So the Leavitts did Europe! (Well Brandon and I did. We left one angry Abigail with grandparents back home.) We decided to hit London (my dream city) and Paris (Brandon's dream city) for our first big overseas adventure together. We were really concerned about jet lag, and we really should have been. We had an overnight flight and thought we'd sleep on the plane and wake up ready to go, but they kept coming by trying to give us duty free catalogs and muffin tops. But even the perky flight attendants could not crush my enthusiasm. When we flew over England I was euphoric and when we landed we were too jazzed to remember we were tired. We took the tube straight to our hotel in South Kensington and then headed straight to Westminster Abbey, which is the sight I really wanted to see.
Westminster Abbey did not disappoint. Having read about 100 books on London history, especially Tudor times, I was just star struck by this place. I really wanted to have a chance to hear the Westminster boy choir sing (which they do every evening), but we could never time it right. We did, however, hear an organ concert and stayed for church. I was so surprised by how few church attendees there were (30 maybe?). I mean, it's Westminster Abbey and we're having church in the exact location every monarch has been crowned and married since the 11th century! The sermon was actually really good...except...we were in terror the entire time. Before the sermon started I noticed there looked like there was melted chocolate chip ice cream on the floor in front of me. I'm thinking about the jerks who dropped it...when all of a sudden SPLAT! Brandon's program flies out of his hand on to the ground because it was hit by a dive-bombing, 30-story high pigeon poopie. I then realized that was not melted ice cream. I looked right in between our chairs and saw another pigeon pooper. I then panicked. We were right. in. the. line. of. fire. And there was no escape! Because the super somber priest and processional were headed up the cloister. Fortunately, we made it out unscathed.
London does an awesome job of preserving their history. I was rubbing everything, repeatedly thinking "I just touched a 700 year old..."
Our first sight-seeing stop on the tube kicked us out at the foot of Big Ben. We came out right as it struck noon. Magical!
This was right by our hotel. I didn't really know my London neighborhoods well when I booked it, but I'd say I did OK! (It was much nicer than our neighborhood in Vegas.) On our street we had really tasty restaurants and even one day had a little farmer's market. I tried brown sauce, loved it! Brandon had a full English breakfast, regretted it!
You know we had to take one of these shots. This is at the horse guards on Whitehall. It smelled like..well...horse poo. But it was seriously cool.
We, along with every other tourist in London, watched the changing of the guards. I guess you have to see it once in your life, but I daresay once is plenty. Considering the pressing crowds and the anticlimactic change of the guards, I think time is better spent elsewhere.
This is the business end of all of those horses. The park nearby, St. James' Park, is just lovely. We had 4 days of sunshine and barely any crowds. I could move there tomorrow, but everyone keeps telling me I saw London at it's best. Boy did I ever!
On Sunday we went to Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park. I loved Hyde Park. Squirrels, roller bladders, people with comfortable chairs they charge you 5 pounds (about 9 dollars) to sit in. But Speaker's Corner was amazing. I love how comfortably the British disagree with each other. In America, you'd be concerned who was packing a gun or when the riot and looting would ensue. This character was an American and an embarrassment. His pants read "Jesus is Lord." He set himself up to blow his candy apple red plastic trumpet and preach the gospel to the Godless Europeans. Oh, how they heckled him! It was awesome. He was quite rude and deserved it.
We went to the Victoria and Albert Museum. London has fabulous museums. This particular one had a history of fashion that was really interesting. This is Brandon in some replica medieval duds. They were heavy and scratchy. And if you notice his rump, it is not in reality triangular. That is his man purse underneath that he carried around. Hey, it's European! The museum has this fabulous fountain the kids play in and this great cafeteria. I want to bring Abby back!
We did a walking tour of Whitehall. We saw #10 Downing Street and their government buildings.
10 days together and Brandon and I only had one fight and it was over this man. We were behind him, and his hair, in line. Now this hair is probably the nastiest I have ever seen. And at the bottom was this obvious brown clump. To me, it looked like he had weaved in a rock to make his hair stay flat. To Brandon, it looked like a rotten clump of hair poo. We have had a heated debate which has yet to be resolved.
The Tower of London was just fantastic. I expected big things and it over delivered! The tour was awesome, the crown jewels dazzling, and everything was so well explained.
The sole man responsible to guard the crown jewels. It's a big upgrade considering in the 1600s they were kept in a box under the stairs. It's a lonely job.
Brandon applying for the job of being guard of the crown jewels. He wasn't accepted. He was disqualified on grounds that he smiles when getting his picture taken.
I am obviously trying to figure out how I could get this Flemish cannon to look good in the dining room.
This was a riot! They had this random reenactment of the crown jewel theft of 1667. This man was our hero and he included us (the tourists) in his plans to catch the thief and woo the woman he loves. It was hilarious! I think my favorite moments are when he asked me not to faint in jealousy as he has already given his heart to another and when the thief tried to include Brandon in his wicked plot since his hair indicated that he was of a most unsavory character. I keep telling him it's a mistake to grow it out! He looks like a 17th century jewel thief.
Henry the 8th over compensating. 'Nuff said.
This is taken from the bathroom in the original white tower inside of the tower of London. You would lift up a piece of wood which was covering a hole that dropped down 4 stories, plop yourself down, and let your business fall to the moat below. Sounds gross, but if this was my view, I might grow accustomed.
The home built for Anne Bolyen. The King had it built as a wedding present and she had her head chopped off before it was ever completed.
I did not do my hair or makeup this trip since there were a 1,000,000 more important things to do. That's my disclaimer :) And even though I looked that rough, they still let us into Kensington Palace for high tea (or in our case, hot chocolate). We were starving, had been walking all day, and had skipped lunch. The dainty tea made us giggle. I think you need to come full to enjoy the experience.
The British National Museum. You could spend you entire trip to London in here. AND they have a bucket of ice for your drinks in their cafeteria. Unheard of! I love this place.
The streets were clean, the traffic was light, the city is quiet.
This was our hotel room. Brandon said it drove him crazy but I didn't think it was overly small.
Other unpictured notables: The hotel room had a groovy blue light option which made us feel like we were "up in the club." We tried every British convenience store chocolate bar and they were all gross to us. We went and saw a movie and on our walk home, a real English Fox popped out of a garden and walked beside us. The Chunnel makes your ears hurt, even though they said it wouldn't. British TV is really interesting. Everyone was super polite, this is my favorite city!
