back to our Real Lives

Westminster Abbey looks remarkably similar to Notre Dame, don't you think? Or, perhaps York Minster. There sure are a lot of dead bodies in there, though. You can't wander around much without stepping on someone.

Westminster Abbey

At least, that's what Neal and Maeve said about it; I didn't go. We were running out of time to do and see everything and I really wanted to check out Oxford Street. So Joe took them to the Abbey and I went shopping. Judge it how you want, we all had fun. (although Maeve seemed to have difficulty deciding; in the end a chance to see another medieval structure won)


We went to Portobello Market on Saturday morning and all of us managed to find something that we liked. We started at the antiques end and worked our way down to the produce and clothing. Joe found a great antique map of Southern Ontario from the 1860s.

Portobello Market

The rest of the day was spent fighting more crowds at the Science Museum, where we learnt something very interesting... that Neal will forgo food in order to keep going in the Science Museum! Below he's made a circuit. It was a really cool museum.

at the Science Museum

And then we met Cat and Seth at a local pub; they were down from Edinburgh. Look closely... in the photo, Joe's holding his map. It's labelled as West Canada, but it's only Southern and Eastern Canada.

at The Prince Bonaparte

Today - our last tourist day - we went to the British Museum. Once again, a fantastic museum. They have some excellent programmes for kids; one is a backpack tour. (Maeve's wearing the backpack in the photo below). You can borrow backpacks on various themes and they take you to a place in the museum where the kids do hands - on activities. On the Roman tour you go through the process of deciding what kind of job you'd like to do if you lived in Britain during Roman rule. Soldier, tiler, scribe, builder...? They were able to try on a Roman shoe and create a tiled piece and write on a wax tablet.

Rosetta Stone

We walked by this and did a double take. Why was there no crowd around the Rosetta Stone...? And why could we touch it...? (answer: it's a copy) Yes, we saw the real one later. This one was more fun quite frankly.

Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Playground

We rounded out the last day with another trip to this playground above, in Hyde Park. It was much busier this time than last, it being a weekend and all, but still a great playground; Princess Di would be proud.

And, that's about it!
tomorrow... back to our Real Lives.

Yvonne

London revved

OK, now... I know that London is a large city, and those of you who know me know that I grew up in Toronto so I'm not unaware what a large city is like. But. This city is Busy. Even by Large City standards. There are people... everywhere! I'm not exagerating either. Really. I wouldn't want to be trying to fight crowds during Peak Tourist Season, that's for sure! (I'd just have to head back up to the Orkneys I guess.)

This is our London home base. We're close to Hyde Park (Londoners Central Park), which is great -- I think we've walked through the park everyday so far on our way home from touristing. It has the Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain in it which we used to refresh our aching feet... our first two days here were really warm, about 28C and sunny. The city is in the process of replacing the Victorian water pipes, so our street is blocked off. It's nice and quiet at night, but sure is noisy during the day! Luckily we've been busy elsewhere during the noisiest times.

our closest Tube station

We spent our first day on a hop-on / hop-off double-decker bus to get a lay of the land. It included a free boat cruise so some of the time we were on the Thames too. The next day we went to the Tower of London and saw the Crown Jewels, a new exhibit about Henry VIII and went on one of the Beefeater tours. (they really are as good as all the guidebooks say...)

Maeve in front of The White Tower
at the Tower of London

listening to the Beefeater

At this point in the tour we're standing at the Traitor's Gate and he's explaining about how people were hung, drawn and quartered. Oh, and about Richard III's two nephews whose remains were found on the castle grounds. Shortly afterwards he told the stories of various beheadings that have occurred in the Tower of London. Anne Boleyn among them of course. (thank you Philippa Gregory and CBC's The Tudors) Gruesome stuff; I'm surprised no one's had nightmares... (adults included).


That evening Joe and I debated about whether or not to go on the London Eye; most guidebooks say its overpriced and not that exciting. Well, I'm glad we disregarded their advice - because we thought it was great!

We got there nice and early so there wasn't even much of a queue yet. And then right next door there is the London Aquarium, which also doesn't have many guidebook stars beside it. But again, we played rebel and went anyway and it too was fantastic! Neal and Maeve were able to feed some rays, and see some others (like pirahnas) being fed with accompanying talks. We walked through tunnels in the large aquariums, and over the shark tank... really good stuff.

We rounded out the day with a walk along Jubilee Walk on the renovated South Bank to the Tate Modern and then the Millenium Bridge. Its nickname is the Wibbley Wobbley bridge because when it first opened it wiggled a lot. It was closed on its opening day and subsequently made more secure.

Maeve and Neal sitting in the Tate Modern

The Tate Modern is in an old power plant; it's quite an impressive space. We partook in some interactive art on the first floor, and then got some audio guides. They had a family tour so we followed that one. At one stop - a Matisse - we were to place some shapes into a form that expressed something, much like Matisse had done with his piece about a snail shell. This is what Maeve and I made, independent of each other:


and I find it amazing! She and I both made continents, she called hers earths but it was the same thing. And both are balanced precariously. I got chills when I glanced at her screen when we were done. Oddly enough, Joe and Neal both made trees.

We just made it in time for a Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, and then off to see Billy Elliot the Musical. The small print on our ticket indicated that there was coarse language -- which was correct. And prolific. However, with a thick working class accent and County Durham slang, I'm sure Neal and Maeve didn't get it all. Oh, now don't smirk like that... I know my kids aren't angels and use 'cuss words' (as Neal calls them), but I don't think their Dad caught it all given the strong accents, so I'm fairly certain his kids missed some. It was very good nontheless, and well choreographed. Beautiful theatre too. Maeve even learnt how quickly to get out of her seat and get to the womens loo before the intermission queue started. This trip really has been a most educational experience.

Next up was a quick walk through Harrods, which everyone but me was not looking forward to (okay, Maeve was not dragging her feet as much as the boys) but afterwards everyone including me was happy we did. Must've something to do with the most enormous supply of toys we've ever seen in one place. I even managed to snap an illicit photo of the Egyptian escalator... unfortunately it doesn't do it justice.

Well that's another blog entry to bed. And me soon with it. Hmm, not many of these left now, are there...

Yvonne

around York

On our way out of Edinburgh, we stopped at Rosslyn Chapel. For those of you who have enjoyed The Da Vinci Code, yes - that Rosslyn Chapel. Dan Brown's imagination has helped make this beautiful little church a popular spot, and we had a great 20 min guided talk about it. It is currently under a large 'canopy' or roof to dry it out, which will apparently take about 12 years. (It was given a limestone wash in the 50s to try and preserve it, but all that's done is seal the moisture in; they're trying to restore the chapel.)

In the chapel is a carving of a trillium; put there long before Christopher Columbus sailed. One of Rosslyn's many mysteries is... how did these people know of trilliums that are native to North America? When the guide mentioned that the trillium is one of Canada's provincial flowers a cheer went up from the crowd. A small, appropriately Canadian cheer, but from a large number of people nontheless. Afterwards, when we were speaking to this guide -- asking him just where was this carved trillium -- he pointed out the other Canadians. Turns out there was a group of Southern Ontarians on a golfing holiday. I struck up a conversation with one who has family in Ottawa even! Like they say... small world.

Rosslyn Chapel

(more flying buttresses)

More driving, and arrived at Housesteads, the largest of the Roman forts along Hadrian's Wall. Geez those Romans sure were busy. Or the Scots were very fearsome...

Hadrian's Wall

Made it into York and spent a couple of days sightseeing. York Minster, The Shambles (medieval section of the city), a haunted walk, a visit to Jorvik (recreated Viking settlement). And a very crowded city for its size! There were people everywhere... mostly shopping. Oh, and lots and lots of 'hen parties' (ie bridal showers). My goodness, these people can drink.

from the top of York Minster
274 steps

(feel the burn)

"the diet starts tomorrow"

giant cookie

One day we took a 30 min drive out to Knaresborough which is the village where my father grew up. I pulled in the driveway of The Hawthornes - the home that he lived - in and the current owners were very gracious considering... we were even given some fruitcake!

in The Hawthornes

Knaresborough

The drive down into London wasn't one of my favourites, but I knew that it wouldn't be fun and planned for it. Unfortunately all I had to drink that night to look forward to was a gin & tonic (ie no French red this time), but I made do. And unfortunately we weren't able to stay in the flat that we had reserved because of a flood in that building so we've been 'upgraded' to a two bdrm flat closer to Hyde Park. I would've liked to have had a glass of wine on that terrace too Colleen, but we are in a larger flat... so it's not all bad. The owner met us at a nearby Starbucks to help us get aquainted to the area which was really helpful.

off to explore London,
Yvonne