September 7-10, 2007

Hello Friends and Family!!!

London is AMAZING! Dad and I have had a great time here, We've hit up all of the sites and even did a wine tasting! We have been soaking up the history like none other-I know all about the UK at war---try me, ask me anything!!! Here's the blow-by blow, feel free to read/not read as much as you like!

FRIDAY

After arriving Friday afternoon dad and i checked into our lovely B&B and ventured around Hyde park (3 blocks away from where we stayed!). I totally fell in love with the park and decided from that point on it would be my jogging spot for this portion of the trip. The park is gorgeous, a river which runs through it with swans and ducks, cafes, gardens, i could go on! Anyway, while on a run i discovered a monument to Princess Diana. A whole fence full of flowers, poems, and prayers for their departed princess. It was so moving. During a walk dad and i also saw a fountain dedicated to the princess-from the monuments i can now see she truly was the princess of the people. You're actually encouraged to splash around in the fountain! So fun.

SATURDAY

We started the day off with THE BRITISH MUSEUM! Definitely #1 on my museum list, we saw awesome Egyptian ruins among other things. After several hours touring Britain's stolen relics we head off with our London Pass (which I'll comment about in a bit!) to tour the Tower of London and Tower bridge. Having had enough death and destruction we shared a sammich at a chic cafe on the Thames. We walked down the South bank and stumbled upon the H.M.S. Belfast. It was one of the attractions free w/the pass so we thought what the hell, let's check it out. Turns out this 20th century battleship now set in the Thames river took part in both WWII and the Korean War. It was left intact with added re-created scenes from the ship-SO COOL!!! We finished up with beers & a river cruise on the Thames, a walk through Parliament Square, and a great Italian dinner on the south bank.

SUNDAY

As if we hadn't had enough history, the next day we went to the Britain War Experience. Wow-so powerful. Also a re-creation of the WWII, but this time it showed us what it was like to be a normal citizen affected by the war. It was incredible. They sent us down in an elevator into a shelter staged at an Underground stop. Turns out during bombing many people went down to the metro for shelter. There were cots, old posters, rations, you name it authentic from the war. This was not what shook me though. The main part of this museum was an actual re-creation-(with sound!)- of a blitzkrieg. It was terrifying and way to real so daddy and I left and hit up Vinopolous for a wine tasting!

Other sites seen not mentioned: St. Paul's Cathedral, Wetminster Abbey, Tate Modern, and the London Aquarium.

**Note if you're gonna get a London Pass: Although friends have told me otherwise my accessment says it's not worth it! The British Museum is free, and attractions are only open from ~10-4-that makes for a bit of stress if you wanna get it all in.

If you do get one, it does have it's advantages.

1). you don't have to carry cash 2). can skip lines and 3). you get introduced to sites you wouldn't normally see (H.M.S. Belfast, people!).

Cheerio lads, I'm off to DUBLIN!