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I know you love Disney but...really? ~a dis meet in London 5/15
- Thread starter winkers
- Start date
winkers
<font color=blue>I was stuck in that position and
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2006
Wow! I don't know if is be brave enough to go there if I was you! I'm glad that you did go and survive!!
How long were you in Germany ?
winkers
<font color=blue>I was stuck in that position and
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2006
So glad you are back. I hear you on life getting in the way.
Glad you survived the streets of London.
Wonderful pictures.
Life and a broken laptop has really messed up my dis time!
winkers
<font color=blue>I was stuck in that position and
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2006
2 with the Day dial a shower was no better than the first. Luckily my hair didnt look to bad so I didnt have to wash it
.that saved me a few minutes
its really hard to wash when you have to hold a stupid button in with one hand and hold the shower with the other. I felt a bit like Mr. Bean.
On the way to the tube station we grabbed chocolate croissants and dr pepper! Yes, they have my beverage of choice in London. I was happy munching and slurping away on our ride into London.
The first place on our itinerary for the day was Westminster Abbey. Another ancient building that has been at the center of many books and day dreams. As we were walking from the station to the Abbey I couldnt believe where I was. Only a year before I had stayed up all night to watch William and Kate get married. Yes Im one of those people. To be completely honest, I even bought myself a fancy little cake from the bakery the day before so I could have some wedding cake while I watched. I told you I love all things British.
When I got my first real look at Westminster Abby it took my breath away .because it was so gorgeous and there was already a huge line to go in. I had even gotten there 45 minutes early like my trusty travel bible aka Rick Steves, said that I should. Oh well .I was in London and nothing was going to get me down. The only problem with waiting in that long line that didnt move for 45 minutes was standing still on my feet. After a full day of walking on cobblestones and up and down ancient stairwells my footsies were aching.
Considering the Abbey is around 1,000 years old I can't believe the detail! I can only imagine how long it took to build much less all of the intricate carvings. I guess when you don't have tv or internet you have more free time.
We finally got in .paid our admission and attempted to walk around but it was so crowded you couldnt move 2 feet without running into someone so we headed to the desk and signed up for a tour. Im so glad that we did! The verger who was our guide was awesome! He was full of so much information and pretty funny too. Being on the guided tour we got to go a few places you cant on your own.
The amount of famous people who are buried in the abbey is astounding. Again I found myself walking around with my mouth open and my flashing tourist sign. During the tour our guide would ask questions and , not to pat myself on the back, but I knew most of the answers. My years of fascination with history and my ancestors had paid off. I think D.Jay was glad that I only whispered to him each of my ancestors when they were talked about ok, what I really wanted to do was announce it to the group but I contained myself.
We couldnt take pictures inside the building, which was a bummer, but it did make it a bit easier for me to be in the moment and not worried about getting pictures of everything. I wish I could put my feelings about being here into words, but I dont think I can. It was say it with me .amazing!
Im not sure how long we were in there but it was at least double what Id expected. We did get to see a bit of the inner courtyard where I could take pictures!! I couldnt believe that people still live in apartments there! I would love to live there.
Before leaving Westminster it was time for a potty break which is where I encountered for the first time in my life unisex public bathrooms. It was weird. You walked into a large bathroom that looked like it hadnt been updated since 1920 and then found a stall .the good thing was that the stall doors were more like an actual door and went from floor to ceiling and no cracks around the edges. It was just very odd to come out and be washing my hands next to a man. Lol
On the way to the tube station we grabbed chocolate croissants and dr pepper! Yes, they have my beverage of choice in London. I was happy munching and slurping away on our ride into London.
The first place on our itinerary for the day was Westminster Abbey. Another ancient building that has been at the center of many books and day dreams. As we were walking from the station to the Abbey I couldnt believe where I was. Only a year before I had stayed up all night to watch William and Kate get married. Yes Im one of those people. To be completely honest, I even bought myself a fancy little cake from the bakery the day before so I could have some wedding cake while I watched. I told you I love all things British.
When I got my first real look at Westminster Abby it took my breath away .because it was so gorgeous and there was already a huge line to go in. I had even gotten there 45 minutes early like my trusty travel bible aka Rick Steves, said that I should. Oh well .I was in London and nothing was going to get me down. The only problem with waiting in that long line that didnt move for 45 minutes was standing still on my feet. After a full day of walking on cobblestones and up and down ancient stairwells my footsies were aching.
Considering the Abbey is around 1,000 years old I can't believe the detail! I can only imagine how long it took to build much less all of the intricate carvings. I guess when you don't have tv or internet you have more free time.
We finally got in .paid our admission and attempted to walk around but it was so crowded you couldnt move 2 feet without running into someone so we headed to the desk and signed up for a tour. Im so glad that we did! The verger who was our guide was awesome! He was full of so much information and pretty funny too. Being on the guided tour we got to go a few places you cant on your own.
The amount of famous people who are buried in the abbey is astounding. Again I found myself walking around with my mouth open and my flashing tourist sign. During the tour our guide would ask questions and , not to pat myself on the back, but I knew most of the answers. My years of fascination with history and my ancestors had paid off. I think D.Jay was glad that I only whispered to him each of my ancestors when they were talked about ok, what I really wanted to do was announce it to the group but I contained myself.
We couldnt take pictures inside the building, which was a bummer, but it did make it a bit easier for me to be in the moment and not worried about getting pictures of everything. I wish I could put my feelings about being here into words, but I dont think I can. It was say it with me .amazing!
Im not sure how long we were in there but it was at least double what Id expected. We did get to see a bit of the inner courtyard where I could take pictures!! I couldnt believe that people still live in apartments there! I would love to live there.
Before leaving Westminster it was time for a potty break which is where I encountered for the first time in my life unisex public bathrooms. It was weird. You walked into a large bathroom that looked like it hadnt been updated since 1920 and then found a stall .the good thing was that the stall doors were more like an actual door and went from floor to ceiling and no cracks around the edges. It was just very odd to come out and be washing my hands next to a man. Lol
winkers
<font color=blue>I was stuck in that position and
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2006
After Westminster Abbey we headed to our next destination, Kensington Palace. We got a little confused about which bus stop to get off on us we had a bit of a walk but an extra walk in London is much more pleasant than extra walking at home.
I was excited to see Kensington Palace .it was where Princess Diana lived and William and Kate were planning to move there. It was also where Queen Victoria spent her early life. Part of the palace is still open for tours along with the gardens. It had recently opened a new exibit on the life of Queen Victoria which I was excited to see.
testing out my throne
The interior is gorgeous! Just my style,, but the exhibit was a little odd..it was done in a very abstract sort of way. Hard to describe but I still enjoyed looking through the rooms.
After the tour D.Jay took me to the orangery for afternoon tea. The wait was ridiculously long, but this was one of my bucket list things ..have afternoon tea in England. Check!
We waited for about 45 minutes before being seated. Its a long, thin marble building full of little tables & chairs and lots of little orange trees with miniature oranges on them. I really wanted to take one home. It was stupidly expensive but this was On our way out of Westminster Abbey we grabbed a quick snack to eat on our bus ride to Kensington my own splurge.
I ordered a white peony herbal tea and D.Jay got a hot chocolate. We each had our own tiered tray with goodies it was all good but my favorite was the scone and clotted cream.
This was a real pinch me Im in England moment I was at a palace having afternoon tea.
After tea we walked through part of the gardens. It was so beautiful but it was starting to drizzle and was very windy so we didnt hang around very long.
We hopped on a bus and headed to Trafalgar square and the National Portrait Gallery. D.jays willingness to visit the portrait gallery is proof of his love for me. Im sure he could think of 1,000 things hed rather do than look at a bunch of pictures of dead royals while his history obsessed wife tells him little bits of info about them and which ones shes related to, but he didnt complain once.
Here I am being crowned by my ancestor Edward the 2nd
Oops right after D.Jay snapped this someone came over and told us no photography was allowed. I felt a little sheepish but I hadnt noticed any signs. Oh well ..at least I got one picture in.
We spent about an hour in here while I fed D.Jay a running commentary on every thing he never knew he didnt want to know about the royals of Britain. Hey .someone needs to benefit from my vast knowledge besides me. He was my own little captive audience as I played tour guide and this is Charles I .he was beheaded ..heres Katherine Howard .shes the 2nd of Henrys wives to be beheaded
After D.Jay was set free from the National Gallery we headed over to St. Martins in the field hoping to catch an evensong performance but when we got there we discovered it was closed. Bummer.
St. Martin's in the field..
Oh well we were exhausted so after sitting and watching the mass of humanity moving about Trafalgar square we headed for home.
A performer in the square
Near our tube station was a Tesco, a grocery store, and we decided to grab dinner there to take back to the apartment. It was fun to walk around and see all the different things. I probably could have wandered for a couple of hours but kept my gawking at a minimum. Since it was the Thursday before Easter I had fun looking at all the Easter candy. I know .it doesnt take much to excite me.
Once back at the apartment we skyped with the kids for a few minutes .compared blisters, aches & pains .ate dinner and passed out.
Up next .tell the queen I want a refund
I was excited to see Kensington Palace .it was where Princess Diana lived and William and Kate were planning to move there. It was also where Queen Victoria spent her early life. Part of the palace is still open for tours along with the gardens. It had recently opened a new exibit on the life of Queen Victoria which I was excited to see.
testing out my throne
The interior is gorgeous! Just my style,, but the exhibit was a little odd..it was done in a very abstract sort of way. Hard to describe but I still enjoyed looking through the rooms.
After the tour D.Jay took me to the orangery for afternoon tea. The wait was ridiculously long, but this was one of my bucket list things ..have afternoon tea in England. Check!
We waited for about 45 minutes before being seated. Its a long, thin marble building full of little tables & chairs and lots of little orange trees with miniature oranges on them. I really wanted to take one home. It was stupidly expensive but this was On our way out of Westminster Abbey we grabbed a quick snack to eat on our bus ride to Kensington my own splurge.
I ordered a white peony herbal tea and D.Jay got a hot chocolate. We each had our own tiered tray with goodies it was all good but my favorite was the scone and clotted cream.
This was a real pinch me Im in England moment I was at a palace having afternoon tea.
After tea we walked through part of the gardens. It was so beautiful but it was starting to drizzle and was very windy so we didnt hang around very long.
We hopped on a bus and headed to Trafalgar square and the National Portrait Gallery. D.jays willingness to visit the portrait gallery is proof of his love for me. Im sure he could think of 1,000 things hed rather do than look at a bunch of pictures of dead royals while his history obsessed wife tells him little bits of info about them and which ones shes related to, but he didnt complain once.
Here I am being crowned by my ancestor Edward the 2nd
Oops right after D.Jay snapped this someone came over and told us no photography was allowed. I felt a little sheepish but I hadnt noticed any signs. Oh well ..at least I got one picture in.
We spent about an hour in here while I fed D.Jay a running commentary on every thing he never knew he didnt want to know about the royals of Britain. Hey .someone needs to benefit from my vast knowledge besides me. He was my own little captive audience as I played tour guide and this is Charles I .he was beheaded ..heres Katherine Howard .shes the 2nd of Henrys wives to be beheaded
After D.Jay was set free from the National Gallery we headed over to St. Martins in the field hoping to catch an evensong performance but when we got there we discovered it was closed. Bummer.
St. Martin's in the field..
Oh well we were exhausted so after sitting and watching the mass of humanity moving about Trafalgar square we headed for home.
A performer in the square
Near our tube station was a Tesco, a grocery store, and we decided to grab dinner there to take back to the apartment. It was fun to walk around and see all the different things. I probably could have wandered for a couple of hours but kept my gawking at a minimum. Since it was the Thursday before Easter I had fun looking at all the Easter candy. I know .it doesnt take much to excite me.
Once back at the apartment we skyped with the kids for a few minutes .compared blisters, aches & pains .ate dinner and passed out.
Up next .tell the queen I want a refund
DisneyJo
Missing my tags!
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2006
It is gorgeous isn't it, we can get it at all our supermarkets here. We went to Cornwall this year which is where it's from
I feel bad that we just take it all for granted
Never heard of this, it looks lovely!
Hopefully they were ducks
You've been to so many places I haven't and I go into London about 4 times a year
ZehnJahren
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 5, 2010
It did make me think a little. Why does a 3 year old think they're going to die in England, anyway!?
I was there for about 6 months in the city of Bonn. Got to travel a bit while there; went to Aachen, Cologne (very near my city, so I went several times), Berlin, Paderborn, some other small German towns, and Rome (my longest trip). I did not fly through England on the way home. hahaha
winkers
<font color=blue>I was stuck in that position and
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2006
It is gorgeous isn't it, we can get it at all our supermarkets here. We went to Cornwall this year which is where it's from
I feel bad that we just take it all for granted
Never heard of this, it looks lovely!
Hopefully they were ducks
You've been to so many places I haven't and I go into London about 4 times a year
I've looked all over and the closest place I can get clotted cream is about 6 hours away....I just need a reason other than clotted cream to make the trip.
It is an odd fear for a 3 year old..
It sounds like you had fun Germany! Were you there for school?
I am so excited for you at touring all the places you dreamed of visiting.
What a lovely day and I am sure DJ enjoyed it as much as you did and if not quite as much, the fact that you enjoyed it made him enjoy it.
I'm very lucky because he's usually game for anything I want to do. I'm guessing he has his own little "happy place" in his mind that he drifts off to.
Blueyed Girl
HAKUNA MATATA!
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2006
Yay!!! It feels like old times reading TR's on here. Glad you decided to update. I'm having fun looking at all the pics and reading. I am hoping to be able to take a trip that way some time in the near future. We need to see Scotland & Norway too. Chris mostly comes and goes to work. He doesn't get to see much of anything. I think that's sad! 
Oooh PS- We booked a surprise trip to WDW for Thanksgiving! You guys should do a quick last minute trip too! My mom is even coming with us this time. We are picking little man up from school and seeing how long it will take for him to realize we aren't going home.
winkers
<font color=blue>I was stuck in that position and
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2006
Oooh PS- We booked a surprise trip to WDW for Thanksgiving! You guys should do a quick last minute trip too! My mom is even coming with us this time. We are picking little man up from school and seeing how long it will take for him to realize we aren't going home.
You really should take advantage of Chris working over there! I'd be in his luggage if I were you.
I wish we could book a trip, but that isn't in the near future here. I NEED a Disney fix but I'm not sure when or how I'm going to get it.
Blueyed Girl
HAKUNA MATATA!
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2006
You really should take advantage of Chris working over there! I'd be in his luggage if I were you.
I wish we could book a trip, but that isn't in the near future here. I NEED a Disney fix but I'm not sure when or how I'm going to get it.
BOOO!!!! On no Disney trip.
Wish we could all plan one like Feb of 2010. That was our all time fave! The problem with going oversea's is DS's food allergies. However, I did find out that there are online grocery stores in Scotland where you can read the ingredients and have it all delivered to where you are staying. Kind of like Garden Grocer!
Now if I can find such a thing in all the other countries we will be doing GREAT!
winkers
<font color=blue>I was stuck in that position and
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2006
Well, it's been almost 2 months but I do have a good excuse, this time!
I spent 4 weeks in Texas helping my sister who just had a baby, pack and move to Utah. See, I said it was good...... Then I got home and holy crap I only had 2 1/2 weeks to get ready for Christmas ...... My head is still spinning!
I plan to have an update today or tomorrow . I've missed all my imaginary friends.
I spent 4 weeks in Texas helping my sister who just had a baby, pack and move to Utah. See, I said it was good...... Then I got home and holy crap I only had 2 1/2 weeks to get ready for Christmas ...... My head is still spinning!
I plan to have an update today or tomorrow . I've missed all my imaginary friends.
winkers
<font color=blue>I was stuck in that position and
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2006
Day 3 in London dawned and I was sore and really starting to feel the time change affecting me , but it was nothing that an early morning struggle with the dial a shower wouldnt cure. Having to perform interpretive dance to shower really can wake a girl up.
The first thing on our "to do" list was the quintessential London vacation experience ..Buckingham Palace and the changing of the guard! I also planned to take the perfect vacation picture next to one of the guards ..the one picture everyone who visits seems to come home with ..I was excited!
We arrived in front of Buckingham Palace an hour and a half early ..just like Rick Steves said to ..and there was already a huge crowd but we still managed to get the almost perfect spot. I was so freaking excited to be there! I couldnt believe the crowd that was gathering and felt sorry for the poor police who had to deal with the idiots that are in every crowd and I couldnt believe how many people totally ignored them! We frequently heard them yelling at someone to get down from the lion or off the fence. There were also those who as the time grew closer showed up and tried to force their way into a good spot.
Lucky for us, weve been to a few Disney parades and know how to handle that kind of problem. Stand your ground and give people the look that says dont even think about pushing me. We were standing right behind the gate so at least we couldnt be pushed up any further .all though that didnt stop an obnoxious person from trying to wedge in front of us from the side I think her ribs met my elbow a couple of times. Im normally a pretty passive person but Id waited most of my life for this and I wasnt going to just move because someone was being rude .to go along with my red hair I have a temper and know how to use it.
Soon a man near us decided that while being packed like sardines around hundreds of his closest friends it was the perfect time to smoke. Sheesh he continued to smoke the entire time. After about an hour my feet and back were killing me from standing in one place for so long and I was becoming very annoyed by the people around me .this was really like a disney parade on steroids!
Suddenly we hear music and turn to see the first of the guards marching in .. in a matter of seconds I went from why am I putting myself through this torture to oh my holy heck Im really in London living my dream! Soon I was covered in goosebumps and crying. I no longer cared that I was choking on smoke or being mashed up against a fence, I was truly living a dream and soon became totally caught up in the pageantry of the ceremony.
When it was over we walked around to take pictures and find one of the posted guards to have my picture taken we walked and looked every where we could think of but no guards. It was strange because Ive seen hundreds of pictures and videos where they are posted right out side the gate in their big furry hats, but there were none to be seen. I was bummed this was going to be the London vacation picture for me .but the only ones around were up against the palace behind the gates not in front of them. I think I should have gotten a 10% discount on my vacation or an audience with the Queen to voice my disappointment.
A nice lady behind us took our picture while we were waiting..
some of the crowd
I took about 100 pictures during the changing of the guard so I'll narrow it down to a few....
Me with my favorite Queen Victoria
Instead I settled for lunch at the Kings Arms where D.Jay had bangers and mash and I had fish and chips. It was very tasty and we had a nice chat with the men sitting next to us who were from Seattle .small world. Coming out of the pub a tripped on the wonky side walk and nearly did a face plant. Using all the power in my body I managed to remain on my feet because I knew that if I fell it would take an ambulance crew to get me back up ..I was so sore.
To give ourselves a little rest we took the scenic route bus tour ..we sat up top in the very front and a nice older gentleman sitting behind us gave us running commentary on what we were seeing and interesting tips. It was fun because we could tell how much he loved his city and sharing it with visitors. I could have talked to him for hours but we needed to get to our next attraction ..Shakespeares Globe!
Up next .gee your nuts smell terrific
The first thing on our "to do" list was the quintessential London vacation experience ..Buckingham Palace and the changing of the guard! I also planned to take the perfect vacation picture next to one of the guards ..the one picture everyone who visits seems to come home with ..I was excited!
We arrived in front of Buckingham Palace an hour and a half early ..just like Rick Steves said to ..and there was already a huge crowd but we still managed to get the almost perfect spot. I was so freaking excited to be there! I couldnt believe the crowd that was gathering and felt sorry for the poor police who had to deal with the idiots that are in every crowd and I couldnt believe how many people totally ignored them! We frequently heard them yelling at someone to get down from the lion or off the fence. There were also those who as the time grew closer showed up and tried to force their way into a good spot.
Lucky for us, weve been to a few Disney parades and know how to handle that kind of problem. Stand your ground and give people the look that says dont even think about pushing me. We were standing right behind the gate so at least we couldnt be pushed up any further .all though that didnt stop an obnoxious person from trying to wedge in front of us from the side I think her ribs met my elbow a couple of times. Im normally a pretty passive person but Id waited most of my life for this and I wasnt going to just move because someone was being rude .to go along with my red hair I have a temper and know how to use it.
Soon a man near us decided that while being packed like sardines around hundreds of his closest friends it was the perfect time to smoke. Sheesh he continued to smoke the entire time. After about an hour my feet and back were killing me from standing in one place for so long and I was becoming very annoyed by the people around me .this was really like a disney parade on steroids!
Suddenly we hear music and turn to see the first of the guards marching in .. in a matter of seconds I went from why am I putting myself through this torture to oh my holy heck Im really in London living my dream! Soon I was covered in goosebumps and crying. I no longer cared that I was choking on smoke or being mashed up against a fence, I was truly living a dream and soon became totally caught up in the pageantry of the ceremony.
When it was over we walked around to take pictures and find one of the posted guards to have my picture taken we walked and looked every where we could think of but no guards. It was strange because Ive seen hundreds of pictures and videos where they are posted right out side the gate in their big furry hats, but there were none to be seen. I was bummed this was going to be the London vacation picture for me .but the only ones around were up against the palace behind the gates not in front of them. I think I should have gotten a 10% discount on my vacation or an audience with the Queen to voice my disappointment.
A nice lady behind us took our picture while we were waiting..
some of the crowd
I took about 100 pictures during the changing of the guard so I'll narrow it down to a few....
Me with my favorite Queen Victoria
Instead I settled for lunch at the Kings Arms where D.Jay had bangers and mash and I had fish and chips. It was very tasty and we had a nice chat with the men sitting next to us who were from Seattle .small world. Coming out of the pub a tripped on the wonky side walk and nearly did a face plant. Using all the power in my body I managed to remain on my feet because I knew that if I fell it would take an ambulance crew to get me back up ..I was so sore.
To give ourselves a little rest we took the scenic route bus tour ..we sat up top in the very front and a nice older gentleman sitting behind us gave us running commentary on what we were seeing and interesting tips. It was fun because we could tell how much he loved his city and sharing it with visitors. I could have talked to him for hours but we needed to get to our next attraction ..Shakespeares Globe!
Up next .gee your nuts smell terrific
winkers
<font color=blue>I was stuck in that position and
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2006
IndianaHoosier
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2008
Today I ate at a Sweet Tomatoes in Salt Lake City on my way to the airport (amazing ski vaca...thank you Utah!) It made me think of you, blue Eyed girl, wendy and of course Jordan. Hope you are all doing well. I miss reading everyone's Disney adventures and participating in the banter between good friends. I miss it!!!!
englishrose47
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2007
Just found this !!!! Going back to read
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