Greetings all,
We have been home from London for less than 48 hours but have already moved into our house and slept here one night. Whew. More on that later ...
London was fantastic. I had not been there since a college abroad trip focused on English literature and its wonderful authors, so
this was a refreshing experience for me to visit again. I had such fond memories and now we all have fond memories. We stayed for three nights in a small hotel near Paddington station. We walked a lot each day and loved figuring out the Underground and the double-decker buses. We shopped and ate wonderful food, visited the Tower of London and walked across the Tower Bridge, went to the Imperial War Museum and the HMS Belfast (anchored on the Thames), and tried various pubs. At Covent Garden we had a delicious lunch and then watched David assist a street performer in getting tied up in his straight-jacket and climbing aboard a unicycle where he simultaneously rode the cycle and freed himself from the jacket! London seemed clean and fresh and, incredibly, it did not rain at all. After three days, we took the train to Walton-on-Thames and met up with my English family, Angela and Martin and their son and his wife and twin daughters. I had not seen Angela and Martin since 1987
and yet it felt as though I had just been there a couple of years ago. Their son Clive visited me in Vietnam many years ago and again he visited David and me in Michigan perhaps 10 years ago. The boys were so excited to play in a backyard, to try Martin's go-cart, and to be in house after all these months of hotels. It was a refreshing change for all of us, I think. Plus we were able to have afternoon tea with scones, cream, and jam. Heavenly!
Hayden loved that people spoke English and that it was so green. David loved that the city had such amazing public transportation. Logan loved the strawberry birthday cake for breakfast, that he got to have two pieces because he was the birthday boy, and that the flight attendants sang happy birthday to him. I loved reconnecting with my "English family" and with a city I have loved for a long time, particularly the parks and the pubs! We also spent a day at Hampton Court and learned so much more about King Henry VIII, his wives, his athleticism, and his legacy for England.
When we returned to London at 4 am, we received a text from a friend in Jeddah informing us that school was, again, being postponed by a week. It is giving us more time to move in, get settled, and set up class. We are ready to get started on the next part of our adventure. More on the house soon ... thanks for reading. Jennifer
Jennifer's enjoyment of introducing her family to London gives Dee and me vicarious pleasure reading of their family adventure. For our family this destination goes back to my college trip there in December 1963. Dee, Jennifer and I then visited together, during Jennifer's high school junior/senior summer in 1983 and stayed at the Piccadilly Hotel. Now David and our grandsons are also carrying on this tradition. Literature, history, and drama all come alive in London.
ReplyDelete