LONDON – MARCH 2022

March 24 – April 8, 2022

I got up early and met Chandler and Parker at the airport. It took us a while to get through security because of the Covid checks, but otherwise, it was easy. Our worries about Parker travelling under age without a consent form from Levi was not an issue. The security guards thought I was their mother, so no one even asked.

Len picked us up at Gatwick. We decided to tough through the day to get our internal clocks reset. Sara came over and all us girls went out to the pub for drinks. Parker was thrilled to be able to drink in a pub.

The next day, Saturday 26 March, Sara picked us up and we all went to Camden Market along Regents Canal and locks. It hosts an eclectic array of fashion and curiosities and has a quarter million visitors a week. It had been years since I was there.

The atmosphere seemed more energetic, maybe because it was a Saturday or because the girls were so gobsmacked with everything. Chandler, being a horse groomer, was particularly interested in Stables Market.

It is an old stable and horse hospital for the horses that pulled barges along the canal. The shops (no chain outlets allowed) are set up in the individual horse stalls or in the large arches of the railway viaducts.

Cyberdog is a futuristic shop that has neon and glow-in-the-dark clothing. Lots of stuff is made of rubber. The girls were blown away by the outlandishness of it.

The girls bought some small stylish backpacks. We headed back along the canal. The girls were amazed at the boats moored along the way. They were even more amazed when they realized that people actually lived in them year-round.

On the way back we took the train from King’s Cross Station and saw the famous platform 9 ¾ from the Harry Potter series.

On Sunday 27 March, Sara, Chandler, Parker and I went to the Sky Garden, London’s highest public garden. It is atop the Walkie Talkie building.

It is free to visit and has spectacular views of the city. The Gherkin on one side, the Thames on the other, and the Tower of London and Tower bridge close by.

We posed on a ledge with the Gherkin in view through the window and took some nice pictures despite the misty day. As we descended, lots of other people realized what a great photo spot it was, and were doing the same.

We ordered ciders and when the server asked how old Parker was, Sara snapped back, “She’s 18!” She said it with such force the poor fellow just handed us our drinks.

We met Len and his family at Spitalfields market.

We ate at Honest Burger for lunch then wandered to Brick Lane which is popular for its amazing graffiti murals.

The day was extra special to me because it was the UK Mother’s day and I got to spend it with 2 of my kids and 4 grandkids.

On Monday we lazed about and did laundry. I had some baking to do at Westfield.

On Tuesday 29 March, Chandler, Parker and I went to the Tower of London. We took the Yeoman guard tour with the first female Yeoman to serve at the Tower. She was informative and funny. The tour was much shorter than the first time I took it 20 years ago, but it still gave us some insights that would otherwise have been missed.

I think the girls got a lot out of the history of London and the tower. The building is older than our entire country. The barbaric way they used to think and do things can really challenge the brain at times. Not to mention the beauty, elegance and opulence of pomp and fanfare.

As we were leaving, I asked one of the guards a question. I thought the old crumpled wall running through the Tower grounds was part of Hadrian’s Wall. He said No, but let me show you a little bit of where it does run through. He ended up spending about 45 minutes with us, giving us a private tour and talk. An experience the girls aren’t likely to forget. Little do they realize this almost NEVER happens!

Chandler had taken a video of one of the guards doing his little walk-up and posted it on social media with a Tower of London tag. The guard in the video saw it and contacted her. How special is that!!

We were all tired so we headed back to Len’s house, forgoing the Tower Bridge for another day.

On Wednesday 30 March, we went to the Natural History Museum. The building itself is a work of art with its grand staircase, rich wood trim and granite floors. The cathedral-like Hintze Hall is enough to take anyone’s breath away.

Then add in a life-size blue whale, elephant, giraffe and rhino as well as numerous birds, fish, and extinct animals and you have the makings of an entire day spent wandering and being amazed at the same time. We whizzed through and it still took us 4 hours. We stopped at Wagamama’s for dinner

The next few days were spent at home. The weather did not cooperate the entire time we were there. The week before was lovely, and apparently, the week after we left was beautiful. We had rain and cold.

Saturday 2 April everyone went out for a night of fun. They met up with some of Len’s friends and had a wonderful time.

On Sunday 3 April we went for Sunday roast at The Castle pub. Sunday roast is an English tradition and we were all excited to have the girls experience it.

After brunch, we wandered through St. Mary’s Church Cemetery on our way to God’s Own Junk Yard.

This is a neon lights haven. They have been making, restoring, and creating neon signs for 37 years. It is a visual experience beyond anything you could ever imagine. Every nook and cranny has a neon sign. Do not simply pass by. Look closely. There are goofy messages, witty signs, sarcastic signs, and thought-provoking signs. It was wild and fun for everyone.

On Monday 4 April, Chandler and I went to Windsor for the season opening of the Royal Windsor Racecourse. Chandler was particularly interested in the grass track and paddock. It was entirely different from what she is used to and works on. We bet on a couple of horses and even won a few pounds. We found a beer cup with the Royal Windsor Racecourse logo on it, and she brought it home as a souvenir.

Tuesday 5 April we returned to Tower Bridge. We were fortunate enough to see the bridge go up to let a boat pass. We were on the skywalk at the time, so we didn’t get to experience it quite as if we had been on street level, but it was still special.

From there we went to Borough Market where they sell everything from fresh vegetables to truffles to donkey sausage – which had Parker laughing and amazed. She talked to the sausage maker for quite some time and even wrangled a free sample.

We then carried on to Covent Garden which is a bit more upscale market with proper shops selling Belgian chocolates, perfumes, and fancy socks.

A lot of our time was just spent with family.

I got to see Sara’s little flat (about 200 sq. ft) The cousins were happy to just play together and get to know each other. Len, Michaela and Sara were happy to get to know their nieces better. The girls were happy just to experience a different place, culture, food, and world-class tourist attractions.

Chandler spent hours playing football with Julian in the back garden. Both girls spent hours playing with Freya, whether it be playing charades or colouring. At the end of the day, they said they enjoyed being with family the most. Now THAT is special!