WARNING: This is a very long post with tons of pictures. It may take a little while to load but hopefully you will enjoy it!
MY TRIP TO LONDON:
Saturday morning we started the day off right with a great "american breakfast" made special by Paula K. Then we headed to the airport to start our LONG day of travel!
We had just a short wait for our flight to Atlanta!
Then we had eight hours to kill in Atlanta before finally leaving for London Saturday night.
Even though I didn't actually use the sleep mask I did sleep the majority of the flight. Unfortunately Hannah was sick most of the flight! But once we finally got to London (Sunday at noon) we both felt fine!
We took a cab to our hotel (sharing the ride with a very interesting older couple- that I unfortunately did not get a picture of).
We stayed at the London Marriott in County Hall for the first two nights.
It was right on the Thames River.
From right outside our Hotel we could see Big Ben and the Houses of Parliment and the London Eye.
Once we got to the hotel and got cleaned up we headed out to explore our area. We ended up seeing St. Martin in the fields church and the National Gallery.
Both of which are in Trafalgar Square
We did all of this AFTER calling home of course!
On our way to dinner we came across Downing Street and the Calvary Museum.
The Prime Minister lives at 10 Downing Street.
We were too late to go in the Calvary Museum but not too late to get a few pictures!
Then we decided to try a very "London-y" meal at the Red Lion for supper.
Sausage and Mash... NOT a good idea! The food in London was not good at all!
After eating (or pretending to eat while we really pushed the sausage under the mash!) we headed back to the hotel to call it a night.
The next day we got up and headed out to Buckingham Palace to see "changing of the guard"
Unfortunately it was rained out! So we just saw a tiny example of what it really is.
After missing "changing of the guards" we went to the Cabinet War Rooms! They are awesome! I love them.
We both really enjoyed the War Rooms. They have pretty much been left the same as the were in the war.
After seeing the War Rooms we headed back to the hotel to get ready for WICKED! We ate at Garfunkel's before the show.
Wicked was amazing! I loved it!
Tuesday morning we got up and went to Westminister Abbey. We spent more than two hours here. We took part in a prayer service and also left a candle lit when we left. It was one of my favorite things we did!
When we came out it was POURING down rain!
We walked back to the hotel once the rain died down to a drizzle. We stopped and got hotdogs on the way.
I asked for mustard on mine and it was honey-mustard. It was so bad I couldn't even eat it! But then Hannah said it didn't matter if it did taste good because the rain made it all soggy anyway!
After our terrible hotdogs we got our bags and headed over to our second hotel! It was a pretty nice hotel right in between Regent Street and Oxford Street! (The shopping District!)
Once we got all checked in we took the Tube to Kensington Palace!
On the way there I realized just how "touristy" I looked:
Kensington Palace was pretty interesting. They had a Royal Dress collection and we learned all about being a Debutaunte and being presented at Court infront of the Queen.
Then I showed Hannah how to "flow" up the Grand Staircase as a ballerina!
Kensington Palace was pretty fun. After that we headed to Harrods!
There were upteen million people there and it was quite overwhelming! We ate a snack in the Food Hall and called it a day!
Wednesday morning we woke up bright and early to go on a day trip to Windsor Castle, Bath, and Stonehenge! Our concierge told to be there like an HOUR before we needed to be so we were up at the crack of dawn for nothing! BUT, the trip was awesome!!
It was wonderful!!
We hit Windsor Castle first. They only gave us two hours here. I could have easily spent two days! It was amazing!
We also got to see Changing of the Guard at Windsor Castle!
We ate lunch on the way to Bath!
Bath was a pretty neat place. I actually really enjoyed it!
Aftere exploring around Bath for a short bit we headed to Stonehenge! Stonehenge was remarkable!
It looks like we are infront of a postcard! We aren't! I promise!
Once we got back to London we went and ate supper at the Hard Rock Cafe! It was so good! We were starving for some "american food"!!
The next day (Thursday) we got up and did the Big Bus Company tour. It was kind of boring so we got off at the London Dungeon.
Had we known how long and creepy this was going to be we probably would have skipped it! But I'm glad we did! And... the pictures are pretty fun!
This next picture is Hannah and I on the "free-fall".. we didn't even know it was going to do it! (As you can probably tell)
Here is the original... with the random "bloke" next to us!
Pretty hilarious!!
So after the London Dungeon we walked across the Tower Bridge to see the Tower of London.
The Tower of London was another one of my favorite places. I could have easily spent days there too!
We did the Yeoman Warder tour.
It was really interesting. The Yeoman Warders were all really nice! We had a good time talking to them! Plus the history is so interesting. I seriously could have spent days there!
Once we left the Tower we did a little shopping and then went to an Italian Restaurant named Strada for supper.
It was really good but the service was terrible! Our waitress came over about 15 minutes after we were seated, took our order and we never saw her again!! Well, we did about an hour after we had finished eating we saw her in her street clothes run out with a friend, get in a taxi and leave! We could have left and no one would have ever even known we were there! But of course we flagged someone else down and paid for our meal!
Friday was our shopping day! We started out at Libery of London and then took the extremely LONG route to Portobello Market!
I'm in LOVE with Libery of London! I thought it was just a fabric store but really it is an "everything you can imagine store" and I LOVED it!
The fabric floor made me want to get a sleeping bag and set up camp!
I managed to get out only spending a small wad on fabric! Not quite sure what I'll do with it though!
We had a great time at Portobello Market.. spent a small wad there too!
We attempted to eat lunch at a Mexican Restaurant.. it was not too good!
That night we headed to the hotel by the airport and got all packed up to head home!
We weren't too sure how we were going to get all our stuff in our bags!
The next morning we got up and headed to the airport to have yet another LONG day of travel on the way home! The flight back wasn't too bad. We were suppose to get home at 4pm but instead we got home at 10pm!!
Overall the trip was LOADS of fun!!
And... of course I missed my LITTLE like CRAZY!!!
She had a great week too and was so super excited to see all that Mommy brought her back from London!
She had fun playing in my suitcase... and showing me all her toys!
Okay.. so I know this was extremely long to read.. it took me a day to write!! I'll be back soon!!!
MY TRIP TO LONDON:
Saturday morning we started the day off right with a great "american breakfast" made special by Paula K. Then we headed to the airport to start our LONG day of travel!
We had just a short wait for our flight to Atlanta!
Then we had eight hours to kill in Atlanta before finally leaving for London Saturday night.
Even though I didn't actually use the sleep mask I did sleep the majority of the flight. Unfortunately Hannah was sick most of the flight! But once we finally got to London (Sunday at noon) we both felt fine!
We took a cab to our hotel (sharing the ride with a very interesting older couple- that I unfortunately did not get a picture of).
We stayed at the London Marriott in County Hall for the first two nights.
It was right on the Thames River.
From right outside our Hotel we could see Big Ben and the Houses of Parliment and the London Eye.
Once we got to the hotel and got cleaned up we headed out to explore our area. We ended up seeing St. Martin in the fields church and the National Gallery.
Both of which are in Trafalgar Square
We did all of this AFTER calling home of course!
On our way to dinner we came across Downing Street and the Calvary Museum.
The Prime Minister lives at 10 Downing Street.
We were too late to go in the Calvary Museum but not too late to get a few pictures!
Then we decided to try a very "London-y" meal at the Red Lion for supper.
Sausage and Mash... NOT a good idea! The food in London was not good at all!
After eating (or pretending to eat while we really pushed the sausage under the mash!) we headed back to the hotel to call it a night.
The next day we got up and headed out to Buckingham Palace to see "changing of the guard"
Unfortunately it was rained out! So we just saw a tiny example of what it really is.
After missing "changing of the guards" we went to the Cabinet War Rooms! They are awesome! I love them.
We both really enjoyed the War Rooms. They have pretty much been left the same as the were in the war.
After seeing the War Rooms we headed back to the hotel to get ready for WICKED! We ate at Garfunkel's before the show.
Wicked was amazing! I loved it!
Tuesday morning we got up and went to Westminister Abbey. We spent more than two hours here. We took part in a prayer service and also left a candle lit when we left. It was one of my favorite things we did!
When we came out it was POURING down rain!
We walked back to the hotel once the rain died down to a drizzle. We stopped and got hotdogs on the way.
I asked for mustard on mine and it was honey-mustard. It was so bad I couldn't even eat it! But then Hannah said it didn't matter if it did taste good because the rain made it all soggy anyway!
After our terrible hotdogs we got our bags and headed over to our second hotel! It was a pretty nice hotel right in between Regent Street and Oxford Street! (The shopping District!)
Once we got all checked in we took the Tube to Kensington Palace!
On the way there I realized just how "touristy" I looked:
Kensington Palace was pretty interesting. They had a Royal Dress collection and we learned all about being a Debutaunte and being presented at Court infront of the Queen.
Then I showed Hannah how to "flow" up the Grand Staircase as a ballerina!
Kensington Palace was pretty fun. After that we headed to Harrods!
There were upteen million people there and it was quite overwhelming! We ate a snack in the Food Hall and called it a day!
Wednesday morning we woke up bright and early to go on a day trip to Windsor Castle, Bath, and Stonehenge! Our concierge told to be there like an HOUR before we needed to be so we were up at the crack of dawn for nothing! BUT, the trip was awesome!!
It was wonderful!!
We hit Windsor Castle first. They only gave us two hours here. I could have easily spent two days! It was amazing!
We also got to see Changing of the Guard at Windsor Castle!
We ate lunch on the way to Bath!
Bath was a pretty neat place. I actually really enjoyed it!
Aftere exploring around Bath for a short bit we headed to Stonehenge! Stonehenge was remarkable!
It looks like we are infront of a postcard! We aren't! I promise!
Once we got back to London we went and ate supper at the Hard Rock Cafe! It was so good! We were starving for some "american food"!!
The next day (Thursday) we got up and did the Big Bus Company tour. It was kind of boring so we got off at the London Dungeon.
Had we known how long and creepy this was going to be we probably would have skipped it! But I'm glad we did! And... the pictures are pretty fun!
This next picture is Hannah and I on the "free-fall".. we didn't even know it was going to do it! (As you can probably tell)
Here is the original... with the random "bloke" next to us!
Pretty hilarious!!
So after the London Dungeon we walked across the Tower Bridge to see the Tower of London.
The Tower of London was another one of my favorite places. I could have easily spent days there too!
We did the Yeoman Warder tour.
It was really interesting. The Yeoman Warders were all really nice! We had a good time talking to them! Plus the history is so interesting. I seriously could have spent days there!
Once we left the Tower we did a little shopping and then went to an Italian Restaurant named Strada for supper.
It was really good but the service was terrible! Our waitress came over about 15 minutes after we were seated, took our order and we never saw her again!! Well, we did about an hour after we had finished eating we saw her in her street clothes run out with a friend, get in a taxi and leave! We could have left and no one would have ever even known we were there! But of course we flagged someone else down and paid for our meal!
Friday was our shopping day! We started out at Libery of London and then took the extremely LONG route to Portobello Market!
I'm in LOVE with Libery of London! I thought it was just a fabric store but really it is an "everything you can imagine store" and I LOVED it!
The fabric floor made me want to get a sleeping bag and set up camp!
I managed to get out only spending a small wad on fabric! Not quite sure what I'll do with it though!
We had a great time at Portobello Market.. spent a small wad there too!
We attempted to eat lunch at a Mexican Restaurant.. it was not too good!
That night we headed to the hotel by the airport and got all packed up to head home!
We weren't too sure how we were going to get all our stuff in our bags!
The next morning we got up and headed to the airport to have yet another LONG day of travel on the way home! The flight back wasn't too bad. We were suppose to get home at 4pm but instead we got home at 10pm!!
Overall the trip was LOADS of fun!!
And... of course I missed my LITTLE like CRAZY!!!
She had a great week too and was so super excited to see all that Mommy brought her back from London!
She had fun playing in my suitcase... and showing me all her toys!
Okay.. so I know this was extremely long to read.. it took me a day to write!! I'll be back soon!!!
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I'm so glad you had a wonderful trip and made it home safely! Looks like lots of fun stuff to do in London.
ReplyDeleteI'm not so sure I could've dealt with the food choices. I would've surely found a McDonalds or something!