got ready to see the Tower of London.  Unfortunately, we had to go to Piccadilly Circus to pick up our London Passes that allowed us to use public transportation and gets us into some attractions quicker.  To get there we went on the double decker buses that we have a 24 hour pass for.  That ate up about an hour of our time but we got back on the bus and fought the cold to sit on the top.  When we got to the Tower of London we didn't realize it was basically a small city.  There are so many parts to it in different architectural styles that it is amazing.  We spent three hours there and we were able to see the White Tower where they had armor from kings of the past.  Of course I love King Henry VIII mostly because I just want to get into his head and find out how he saw things.  Anyway, there were two full suites of armor that he once owned and that was fun to see.  We also saw the crown jewels which in all honesty wasn't worth the half hour wait in line.  The pictures of the crowns are just as good as seeing them in person especially because you have to keep moving so it's not possible to really study them up close.  We then went to the bloody tower and saw the inscriptions that past prisoners had left etched in the walls.  The Queens House is guarded and people are not allowed inside.  This is too bad because this is where Anne Boleyn was kept before her coronation as queen and then while she waited to be beheaded.  Other famous prisoners were there as well and Anne actually etched her crest and name into the wall.  We did see the spot where she was beheaded though.  They had a memorial to those that lost their lives there.  It's a glass pillow with some inscription on it.  It was very sad feeling.  We skipped the torture tower and watched the famous ravens for awhile then headed off.

We left the tower and took a cruise on the Thames.  It was a lot of fun and we were able to see a lot of popular places like Tower Bridge and Big Ben.  We got off the cruise to go on the London Eye but the line was so long that we plan to return tomorrow.  We went to London Film Museum instead which had Harry Potter props as well as Star Wars and a lot of other movies.  Our 24 hour bus pass was running out so we hopped back on the double decker and headed back to the hotel.

We have come to a point in the trip where we are overwhelmed.  Being in a completely different country and learning their way of life is hard.  We have seen and learned so many different things that we feel overwhelmed.  The British people are always in a hurry.  I realize that Americans are a lot more relaxed than the people here.  We love how friendly everyone is, but slow them down and they will run you over.  I think another trip here would actually go better because the shell shocked feeling would be gone. Non the less, we love it here.  Tomorrow we are going to the London Eye first thing and then the second thing will be Westminster Abby. Due to lines, I'm not sure if we will get both in.  On a plus, I got all my  souvenirs.  I got a William and Kate wedding key chain, a Buckingham Palace ornament, Buckingham Palace guide book, Windsor Castle guide book, Buckingham Palace bag. Tower of London tour book with a ghosts of the tower book, Tower of London bad and finally, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows book.  No yarn stores that I saw and our sight seeing is going to give us much time to find one as everything closes early.  That's fine though, I'll always have a chance in Paris!

A Meeting With The Queen

Got your attention!  We didn't actually get to meet the queen as she is in the country but I did get my picture with her and Prince Phillipe at Madame Tuesades.  I have always wanted to go see the wax figures and it was very fun.  We started out with movie stars such as Robert Pattenson, Julia Roberts, George Clooney, etc.  I wish that our pictures would load because they are great.  We then moved on to movie stars and had our picture taken with Captain Jack Sparrow, Sherlock Homes, and Shrek.  They had a section for world leaders where we took pictures with President Obama and JFK.  We decided to skip Hitler.  They had a dungeon area where Tim went but I chickened out.  He said it was just a bunch of people being killed.  They also had a ride called the Spirit of London where you ride in a black taxi and go through the plague, London burning, re-building,etc.  It was fun although a little short.  It was a fun place that really lived up to my anticipation.

When we were done we walked through Hyde Park on our way to the hotel.  It was a beautiful park and a very relaxing way to walk home.  We also happened into a department store where we looked like bums in our jeans and t-shirts.  People really dress up around here!  Once we got to the hotel we took off for Buckingham Palace.  We weren't going to get in until later in the afternoon so we ate dinner in a little hole in the wall by Victoria Station.  It was wonderful food at a cheap price.

Once we got to Buckingham Palace we waited in line and were lectured on what we could and could not do.  We finally entered and it was breath taking!  The opulence, and grandeur was amazing.  I loved the portraits and architecture all over the palace.  My favorite part, I got to see Kate Middleton's wedding dress!  In person you can tell that she was SO TINY!  Her waist is so small and she isn't that tall.  Her gown up close was so intricate and gorgeous.  They also had her veil and tiara that was amazing to see.  Behind the dress they had her beautiful shoes, diamond earrings, and a replica of her bouquet.  It is all so much more beautiful in person.  We also saw the wedding cake that had only the smallest cut in it that they made when they took pictures.  The details were astonishing!  To think that the entire thing was edible!  They also had a display of the Royal's Faberge which we just peered at because the line was so long.  We excited onto the garden and into the store.  We could have bought replica mini cakes that taste just like the wedding cakes and everything from tiaras (not real diamond but still pricey) to cheap pens.  I bought a big fabric crown ornament for our tree and a book of royal wedding dresses through the years.  Tim didn't even complain when I bought the fabric reusable Buckingham Palace tote bag!

Once done with Buckingham we got on a double Decker bus and started out for a ride.  We were able to see a lot of sights and just enjoy an activity that didn't cause our feet to ache.  We got the bus passes with our vacation deal and they also came with a Thames River Cruise so we are going to do that tomorrow along with seeing Tower of London, Big Ben, and the London Eye.  If we have time we will see Westminster Abby.  After tomorrow only one more day in London.  That day, apart from visiting Westminster if we don't have time tomorrow, will be spent walking parks and enjoying the beauty of this town.  If you think buildings in the cities are impressive you haven't seen anything.  Everything here is steeped in history and just beautiful.  I love that newer isn't better and that they would rather rehab a building instead of tearing down and rebuilding.

Sorry that we can't post pictures anymore.  The Internet here is really kind of weird.  Maybe in Paris we will be able to post pictures again.  Otherwise they will all be on facebook sometime next weekend or early next week.  Have a great day back home everyone!

A Horrible Day Gets Better

Today started our horribly.  We woke up a little later than we wanted to this morning so that we could beat traffic on the road.  Seriously, DO NOT DRIVE IN THE UK!!!  It is scary and some of the roads are so narrow that you pray with all your strength that you will make it through.  Tim wasn't sure where to take the car back so we got on the motor way (freeway) and took off with a generic Hertz address.  BIG MISTAKE!  More on the bad part in a second, first let me tell you about British rest stops.  They are amazing!  The one we stopped at had a KFC, Starbucks, huge bathrooms and a drug store.  They were clean and wonderful.  We got coffee and a pastry each for under ten pounds, our cheapest meal so far, and went on our way.  Things started getting a little fishy when we started heading towards downtown London.  We got our car at the airport which is out of town a ways so this was not right.  We spent about an hour driving lost around BUSY streets where I was crying and Tim, bless him, was staying calm and cool.  We finally found a different Hertz where the employee proceeded to drop our brand new GPS.  She put the right address in and we were on our way with only three times getting lost.  I think it's fair to say that Tim and I will be having nightmares of our GPS saying "recalculating route".  Finally we made it to our destination and we gladly said good bye to the car.

Now that we had returned our car Tim called our private car that was supposed to take us to our hotel, the Grovsner.  When we called at 12:30 they said our pick up time was 4. We didn't feel like staying in the car rental agency until then so they sent a car that got to us around 1.  God bless our driver because when we headed back into downtown London we found out that they were have a test trial bicycle ride for the Olympics.  They pretty much shut down every road.  We drove in hellish traffic with this poor man for about 1.5 to 2 hours.  It was chaos!  After having been on the road since the morning we were tired, hungry and just crabby.  We did see Big Ben, The National Museum, Piccadilly Circus, London Eye, and some really cool buildings on the drive.  When we arrived at our hotel you couldn't even see the front as the entire thing is under construction, which we knew in advance, but caused us to wonder where we were.

Once we entered the hotel they promptly informed us that they did not have our reservation.  The computer system was down and they had supposedly gotten a master list of everyones reservation.  Thankfully they had a room available even though they didn't have our reservation.  We got up to our room and of course our converter didn't work in their sockets.  Tim called the desk and they loaned us one which is how your getting this post.  I then proceeded to cry for an hour and fall asleep while Tim worked through the hundred things that weren't going right.  He paid for our internet and it stopped working so he had to call about five different people to get it working.  Than we didn't have power because they didn't tell us that we needed to insert a room key into a slot to activate it.  We decided to just stay in and paid about 40 pounds which in dollars is more than 40 dollars to share a chicken leg on mashed sweet potatoes with a small piece of cake and two diet cokes.  It was 5:30 by then so we scarfed it seeing as how we hadn't eaten since ten that morning and only a very small breakfast.  Then feeling better we decided to head out on the town.

We walked the one to two mile stretch to Piccadilly Circus.  This is supposed to be comparable to Times Square.  A lot of the big billboards were under scaffold and it was light so not so impressive.  We noticed Ripley's Believe it or Not and decided to go in.  It was a lot of fun seeing the different things like Henry VIII's shoe.  I loved the British history that was in there.  When we got out it was beautiful with the lit up billboards and signs.  We walked back to the hotel but feeling hungry from our very small dinner we went into Victoria Station to get some food.  Victoria Station is AMAZING!  They have everything in there and it was so busy and neat.  Our hotel actually has a door right into the station that is unlocked during the day.  We got some good old American McDonald's and walked back to the hotel.  On our way a guy walked buy yelling about giving money to the poor.  He was a loan rioter I would say.  It was enough for us to decide not to walk at night by ourselves anymore.  Until that time we had felt safer here than we did back home.

We were hoping to download more pictures today but the internet here is weird and will not allow to download photos. Tomorrow we have a taxi picking us up to go to see the wax figures.  We are also planning on seeing Buckingham Palace, Harrods, and a few other places.  We hope to have a much better day.  Hope you all are enjoying the blog, write to you tomorrow!

Thank God for GPS!

We have learned two things about the British and driving today.  First, they think every road is the track at the Indy 500, THEY GO FAST!  We slow Americans were scared to death driving next to them.  Second, they love roundabouts.  Now don't get me wrong, roundabouts can be fine, but one every other street is a little much.  We bought a GPS at the last minute anticipating a hard time finding our way around and it has saved our lives.  Between the fastness and roundabouts it was CRAZY!!!  We feared for our lives more than once on todays drive.  Although it was stressful driving, today was amazing:)

After eating breakfast in our hotel we drove to Stonehenge.  It took us forever to get there because Tim had the GPS set for rural routes but after almost crashing and all the roundabouts we finally put it on fastest and found the freeway.  Stonehenge was surrounded by beautiful country side full of sheep.  Walking around the amazing structure is breath taking.  How it was built is just a mystery as the stones are so huge.  We loved it there and took pictures from every angle.

Next we drove to Lacock Abbey.  This abby had areas falling apart and other restored to look like how it was when it was lived in.  The falling apart areas were sort of scary and I was just waiting for a ghost to pop out although Tim found it peaceful.  Part of Harry Potter was filmed there although they really didn't mark which areas were used.  The grounds and gardens were beautiful and it was a very nice place to spend part of the afternoon.

We drove to the city of Bath next which just about caused a nervous breakdown.  I think half the population of the world is here today with streets barely big enough to allow one car let alone two.  Once here we dropped our luggage off at our next amazingly beautiful room that overlooks a park and started off walking.  Our first stop was the Roman Baths.  These baths have an original hot spring and have been partially saved.  You can walk around and see pictures of how they looked back when the Romans were there and how they look now.  The older parts of the baths that were kind of dark and smelly made me feel uneasy and of course because I was kind of nervous a bird flew in (and if you know me, I hate birds) and I just about passed out.  Thankfully Tim was right there because the birds over here are not afraid of humans so he became my shield!

We then went to the Abby in Bath and were mesmerized by the beauty,  HUGE stained glass windows with a beautiful organ were on display.  We were noticing all these beautiful inscribed stones that once you take the time to read you find out are in memory of the ashes of people buried somewhere within the Abby.  There is also a tomb of someone famous over here but which I don't remember the name.

We looked at the Pulteny Bridge which is a stepped bridge and pretty cool to see.  There were little shops and alleys everywhere which were so fun to walk through.  We saw a lot of American stores as well as some really nice cafe's.

We ate dinner at a fun Pizza Express that had the best pasta dishes as well as a wonderful banana pie that we shared.  The coffee over here is so smooth and tasty that we could drink forever.

Now we are in our room as everything but the pubs seem to be open.  Tomorrow we are hoping to get up early and drive back into London where we will spend the next four nights.

We hope everyone back home is having a wonderful weekend and write to you tomorrow from London!