London arrival...

It is hard to believe that we are now back to the beginning of where we started our trip - London!

most of our days have had a similar theme. walk to the train, ride the train, walk to what we are seeing, walk back to the train, ride the train, walk back to our b&b. i am starting to hit a wall with walking...it has been fun since it is something we really can't do in the usa. Catching the trains have also been quite a magical experience as a train is always leaving just as we arrive. Little did I realize that a train leaves every 15 minutes or so!

Yesterday we walked by Big Ben, Parliament, Winston Churchill's War Rooms, Scotland Yard, and the Eye of London. We saw the National Gallery (on Trafalgar Square) and I tried to impresson my children with the paintings done by Degas, Cezanne, Monet, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael. At one point, the light went on for Jackie as she saw her first painting that she recognized!

Next we left the museum and wondered up the street to Queens Theater to see Les Mis. This was one of the things I wanted to particularly do in London. Jason and I saw the show in Portland, Oregon before kids...it was a great way to celebrate our 18th wedding aniversary!!

One of the most stressful parts of our trip has been eating out. It takes so much time to order, wait for the food to come and I forgot to say - trying to find a place to eat that we can all agree on in the first place! So as we left the theater, Jacob's personal preference was that we find a place to eat as soon as possible. We eneded up eating right across the street at a China Buffet. It was close, it was fast (it had a buffet line) but it didn't necessarily have chinese foods we would find at an American buffet...oh well, Jason and I really enjoyed the food and Jackie had several chicken skewers.

On our walk back to the train, Jason encouraged us all on by purchasing ice cream cones! We made it home safe and sound. I found a movie for Jackie to watch and I promptly fell asleep only to wake up in time to put Jackie to bed - were I joined her once again. I think I went to sleep at 8pm and didn't get up till 9:30am the next day!

--Jenny