London Days 1 and 2

Erik found that it would be cheaper to get home if we flew from Portugal to London, and then London back to NYC, so we got to have what amounted to a day and a half layover in London! We had just enough time to go to church, and then see some of the main sites. Here are the pictures!

(Keep in mind, we had to get up at 4 AM in Portugal to catch our flight, and it was very wet and a little rainy in London, so we all look very tired and rain-bedraggled!)

This was a cute little plaza with beautiful trees. We discovered it on our way to the church.

Here we are at the church. This is a church and a visitor's center, and we didn't arrive in time for the family ward, so we got to attend the YSA sacrament meeting. :)

This picture was taken at Kensington Gardens, in some kind of memorial for Princess Diana.

This was a pond in Kensington Gardens. Ezra really loved the swans. He kept trying to pet them. I'm pretty sure he succeeded once or twice, which I really did not approve of!!! I like kids to have a healthy fear of wild animals. :)

Iconic phone booth. Kids thought these were pretty cool.

This was a fountain honoring Shakespeare.

Trafalgar Square. And, thanks to all of my recent reading of novels by Sherwood Smith, I understood the history with Admiral Nelson and the battles this is memorializing. I was pretty impressed with myself. :) 

Joylyn at Trafalgar Square.

Big Ben! Once we told the kids that this is the clock in Peter Pan, they were more impressed!

Erik and Westminster Abbey.

St. James Park

Buckingham Palace!

Remember all those things I mentioned about being tired and bedraggled? (And frizzy-haired from humidity. . . ) Well, this picture is Exhibit A.

And, on the plane home. The kids love international flights because they get unlimited, free movies and TV!

Ginny is already zoned in, even before take-off. I have to say, now that we have kids old enough to be entertained for several hours by the screen, I really enjoy flying a lot more! I can even get in a movie or two, myself!

All in all, it was a really fun trip. Despite all of the tantrums, whining, and tired kids and adults alike, I am glad we went. Great experience, and great memories!