My Date to London

 Ryan Air tickets to London...14 euros each way + Family (aka:  Babysitters) visiting = Darin and I get a fantastic 3 day Date to London!  I've never been away from the kids for that long EVER, Darin has due to the military life that we live, but being together was a first. 

This was the first time in 2 1/2 years in which I have felt smart while traveling.  I got off the plane and I totally understood the language.  I was able to read the signs.  I knew what the announcements were about and I knew what to do and where to go.  I knew how to ask for help or directions!  I felt my IQ rising with every step away from the airplane and towards the city.  I even offered to help Darin if he had any problems (I am nice like that).  England is Awesome!   I kind of wish that the rest of Europe was like England...kind of.

Right off the plane we decided to head to the Tower of London.  3 days without kids is great, but London has tons to do and so we needed to get seeing. The weather was chilly, but not unbearably cold.   We went to the British Museum, the British Library, and the Imperial War Museum; great ways to get out of the cold.  We went to museums (totally against the traveling with kids rule), we stayed up late watching musicals, and wondered all over.  It was a great date!

*Disclaimer: because we didn't have any kids with us, all the pictures will be of us.  Sorry not too exciting.

Tower of London "Beefeater."  Very funny tour of the Tower of London and the accent is just a big Bonus!  Tower is not free, but tour is.

Darin showing this young soldier how to stand correctly!  Look at that kid with his duck feet.

Tower Bridge

Anyone need a breast plate?

Learning how to take a selfie.

 

Watching Les Miserables!  Awesome.  (Although it was hard not to compare the appearance of Jean Valjean in the play with that of Hugh Jackman in the movie.  Jean may have appeared a little portly.)

 

London Eye

Big Ben and Big D

Westminster Abby.  We had planned to go in, but it was very expensive.  Like almost 20 pounds a person and that means over 30 bucks each to see inside a CHURCH.  We love to look at churches, but hate when they charge.  If we'd had more time we would have gone to the services and looked for free.

Trafalgar Square.  I love red buses.

A big blue chicken landed on my head in Trafalgar square! Yikes.

We went and watched Parliament in session and then went to the Supreme Court building.  The guard let Darin sit in the chairs and pretend.

 

Lunch in a crypt.  Peter in Chain's church has a cafeteria in the crypt.  Unique sitting on a grave while enjoying my soup.

Buckingham Palace. The Queen was home so we stopped in.

We also got to see Wicked!

Darin at Speakers Corner in Hyde Park.  Apparently they only "speak" on Sunday's.

British Museum- FREE!  All the National Museums are FREE! Yet, they charge for the churches?

Rosetta Stone.  We also saw  THE Magna Carta (different museum),but you can't take photos of that.

Guess why they call it the Tube.