A Decent London Update!

Okay, I've put it off long enough!  I've now been in England for the better portion of 3 weeks and have yet to tell of my TWO trips into the big, Olympic hosting, historical city!  So, I've unloaded the pictures onto my computer and can now post a few from our trips!

TRIP ONE

The first trip to London this summer was this past weekend (Saturday July 21).  Dave had a co-worker from the US over for a few weeks and she had never been to London.  She was off to London and we figured we would tag along!  Dave and I had never been to Windsor Castle (the Queen's residence when she's not at Buckingham Palace) in Windsor, England (which is a quick train ride from Paddington Station)!  We were only into London for the day (unfortunately) so we made sure to get an early start (the cab for the train picked us up at 5:15AM) and made the most of our day!  We started at Windsor for the morning...touring parts of the castle (dressing rooms, meeting rooms, dining rooms, state rooms, the church, etc.) and even catching the changing of the guards.  

 

Notice lower right...we packed for the trip!!!

 

My Favorite Window in the WHOLE place!!!

My new favorite place to read...
minus the 1,000s of people
who walk by each day!  :)

"Oh, hey Kate!"

Changing of the guards!  

The beer transportation for the cute
little pub we found!

 We took our time as we strolled through the grounds (although we couldn't get down into the gardens I definitely found my new reading nook (or at least an idea of what I'd like my future back yard to look like!).  Dave and I pack for easy travel, bringing sandwiches, sweets, sours, and salts on our journey so we could a)save money and b)save time.  We ate our lunch on the train back into London.  We maneuvered the underground system quite well, yet again, and made our way to Hyde Park, Green Park, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Parliament, the London Eye, and Tower Bridge!  PHEW!!!  We definitely did our fair share of walking for the day!  For the first time we took a water taxi so we could really see Tower Bridge...with the OLYMPIC RINGS!!!!  We tried to get to our favorite place to take pictures of the bridge but the area was closed for a concert series.  :(  But since I know we will be back in a few shorts week we didn't stress!  

We also made our way over to Trafalgar's Square...but it too was closed off for a concert!  At the time I was really really bummed because we couldn't actually see the Olympic countdown clock...but we could see the para-olympic (SP???) countdown...so at least it was something!  We finally made our way back to Cheltenham around 10PM.  It was a long day...but lots of fun!  I'm really getting excited to know my way around London so well!  I'm really getting a good sense of where I am and how to get to where I want to go next (which as some of you know...doesn't always come easy to me!!).  HA!

TRIP TWO    

Upon returning from our long day in London I received an email from my cousin Jennifer (in CA) asking what I/we were doing either Sunday or Tuesday as her husband Steve was coming to London for a few days for work.  Well, we didn't particularly want to turn right around and go back into London straightaway but I did want to catch up with Steve.  Dave knew he needed to work late a few days this week and Tuesday would be a perfect day for me to head into London and Dave not feel bad about being at work long hours!  So we checked the train schedule and got me all set with a taxi and train!  :)  

I arrived a few hours before Steve would be done with work so I took up some sights I had personally been wanting to see.  I spent a a little over an hour in St. Paul's - which is where Prince Charles and Lady Diana got married.  Just as we walked the walk Duchess Catherine walked on her wedding day, I was able to retrace the steps of Lady Di.  Such a grand entrance!  No offense All Saints in Palatine...but those aisles are definitely something to write home about!  :)  

St. Paul's 

The pedestrian only bridge! 

 

 

With the countdown clock!
It was a little sunny!!!

Then I walked the Millennium Bridge (funny youtube video about the construction of the bridge) and hung out in front of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and made my way to Trafalgar's Square once again!  And guess what!  NO CONCERT this time...I was able to get up close and personal with the Olympic countdown clock!!!  Steve and I met up with no issue and I even got to chat on the phone with two of my favorite kids (Ryan and Sarah - Steve and Jennifer's children!)!!!  So fun!!!  We found a nice little pub for a drink and caught up before we walked towards the theatre district for dinner!  


Speaking of the theatre district - my parents gave us an early Christmas present (yup...Christmas in July for me and Dave!) and gave us tickets to see Les Miserables in London!!!  AHHHHHH!!!!  We will definitely be taking advantage of this gift and booking our tickets soon!!!  Just not sure if we want to try to go during the Olympic festivities or if we want to wait until the crowds clear out a little!!!  


Okay!  I think that's all I've got for now!  I promise not to wait so long between posts next time!!!  


XO