LONDON - DAY 2 & 3

Of course Ben was the CUTEST child in the program.



After a yummy dinner and a couple of pints at "a pub with a Thai kitchen" we all watched Casey shine. Sorry, no pictures. But, "trust me" she was wonderful.

Friday morning we were up bright and early to take the tubes to see the Tower of London.

In the middle of a snowstorm. Hey, at least it wasn't still raining.

No pictures allowed of the Crown Jewels but here are a couple as we entered. Snow pellets do really strange things on a digital camera.





The Beefeater cut the outdoor tour short because of the snow. We found a delightful female Warden to take us on a tour of the inside. From King Henry VIII's armor to "modern day indoor conveniences".




And the truly amazing Norman chapel.



Lots of armor, weapons and I don't know what









OF COURSE, after we'd spent most of the day indoors, when we came out the SUN WAS SHINING. (I'm writing this a week later and that's the ONLY sunshine we've seen.Maybe tomorrow). The walls and towers were still closed because of the snow,
so Emily got a picture of the guards, we hit another great pub and headed back to High Barnet. I met Tom along the way and he and I went to get two rental cars for tomorrow's adventure to Warwick.

In what is forecast to be the "Blizzard of the Century". We don't know if that means the 21st Century or the last hundred years. I guess we'll find out tomorrow.

LONDON

We arrived in London a week and a day ago but this is the first "downtime" I've taken.

I say , "I've taken" because Emily and Carol are out again today, shopping and seeing more of the city.

It was the first time Emily and Andrew had flown and Emily wanted proof for her friends to see.



We arrived around 8:30 am local time on the 15th. Except for schlepping all the luggage, we had an uneventful trip across the pond and into London from Gatwick airport.

We had tickets to see Harry Potter on the IMAX screen at the British Film Institute at 2:30pm, excuse me - 14:30 so we had a little time to start our sightseeing. We took the train from Gatwick to Victoria Station and then a bus to Waterloo on the South Bank. Where Andrew took this picture.


And here's Emily's first London picture


Even though it was cold and rainy, street performers were braving the elements to try and make a pound.



When I dropped a pound in his basket, he said, "Thank you. Thank you very much."

After the movie, we took the tube back to Victoria Station and chilled for an hour at a Burger King because it was rush hour and we didn't want to tackle the really crowded tubes with our luggage. More major schlepping and an hour later we were at Tom And Ann's flat in High Barnet - ready to collapse. Having survived Day One.

Our next day is a quiet "try to overcome jet lag" day. I go to see Ben in his school Christmas Pageant. YES, they still have them over here! And then dinner out with the whole family before we go to Casey's dance recital.





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