London

Well we finally got to take a trip someplace outside of Germany but that was still inside Europe. London! The land of the English, the spoken word, the words of choice, the only words I understand. I cannot tell you how excited I was to go to London....not just to see London, but to know that I would understand what I was reading and seeing! Oh and that they have "real" diet coke! Yes not the sweet Coca Light here in Germany. REAL DIET COKE!! My name is Kara and I am addicted to Diet Coke. Everyone now...HELLO KARA.

Anyway, got off the plane in London and what was the first thing that I bought....drum roll...yes Diet Coke! But really this trip was not all about Diet Coke.

We had about 2 1/2 days to try and fit in everything we could see in this city.

We started at Fridays, home of the free refills...yes of Diet Coke...but again this trip was not about DC! I have to abbreviate now since I am using the word DC too much!

Then is was the classic picture of the

Red Phone Booth

Then it was off to see which was was bigger...Big Ben, or MY Big Ben

And of course the House of Parliament

Then we were off to the Eye

Then it was off to Madame Tussaud's to end off the long day of walking!! The Queen did invite us over for tea the following day. That was very nice of her to open her house to us.

DAY 2 (boring you yet?)

Changing of the guard (Queen never let us in, she must have forgotten). We got to the palace right at 10 to see the horseman. But the actually changing of the guard was not going to take place for another 1 1/2 hours! So we grabbed a taxi and headed to Harrods, only to be denied access since they do not open until 11:30 on Sundays! Not that we could afford anything with the great US to Pound exchange! I have to give them a $1.61 just to get 1 pound. So that bottle of DC for 1 pound is really costing me $1.61...I guess that is not too bad.

Then it was off to the Tower of London. If any of you have watched the show the Tutors on HBO you will know some of the history of all the great beheadings that went on in this place. And f.y.i, the actor in the Tutors is way better looking than the real Henry the VIII.

Of course the Tower Bridge is right there also, so a quick picture of that.

Then it was off to see the Lion King. The kids really enjoyed that. Be warned it is a 2 hour and 45 min production. Make sure everyone uses the bathroom! Then we spent the rest of the night with our friends the Hamberlins that we knew from College. They have a 13 year old son and they are the same age as Ben and I. I can't even imagine having a 13 year old daughter right now. Of course if I did I would have a build in babysitter and I might be young enough to actually run around with my grand kids...but lets not get ahead of ourselves.

Day 3

I swear we have done so much walking in the last 2 days that we are just dragging! Not to mention that it was cold, cold, bitter cold! So today we decide to hit Westminster Abbey. Let me tell you, there are a lot of big monuments, tombs, whatever you want to call them. Its just a mish mosh of dead people.

So after that exciting adventure it was off to Ripley's Believe it or Not. That is the one thing the kids really wanted to see. Why would anyone want to stick a drill in their nose? Who would think of that? Who wakes up and says, "you know I think I can drill holes in my nostril cavity!" Or the people who swallow swords? Strange bunch I tell ya.

So that was London in a nut shell! Lots of English and Diet Coke, what could be better in a vacation? Where to next?