Ireland week 12 of 14!!!

Hello all! Drew and I arrived back to Belfast from London last night and what an experience! It was such a wonderful vacation of site seeing and also relaxation, thanks to our friends, the Phillips(who moved to England in June)! We are forever grateful for your hospitality and for taking us in! We had such a wonderful time, I am already trying to find ways to come back and visit again! We arrived Monday evening into Gatwick and were able to catch up with our lovely friends. Tuesday we headed out to see Ashdown Forest aka Winnie the Pooh 100 acre woods! We first stopped at Pooh Corner a little shop and Tea Room.

We bought a few souvenirs and then headed to walk around in the woods a bit! Ended up at Pooh Stick Bridge(giggle)! Then we headed back for an afternoon of resting and then to a little city for dinner! Wednesday was our big, tiring, London site seeing day! We headed off on a train to Victoria station and then to Buckingham Palace! There were quite a number of tourists standing around, so we asked one lady what was happening, she didn't know. Then after walking around for a second, a lady chased us down and asked if we knew what was happening, we said no, and then she told us that it was the changing of the guard at the palace! We hung around for a bit and saw some guards ride by on horse back, but we had a lot to see and so we headed off! Our next stop was Piccadilly Circus, then off to the British Museum! Very cool, a lot of history! Then we headed off to one of the highlights of the day, 221 Baker Street aka 187 N. Gower Street where they shoot Sherlock, the tv show! So cool, we took pictures, walked into the Speedy Cafe and they had pictures up of them shooting! Very cool!

Afterwards we headed to the Tower Bridge aka London Bridge! Saw the Tower of London, walked to the Globe Theater, and then walked across Millenium Bridge! Our feet were killing us at this point! Thank goodness for the tube! Our next stop was Temple Church where Davinci Code was filmed because it was built by the Nights Templar! Afterwards we headed to Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the London Eye! We had seen all we wanted and were exhausted, so we ate dinner at a pub just across the street from Big Ben. I am obsessed with pub food!

We headed back to our friends place and crashed! Thursday, we headed off to Polesden Lacey, a Manor House, with beautiful gardens and the inside of the house was beautiful also! Then we ate lunch at the Tea Room there!

Afterwards we headed back for a nice rest and then dinner! Another beloved roast chicken! Friday morning we headed back into London to help our friends out with finalizing things back in the US! They headed to the US Embassy and we headed with the kiddos to Hyde Park! Just being in London is very exciting, so much going on! We played at a fountain and walked around! Then when our friends were finished we headed to our favorite place, McDonalds! Saturday was sadly our last day, but we made one last adventure to Windsor Castle! I just kept asking myself and everyone around me, how could you live a place like that? It's so overwhelming, but I guess if you grow up only knowing that, then it wouldn't be so overwhelming! Amazing and beautiful!

Then we ate an amazing lunch, burgers at a Thai restaurant! We should have known they were going to be terrible! So we bought ourselves treats and then headed back to the Phillips B&B! We played with the kiddos, got our stuff put together and then ate a wonderful, fresh, great tasting dinner, made by Anne, to make up for lunch! Thank you Anne for saving us! Then they took us to the Airport! What a wonderful trip! It was packed with so many things, but was also relaxing and a much needed break! A few things we will remember always from this trip were quotes their sweet daughter 'E' said on a regular basis, such as, Apple Juice, no more crying, lollipop, treats, Aroura, and so many more! Such completely adorable children! And thank you so much again Anne and Roo! Our trip would not have been so wonderful without you and your sweet family! Feel free to come stay with us anytime, and we hope to make it back again! And as of right now, only 2 more weeks as of tomorrow and I will be H O M E!!! That word has never meant so much to Drew and I! We cannot wait!!! But until next week...