Right when we arrived, after zero sleep on an overnight flight and 6 hour time difference, we hit the ground running. Windmill Pub in Clapham. We were all so exhausted, we didn't know how ordering and paying worked. Everything there is contactless and my credit card didn't have the tap feature so it made things difficult. ( EVERY time we paid.) We were all kind of a mess. I just kept apologizing to the people behind the bar but they were so sweet and couldn't believe we had just flown in from Texas.
After dinner, the group headed home. Clair drove me and Colt to Asda ( A Walmart like store), quite a drive away in London traffic, to grab some necessities. Sheets, a coffee maker (that never worked), trash bags, snacks... I feel like I was delirious walking through the store. Felt like we were in a foreign country and I couldn't think of anything we needed.
By the time we got back I could hardly function but I got all of our stuff organized and set up to use.
Friday morning we were up bright and early for a trip down to South Bank area to ride the London Eye. We saw Big Ben and walked along South Bank, which turned out to be one of our very favorite places. Funny story... On our first tube ride after catching one tube and running to the next platform to catch the just arriving train, I shoved myself in front of a closing tube door because Colton was behind me and hadn't made it on. I thought it would be like an escalator and open back up...Nope. I wedged myself in there and pushed with all my might and it opened. I saved the day but came out quite dirty. The Eye was a neat experience and it was a clear sunny day to see all of London. We were on it with some foreign models, not really but they sure did act like it, posing for many many pictures not caring who else was there. They took all kinds of "influencer photos" (which started our influencer poses around London). The views were amazing and the AC felt great since it was a warmer than usual day. 91 degrees!!!!!!! No central air anywhere so the Eye was a rare find. On the South Bank we walked around, had some good people watching and had sandwiches from Prett along the Thames. The boys loved the candy stand and the skate park, where Colt had his fill of Baas photo taking for the trip. We finished out the afternoon with a drink at a Pub on the water while Becky went to Tate Modern. Heading back towards home we crossed across the Millenial Bridge. Allen, Becky and Zak parted ways with us in front of St. Pauls Cathedral. Heading to Burroughs Market, a stroll and The Gorge Inn for a pint. They were ready to keep going but the rest of us were "knackered". By this time, the rest of us were DONE! They had fun and we met back up with them that night at Beckys AirBAndB because her and Allen had show tickets. Unfortunately, the heat had got to Bob and he wasn't feeling well, at all, so the night was a bit scary and hectic. (Thankfully the next day Bob was so much better.)
Saturday morning plans changed up because Bob wasn't well Friday. We were suppose to go to Clairs but opted to stay close and make sure Bob was feeling better. It turned out well, we had a bit of a slower start. It started out drizzly and cool, a very welcome change from Friday. We had our first bus ride on a double decker and went down to Battersea Powerstation. We walked along the water, Colton loved the models of the new development in the area and we ate at the neatest little restaurant (by accident) after getting turned away from Gordon Ramseys pizza joint. Meagan's turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the trip! Such a cute place with sweet helpful employees and delicious food!
After lunch, we took a bus and walked around to where dad use to live and where he met mom. It was such a BEAUTIFUL area. He showed us the bus stop where he always caught the bus and his old flat. He had the chance to buy that flat in 1975 for 108,00 pounds. About 6-7 years ago a flat just down the hall from him sold for 6 million pounds! Opportunity missed.
Fish and chips and battered sausage and hanging out with Bob and Clair rounded out the day.
Sunday was Father's Day. Sunday morning we went to Leistcher Square to the Lego shop for Colt. We arrived early and it was so nice to walk around before the crowds and the stores opened. We stopped in the Londoner hotel, where we stuck out like a sore thumb, it was beautiful!!! Rooms start at around 700 pound a night. Once everything opened we hit up the Lego shop where Colt was hopeful to find a Lego that was unique to London. Unfortunately, we didn't find much like that but the crowded store was super cool. After, Grandad took the boys to the M&M store, and we went into a super cool sneaker shop where the boys could have spent 1 million dollars. We watched a magic show on the street and walked around a bit before stumbling on the White Lion Pub where Zak had one of his all time favorite meals. Duck and Pale Ale pie.
After lunch, we headed back to Bobs where we met up with family. Eileen, moms cousin, and her daughter Colette and her kids Harvey and Jodie. We sat and caught up and went to the Windmill for Sunday Roast. We got an awesome table outside, big enough for all of us. Once we ordered drinks and food, the heavens opened up and it started to pour, dragging us inside and separating us while we ate. After dinner Allen and Becky had to get Liam to bed so the rest of us squeezed into a table and we enjoyed dessert and a trivia game, we were pretty bad at. It was such a fun evening. I wish it didn't have to end and everyone could have stayed with us longer.
Monday morning we headed down to Buckingham Palace to watch the changing of the guards. Colt had an ice cream for breakfast in front of the palace. It was crowded and the ceremony took about 45 min (after staying to hold our front row spot for over an hour) so the boys were over it pretty fast. I enjoyed it! (Minus all the foreigners pushing up against me to see better.) In the photo of all 5 of us, the building behind dads head is the building he use to work in. After, we walked to Trafalgar Square and stopped at a litlee Italian joint. When we walked in we were a bit worried because prices were VERY high and we thought it would just be a very touristy place. Turned out to be absolutely awesome! We all enjoyed every bite! After, we walked down past 10 Downing Street where the Priminister lives and took a bus down to Hamleys, a toy store, to spend some of the boys money family had given them. We ended up with Legos from John Lewis, a big department store, and Pokemon cards from Hamleys. That evening, I was wiped. We went back to Bobs where Zak helped sort out his TV antenna and Colt taught Clair how to make American Kraft MacNcheese and played cards and PickUpSticks.
Tuesday was a day for mom!
We spent the day honoring mom. We had a crystal made here in the states and we took it with us to find a special place to leave it not knowing exactly where that would be. Tuesday morning we headed out to mom's old stomping grounds, the house and area she grew up in. Our first stop was the church she grew up at and where she and my dad got married (and my moms mom and dad got married). As my dad entered the church he saw the priest. My dad told him about what we’d like to do and he offered to bless mom‘s crystal. He also allowed us to bury it under a tree in the garden out front. It was so so special. It was also so so sad. We miss her so much but we know she was watching down over us on this trip. We feel like she has a special resting place now. "Her spot".
We worried about what we’d do with her crystal for so long but I think she was smiling down on us leading us to right where she’d like to be. As Clair would say, “She sent us a little bit of magic.”
We took some time in the church, lit a few candles for her, placed flowers over where we buried the crystal and we cried. The boys cried and sweet Liam was the sweetest, gently hugging and touching them and not saying a word. It was special to be able to do that all together as a family with Bob and Clair there. One last good-bye in her favorite place. In her home. 
We also visited her childhood home, 10 Western Lane. And, right next to the church was the school mom went for primary school. We walked down to the Nightingale, a pub right down the street and had a really nice pub lunch. Colt tried his first British sausage and much to mine and Becky's disgust, hated it. (They are our favorite!!!)
After Lunch we went to Clapham Common Park, the park Becky and I grew up going to with mom and Bob. The boys swang on swings in the same place Becky and I swing for hours as kids. We had ice cream and enjoyed the beautiful weather.
Tuesday night was a night for date night! It was the first day of the Train strikes And the tubes were closed as well so we got a Bolt into town after many many Uber cancellations. It was Pricey (+50 pounds) but it was worth the ease, eventhough we were late to our reservation because of the traffic. It was quiet in town because so many people just stayed in because of the train strikes. Becky found a super funky restaurant for us to eat at, Ave Mario. Just look at the glass her drink came in! After we went for drinks at an equally cool place called Mr. Foggs. Great work Beck!!!!
Wednesday was another full day. Becky and Allen had a Tea date so we got Liam all to ourselves. We took a boat ride along the Thames to Greenwich, where we met up with moms best childhood friend, Theresa and her husband Chris. We had a picnic lunch in a park and headed up to the Royal Observitory where the boys an Zak stood on the Prime Meridian in the E and W hemisphere at the same time. It was quite a hike up the hill but what a view! We walked around a market where the boys found a neat candy shop and Chris treated the boys to some bubble gum gelato. We took a train back to Bobs where we met up with Becky and Allen and sat to catch up. That evening Allen and Zak went out on the town and Clair and I walked the boys to Sainsbury for candy to bring home. And of course, we ended the night with games in the living room.
Thursday morning was an EARLY one. Much to Colt's dislike. He missed sleeping in.
But, I think it was worth it. We headed to a restaurant called Coppa with a beautiful view of Tower Bridge. It was a cold drizzly morning but we were in a bubble! It leaked a bit but it was nice once we got all the seating organized. We had a reservation for 8 and with Liam we had 9. At first they didn't want to seat us all together but, eventually they let us all squeeze in. Breakfast was delicious, minus the black pudding. It was just such a pretty spot! Even in the rain.
As we left the restaurant we ran into a Beefeater, a guard from the Tower of London and he agreed to a picture with us.
Becky made us Sky Garden reservation and it was so beautiful. Up 35 stores with 360 degree views of London. Amazing views, even on a cloudy drizzly day.
After the Sky Garden, we walked past the Tower of London , did a little souviner shopping, walked around the Tower of London, saw the SuperBloom set up for the Queens Jubilee and ended up at St. Dunstan In The East. This was a Church of England on St Dunstan's Hill, halfway between London Bridge and the Tower of London. The church was largely destroyed in the Second World War and the ruins are now a public garden. Such a beautiful find right in the heart of the city! A bit further on we ended up in St Katherine's Dock (where my dad said if he could do it all over, he would live) at a beautiful pub called The Dickens Inn. 
The boys (mostly Colt) reallllly wanted to walk the bridge along the top. We climbed 206 steps up and I have to say, it was really cool and very interesting. Walking along the glass bottom looking down over the cars was super scary!
On the way home, we took a small detour to Knightsbridge to stop in Harrods for some gifts to bring home. It was a very very posh area.
Dinner was fish and chips and battered sausage. YUM!
It was a VERY busy day!
Happy Happy Happy BIRTHDAY to our 14 year old!!!!!!
As our time in London comes to an end, we spent the day revisiting some of our favorite spots for Colton's day. Southbank for the skate park, candy stand and fro yo on the Snog bus.
We squeezed in a trip to Burroughs Market where Grandad and Chase got yummy fruit juice, the boys ate a loaf of bread and I had the most amazing mushroom risotto. And a stop at the Anchor Pub which was over 800 years old. It's the sole survivor of the riverside inns that existed in Shakespeare time. It was even said that Shakespear rented rooms there for his cast to change.
A trip to Clapham Common when we got closer to Bobs and pizza to round out our last evening.
Saturday morning wasn't easy. Our time in England went so fast. Scary fast. It was like we blinked and our trip was over. I could have stayed weeks longer! We loved the family time and the time with Bob and Clair. It was so special to take Zak and the boys to all the places that I grew up loving. Clair took weeks off work to be with us and Bob let us crash his quiet little flat. It might have been a bit cramped and a little warm but it was a perfect trip. I wish it wasn't over! Saying goodbye was hard.
We took a car to the airport and got through baggage claim and security pretty quick. We had just enough time to sit and have a sandwich and buy some last minute snacks. As we were waiting on the plane, we saw friend from Texas. One of the Lacrosse moms from Colts team. Small world, she was traveling back to Houston from Germany. The plane ride home was much more turbulent (even taking a small dip at one point where the whole plane gasped). The movies weren't as good, but the food was great and we even slept a tiny little bit and Liam did amazing.
1 comment:
It went by so fast
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