Back to Europe

For the last few weeks I have wanted nothing more than to sell every possession I own in order to go back to Europe. Truth be told, it's mainly for the food! But really it was an AMAZING experience and I cannot wait to go back! And this time I MUST take my hubby! And not because he whined about me being gone for so long, but because I want to show him all the things that I got to see and TASTE! Maybe I could sell an organ or two? Just kidding . . . maybe. :) In the meantime, I will just have to learn to make my own croissants, nurembergers, schnitzel, and fish and chips!

Regret

I try not to have to many regrets in life.  It's a waste of time in my opinion, but one regret I do have is while in Germany I had the opportunity to buy a dirndl and didn't!  What's wrong with me?!  I so need to find a pattern to make one.  Anyone know how to make a dirndl and want to teach me how?  I want to look as cool as these two awesome dudes!  Come on!  Help a girl out!

My European Adventure - The Final Chapter

I'm actually a little sad to write this final post on Europe.  It's like the trip is ending all over again.  Here are my final moments in London.  We went to see the royal palace so that we could see the changing of the guards.  First we walked a million blocks in the completely wrong direction.  After realizing we had gone the wrong way we had to walk a million blocks back plus a million more to get to the palace.

 And after waiting . . . and waiting . . . and waiting . . . we finally got to see the changing of the guards. Can you see it?  Can you see it?

Can you see it now?

Oh!  There they go!  Wasn't that exciting?!  It was the lamest changing of the guards ever.  My dad said that when he's been in the past its really fun to watch, but he couldn't believe how dull it was this time.

 I HAD to take a picture of this police station.  It says Belgravia Police Station.  If you've ever watched the BBC series Sherlock Holmes this should ring a bell!

 Here is Westminster Abby.  Again we walked and walked to get here only to find that it was closed.  Apparently it was Pioneer Day!   So these are the only pics I was able to get.  Bummer!

 After realizing we couldn't get into Westminster Abby we decided to go to the Winston Churchill war rooms museum.   I loved a lot of the quotes they had displayed, but thought the museum was very disorganized.  The audio guide would tell you to go to the purple zone or red zone, however I wasn't ever able to find the colors they were referring to.  And I am not color blind, so we can't blame it on that.  Come to find out, I wasn't the only one with this problem.  Even my dad couldn't follow it!  

 After giving up on the whole audio guide thing I ventured forth on my own and just read all these amazing quotes.

 O.K.  One final Harry Potter moment.  We decided on our final night it would be fun to try and find Platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross.

 Totally expecting to just be taking a picture of platforms 9 and 10 we were totally shocked to find this 

 How cool is this?!

 O.K.!  I think I'm done with Harry Potter now!  Probably not, but maybe!

And finally, probably my favorite thing I did in London was when I got to go see this . . .

In this amazing theater

Her Majesty's Theatre

 You actually aren't supposed to take pictures inside the theatre, but I snuck this one real quick.

 And lets not forget the food.  Fish and chips!  This was my food requirement while in London.  We asked around and were referred to this place and it did not disappoint.

And I don't think I will ever forget this!  Every time we would take the train, which was often, this nice lady would announce over the loud speaker "Please mind the gap between the train and the platform,"

in her most proper British accent.  I couldn't get that phrase out of my head then nor can I now.  I wish I had the pictures that look like this that say Look Left and Look Right.  They are on every corner where you might cross the street.  Isn't it good to look both ways as an extra precautionary measure?  Maybe thats just my American way of thinking.

Alright!  I guess my blogging days about Europe have come to an end.  What will I blog about next?  Hmmm... kids, homeschooling, projects, baking!  How will I decide?  Maybe I should just take another trip so I won't have to!

My European Adventure - The London Eye

This is the London Eye.  Pretty impressive, right?  Whats even more impressive though is the blue sky!

Hurry!  Look quick!  You might miss the blue sky!

 This thing is massive and moves VERY slow.  So slow in fact that they don't even stop it for you to get on and off.

 The views were amazing!

 Oh!  We are getting a bit higher!

 See that domed structure in the distance.  I'm pretty sure thats the building where the lady from Mary Poppins sings Feed the Birds.  I could be wrong, but I don't think I am.

 And then it started to rain!  It's a good thing you looked at that piece of blue sky when you did.  It didn't last long.

 It's a bummer that it started raining.  It made the rest of my photos look all smudgy.

 Here we are at the top on our way back down.

 Another view from the top.

 I wish I had something clever to insert here, but I don't sadly.  

I'm almost coming to a close with my Europe entries.  One or two left!  What will I blog about next?!

My European Adventure - The London Tower

O.k.!  Moving on from Harry Potter . . . Here is the Tower of London!

 The Entrance

 Do you see the archers at the top of the wall protecting it?

 Can you spot one of the towers famous ravens?  It is believed that King Charles the second started the legend that says if the 6 resident ravens ever left the grounds the tower and kingdom would fall.  They currently have 7 ravens (the required 6 plus 1 spare!)

 Back in the day the street quite possibly could have been filled with sewage!  YUM!

 Many prisoners accused of treason are thought to have entered the castle through the gates of St. Thomas's Tower, better known as Traitors' Gate.  It was built between 1275 and 1279.  The King's barge would have been moored in the basin beneath the great archway.  In 1532 in was restored as part of the preparations for Queen Anne Boleyn's coronation procession. The procession began in 1533 and in less than 3 years the Queen would return . . . as a prisoner.

 London Bridge as seen from the Tower.

 Love the telephone booth

 This was one of the gift shops.  I love all the ivy growing over the top.

 This was our tour guide, other wise known as a Yeoman Warder or Beefeater.  They think the name beefeater comes from when they were required to try the Kings food first to make sure it wasn't poisoned.  He was very entertaining. 

 One of the queens guards standing outside the crown jewels.

 This is as far as I can take you to see the crown jewels.  Pictures were strictly prohibited!  And I mean strictly.  There were guards standing watch everywhere to make sure you didn't take any!  But what I can tell you is WOW!!  It puts any of my jewelry to shame! 

This is the famous white tower.  It was built to awe, subdue and terrify outsiders.

 This is an original Norman toilet.  It is one of six in the White Tower.

 This is one of the earliest know wall fireplaces in England and is one of four in the White Tower.  These fireplaces pre-dated chimney stacks so the smoke was allowed to escape through two holes in the side of the building through a flue built into the thickness of the wall.

 I have no idea what this was really!  Maybe it was made to scare off the ghosts that are said to roam the Tower of London.

 This was part of the armory.

 Look at this!  Back in 1974, a bomb that was placed in this room exploded and killed 1 person and injured 35 others.  This is some of the damage it did.

 It was kind of fun to see these guys walking around.  They were dressed in period clothes and they would answer any questions you might have.  They would also periodically put on little skits.

 A torture device.

 Henry the fifths sword

 His armor.

 Not to be perverted, but really!  Come on!

 I took this following picture for my girls who are obsessed with horses right now.

 And what trip would be complete without seeing an execution block including ax?  I know mine wouldn't, at least I'm sure thats what my dad wants me to think!