London Trip

We had a great trip to London. Technically we were there for 4 days, but 2 of those days were travel days so we dont really have pictures for those days.

Day 1:

Our flight went nice and smooth - thank God! We had to stand in a HUGE line at customs control, since we are not EU passport holders. Thankfully one of the workers took pity on us, since Dennis was holding sleeping Elizabeth, and let us skip ahead to the front of the line.

After getting settled in our hotel we hopped on the 'Tube' and found a neat old pub to have dinner. Then headed back to our temperary home to get some needed sleep for our upcoming busy day.

Day 2:

We got up nice and early, had breakfast and hopped on the tube to go to the British Museum.

Since we had been studying ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt this was a great stop for the boys to see some of the things they had been learning about.

This here was a tomb from Jericho:

We havent studied Ancient Greece and Rome yet but they are coming up soon. This was some Ancient Greek pottery:

Finally we came to Ancient Egypt!

Some furniture found in a tomb buried with its owner... they believed they could "take it with you":

Wall art that would be found on tombs. This is of a party or feast. Top row would be of married couples sitting together and bottom row is of unmarried girls. Unmarried boys and girls were to sit separate.

The elaborate coffins:

A mummy, notice the wrappings are all decorated and inside the coffins:

This box and containers is where they kept the internal organs:

Here is a commoner person's grave. They were still mummified but not set into elaborate coffins or tombs. Just placed in a hole in the ground with their belongings:

More wall art... this one was huge and pretty impressive:

After the museum, we took the Tube to Piccadilly Circus had lunch at TGIFridays (not as good as a pub lunch) and then went over to the Trocadero (big indoor shopping place) where there are about 2 floors of video game arcades. The boys were in heaven.

After that, back on the Tube to Buckingham Palace. At one point the Police came by and started stopping traffic. Having seen this happen before many years ago on a trip to London and getting to see the Queen ride by in her car, we all gathered at the end of the street to see who was going to be coming. They tricked us and we were looking in the completely wrong direction when the cars quickly came through the gates. BAH!!! We still have no idea who that was for.... we joked saying it was the janitor. HAHA!

Here is a column dedicated to Lord Nelson, who is their hero for defeating Napoleon:

After Buckingham Palace, we took a walk through Hyde Park to find Speaker's Corner. This is a famous corner of the park where people used to stand on soap boxes and were allowed to say whatever they wanted. We are reading a book in school called Gladys Aylward. It is about one of the first missionaries to China. She was from London and would come to Speaker's Corner to practice talking about the Gospel to people before she left to China.

Here we're taking a much needed walking break in the park. London is certainly great for exercise. LOL

Finally we came back to the hotel. The kiddos had a good time playing with their balloons together. Our room had a mini hallway and two separate rooms - one for the boys and another for Dennis, me and Elizabeth. They had fun running between the rooms.

Day 3:

Our first stop on this day was to the Tower of London. We took this picture just outside the Tube station. In the background is the Tower. Notice the wall on the left side of the boys, it is what is left of the ancient Roman wall that once circled the city.

The Tower of London was home to Kings and Queens, at one time an infamous prison where many people lost their heads (2 of King Henry VIII's wives for instance) and now serves as a fortress and houses the Crown Jewels.

Of course we had to stop and play at the park on the way over there:

Look at Ryan with his legs in the air, falling onto the swing... HAHAH!

Entering the Tower, the boys loved the catapult in the background! Notice the booklets they had in their hands. We got these for free, they had a sort of treasure hunt and questions inside to fill out while we walked around. To keep them engaged and interested. I LOVED IT!!!! It really let them be able to learn a thing or two.

Here they are infront of Traitor's Gate. This is the passage that the prisoners would go through.... most never made it out again. Famous people that entered through this gate: Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Walter Raleigh (think Raleigh, North Carolina), to name a few.

The boys taking a good look at the slits in the walls where archers would be stationed to shoot at the approaching enemy:

The boys with a real life 'Beefeater': a Yeoman Warder. These men live on the grounds of the Tower and guard it.... along with serve as tour guides for us tourists. They are distinguished men who served in the military as senior NCOs for at least 22years. So if you ever go to London, dont just think of these guys as tour guides. ;)

Here is a picture of the Queen's house on the premesis. Infont, is a Beefeater leading a tour around the Tower. This was actually our group but it is very slow moving tour and the kiddos were too restless to stick around.

In this same picture, in the lower right is a glass monument. This is the presumed spot where some very famous people lost their heads.

We watch a re-enactment trial at the White Tower. This monk was accused of stealing the Crown Jewels. It gave a picture of how the trials went, and weren't always as fair and balanced as they should have been.

Here we are outside the Tower of London, in front of Tower Bridge. We also went in to see the Crown Jewels but there was no photography allowed.

Next stop, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey.

Across the Thames (pronounced Tems) River is the London Eye (the big ferris wheel). We didnt get to go on it though... not enough time. So much to do, so little time:

We took a tour of Westminster Abbey. This is where all the Kings and Queens, famous poets and artists, and scientists are buried. They also had a booklet for the boys to do for this place too. The boys got to learn a lot!! And when they finished the booklet and found everything, we took it to the gift shop and they received a chocolate coin - a huge one!!
They didn't allow photography in the abbey, unfortunately.

One final look at Big Ben on the way out. I love Big Ben, it reminds me of fairy tales and childhood stories!

We spent our last day mostly at the airport trying to get checked in and savoring our last moments in a country that speaks the same language as we do.

To the Black Forest

We took a little day trip, not too far away, to the Schwarzwald (the Black Forest) here in Germany.

As we passed through the forest we were on winding mountain roads.
The town below is Triberg, where we spent our day.

Triberg is home to the highest waterfall here in Germany. It was beautiful!

The first time the boys had ever seen a real waterfall (and Elizabeth too but most things are the first time she's seen them hehe).

Beautiful!!

This is the nature trail we walked on near the falls.

We also stopped at the Haus der 1000 Uhren (House of a 1000 clocks).
SOOO many cuckoo clocks! I didnt buy one but I wanted too! :)
One day............ (I have my eye set on one in particular ;) )

Here is where we ate lunch and had a slice of the traditional Blackforest cake.
YUMMY!!
I wanted to get a picture of the cake before we ate it but it was gone before the camera came out of my bag. haha!

The inside of the restaurant was amazing. It was like an old mountain cabin with trophies of wild game hanging on the walls (we got video but no pictures, sorry).

Dennis even tried the "catch of the day" venison, offering all of us a bite to taste.

After lunch we went to the Blackforest museum to look at all the traditional clothing, lifestyles of the region.

Some neat traditional ladies clothing (can you see Elizabeth in the reflection).

Here is a clock peddler, how they sold their fantastic cuckoo clocks.
The clock maker piled all his clocks on his back and went house to house.

Of course I get a picture of the lovely dollies! :)

A wax figure of a woodworker. Amazing some of the woodwork they do!

What inside their house would look like.

A clock maker

All sorts of clocks! They had mechanical bands and music boxes too! Lovely!!

A quick scene before we left of the Blackforest surrounding the town.
It was a fun adventure out and about.