Well, I am trying very hard to get this done. Just got done downloading all the pictures and movie clips to show DH. He enjoyed them. Now, I can erase the cards for WDW!
Christin, if you go to Bath, you should really consider the Bath, Stonehenge tours with Primiere Tours. They are really good and especially if you want to get close to the stones at Stonehenge, plus they find decent places to eat (although expensive). The price for the one we took to Bath was about $110/person. Considering that it was all day, I didn't have to mess around with driving or getting there myself, and I picked up a lot of history, I didn't think it was too bad of a price. Could have been worse.
Okay, it is almost the last day of the London trip.
We were up early this morning, as we had to be at the Corus Hotel at 7:30 for our tour to Cantebury and Leeds Castle. Lucky for us the Corus was just two blocks away. We had breakfast in the room since the hotel did not began serving before we had to leave. I ate 1 large croissant (picked up at the store and was hoping DD17 would split it, but didn't) and 6 oz yogurt. Then we were off. We didn't bring our lunch since we would be stopping at an inn and the tour ended at 6:30pm.
So off to meet the tour bus. Phil, the bus driver picked us up and took us to a few other pick up points before going to Victoria Station. Some of the people on our bus departed, as they had to get on another bus to go on a different tour. But then we also had a few get on along with our tour guide. Today it was a very English looking man, not very tall, in a black suit, black London Fog coat, Black bowler, and carrying a long black umbrella. Can you guess what his name was?
It was James! 
No offense to anyone, but this just struck me as funny. Maybe he just tells the tourists that for a laugh. Anyway, it didn't take long before James became very, very boring. He talked the entire time, including when we were in the countryside with nothing to see. So he would point out a fence post or a road over there somewhere that you can't see for the trees. I am sure that he had some interesting tidbits of history to share with us, but since he was non-stop, I unfortunately tuned him out alot and didn't really know when to tune back in. So I catnapped on the coach, as did DD17.
The first stop was Leeds Castle located in Kent County. This has been known foremost as a lady's castle, because it was given to queens as a retreat. Well, a few kings screwed up and after giving it to their wives, they gave it to some nobleman to use and needless to say when the queens found out, they were in some serious trouble. The castle is not very big, but has been around since 857 and rises up out of a moat. Part of the moat has dried, but most of it is still there. Anyway, it was very beautiful inside, if you like medieval and modern. The original castle built on a tiny island (you can't tell there is an island there, the castle covers it) was restored to the medieval times. Henry VIII expanded the castle onto the larger island and made the area more of a retreat. The larger portion is more modern, with the stone walls being covered by drywall. Personally, if I had the castle, I would go back to the stone, but that is me.
It was inhabited up until 4 years ago when the daughter of Lady Baillie left, I think to go to a smaller home. Lady Baillie was the previous owner of the castle and was the one to restore the original part to it's medieval glory. She also decorated the more modern side and it resembles a very stately home. Lady Baillie spent all of her money on Leeds Castle, but then she was the daughter of Pauline Whitney (American railroad heiress) who had married an Englishman. It was not uncommon for European men with large estates to come to American in search of women from money in order to help pay the taxes on their homes. Also, the women were sent to Europe to find husband's of status. Some powerful heads of state, including Ronald Regan have met at Leeds Castle for meetings amongst each other.
The castle also has a small village right near it, an aviary and gardens. I thought the castle was beautiful, but I would definitely live in the older portion with the very curtained bed, the extremely long dining room table, the carved wooden beams in the ceiling, the tiny cathedral, and the big stone fireplaces. DD17 agrees, that the newer portion (I say newer and yet, it still goes back to the 1500's) should be put back to the original. Oh well. It was a nice little stop. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to tour the village and the grounds. They have an English maze in the gardens and I so desperately wanted to go in it. I love mazes and puzzles.
The next stop was at the The Lighthouse Inn, which is located on the white cliffs, next to a small town, just outside of Dover. This is where we stopped for lunch. I had pork w/ a pink peppercorn sauce (it was okay, nothing to write home about, so I didn't eat it all), 1/2 c. carrots and fresh peas, 1 c. of seasoned potatoes, 2 sm fries and one small bite from DD17's Fish and Chips. I don't like fish much, but I will admit that there wasn't really a fishy taste. Maybe I should have had the Fish and Chips as well. Also, a 10 oz Sprite with the meal. Lunch was about $42. It wasn't worth it. Now if I could have combined my lunch yesterday with DD17's lunch today, that would have been a good meal. Unfortunately, the lady across from me did nothing but complain about her food and how it smelled. Then down the table a couple from AZ (transplants I think from the Bronx) complained about how unsafe they felt in England and that they wanted to go back to Scotland. She had stuff stolen out of her purse (didn't close it) and her hubby was going to beat up the guy who did it. They were a "look at me, I have a business and a cell phone in Europe, but I am going to complain about what everyone over here does wrong and I am much more superior." To me very phony, so we left the table quickly.
Outside we took pictures of the English Channel and the cliffs. Hint: Don't go past the grass, as you will fall off. It was so windy up there that DD17 had to help me hold the camera while I took pictures!
Then we were off to Cantebury via Dover. Unfortunately, we were only driving through so we didn't get to go into Dover Castle, but I did hear about the history and would like someday to go back. It has been used as a defense point over its lifetime and DH would love it. We could see the shadow of France across the English Channel though. Only 17 miles away. See, I did see France today!
Finally, Cantebury. It was once a walled city and most of the wall still remains. Inside the wall is the older part of the city and the newer part has grown up around the outside. I think there is over 90,000 people in Cantebury. Inside the old city, we walked on coblestone streets. There were many shops and you began to feel transported back in time. We even passed a door that was shorter than I. It was probably about 5'5", so that ought to tell you how small people were at one time.
Cantebury Cathedral is HUGE and very beautiful. This is where Thomas Becket was murdered. He is now a saint. DD17 knows the story, but I can't remember it all. Needless to say, we were unable to see his tomb as it was destroyed during Henry VIII's reign when he changed the state church to Protestant, leaving the Catholic churches to be vandilized. The do have a candle marking the spot where Thomas Becket's tomb was though. It is a very lovely cathedral and the architecture is simply amazing. There are some points where you look through an arched hallway and it looks as if you are looking for miles. We found a little quite retreat just outside in a courtyard. It was amazing that there really wasn't any sound. Very peaceful. We saw many tombs (the kind with the sculpted likeness on top), including the tomb of the Black Prince, who was a very famous knight back in the 1300's (I think that time frame is right). Unfortunately, there really wasn't time to stop in the shops. At least not for us, as we tend to see the sights and learn more than we shop. The pros and cons of a tour. Bought a guidebook of the cathedral.
When we were ready to leave for London, we had to wait a few minutes since a few people were late. Some showed, but after 15 minutes, we left and the last couple had to make their own way back. Guess who it was, the bragging couple from AZ. Oh well.
Back in London, we stopped in Greenwich so that we could catch a cruise down the River Thames. We saw the Cutty Sark. That was a very large ship. Then we had about 1/2 hr to walk through Greenwich Park and see the Queen's House (Mary & William) and the Royal Observatory from a distance. We also walked into part of the Naval Hospital to see the beautiful murals on the walls and ceilings.
Then we caught the boat and cruised down to Westminster. It took about 1 hr, which is a pretty decent cruise. We were served a scone and champaign (or sparkling wine, as they call it). DD17 had water. About 8 people sat at our table and one of ladies was from Chicago (a small world). Then there was a couple about my age that told us how good the performance of Pericles at the Globe was. They also talked about how their whole body ached from all the walking. I felt much better knowing that it wasn't just me, as these two were in pretty good shape.
The cruise was a nice way to end the evening. The tour was over once the boat docked. This disappointed me a bit, as I was thinking that we would be taken back to the places we were picked up from. Tip: Next time ask when making reservations where the tour will end. Not too big of a problem since the underground was right there. We took the Jubillee Line from Westminster to Marble Arch and switched to the Central Line, which we took to Lancaster Gate. Cost $8 altogether.
We were back at the hotel about mid evening, but that was okay. We took the time to relax and begin packing. Since we were full from Lunch, we just snacked for supper. I had 4 wheat crackers, ham, and 1 banana.
All in all, it was a good day. I am glad that we decided to do two tours together as it gave us plenty of time to rest, recoup, and revitalize ourselves for the last full day. My feet and legs didn't hurt anymore, so that was good. The only thing that I would have done differently (aside from the non-stop talking tour guide) would have been to book a tour that allowed more time in Dover. We definitely, enjoyed the Bath, Stonehenge tour more, but I am glad that we saw Leeds Castle and Cantebury Cathedral.
I figured that we walked about 3.5 hours, maybe more.
Well, time to rest before posting the last days.
Christin, if you go to Bath, you should really consider the Bath, Stonehenge tours with Primiere Tours. They are really good and especially if you want to get close to the stones at Stonehenge, plus they find decent places to eat (although expensive). The price for the one we took to Bath was about $110/person. Considering that it was all day, I didn't have to mess around with driving or getting there myself, and I picked up a lot of history, I didn't think it was too bad of a price. Could have been worse.
Okay, it is almost the last day of the London trip.
We were up early this morning, as we had to be at the Corus Hotel at 7:30 for our tour to Cantebury and Leeds Castle. Lucky for us the Corus was just two blocks away. We had breakfast in the room since the hotel did not began serving before we had to leave. I ate 1 large croissant (picked up at the store and was hoping DD17 would split it, but didn't) and 6 oz yogurt. Then we were off. We didn't bring our lunch since we would be stopping at an inn and the tour ended at 6:30pm.
So off to meet the tour bus. Phil, the bus driver picked us up and took us to a few other pick up points before going to Victoria Station. Some of the people on our bus departed, as they had to get on another bus to go on a different tour. But then we also had a few get on along with our tour guide. Today it was a very English looking man, not very tall, in a black suit, black London Fog coat, Black bowler, and carrying a long black umbrella. Can you guess what his name was?
It was James! No offense to anyone, but this just struck me as funny. Maybe he just tells the tourists that for a laugh. Anyway, it didn't take long before James became very, very boring. He talked the entire time, including when we were in the countryside with nothing to see. So he would point out a fence post or a road over there somewhere that you can't see for the trees. I am sure that he had some interesting tidbits of history to share with us, but since he was non-stop, I unfortunately tuned him out alot and didn't really know when to tune back in. So I catnapped on the coach, as did DD17.The first stop was Leeds Castle located in Kent County. This has been known foremost as a lady's castle, because it was given to queens as a retreat. Well, a few kings screwed up and after giving it to their wives, they gave it to some nobleman to use and needless to say when the queens found out, they were in some serious trouble. The castle is not very big, but has been around since 857 and rises up out of a moat. Part of the moat has dried, but most of it is still there. Anyway, it was very beautiful inside, if you like medieval and modern. The original castle built on a tiny island (you can't tell there is an island there, the castle covers it) was restored to the medieval times. Henry VIII expanded the castle onto the larger island and made the area more of a retreat. The larger portion is more modern, with the stone walls being covered by drywall. Personally, if I had the castle, I would go back to the stone, but that is me.
It was inhabited up until 4 years ago when the daughter of Lady Baillie left, I think to go to a smaller home. Lady Baillie was the previous owner of the castle and was the one to restore the original part to it's medieval glory. She also decorated the more modern side and it resembles a very stately home. Lady Baillie spent all of her money on Leeds Castle, but then she was the daughter of Pauline Whitney (American railroad heiress) who had married an Englishman. It was not uncommon for European men with large estates to come to American in search of women from money in order to help pay the taxes on their homes. Also, the women were sent to Europe to find husband's of status. Some powerful heads of state, including Ronald Regan have met at Leeds Castle for meetings amongst each other.
The castle also has a small village right near it, an aviary and gardens. I thought the castle was beautiful, but I would definitely live in the older portion with the very curtained bed, the extremely long dining room table, the carved wooden beams in the ceiling, the tiny cathedral, and the big stone fireplaces. DD17 agrees, that the newer portion (I say newer and yet, it still goes back to the 1500's) should be put back to the original. Oh well. It was a nice little stop. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to tour the village and the grounds. They have an English maze in the gardens and I so desperately wanted to go in it. I love mazes and puzzles.
The next stop was at the The Lighthouse Inn, which is located on the white cliffs, next to a small town, just outside of Dover. This is where we stopped for lunch. I had pork w/ a pink peppercorn sauce (it was okay, nothing to write home about, so I didn't eat it all), 1/2 c. carrots and fresh peas, 1 c. of seasoned potatoes, 2 sm fries and one small bite from DD17's Fish and Chips. I don't like fish much, but I will admit that there wasn't really a fishy taste. Maybe I should have had the Fish and Chips as well. Also, a 10 oz Sprite with the meal. Lunch was about $42. It wasn't worth it. Now if I could have combined my lunch yesterday with DD17's lunch today, that would have been a good meal. Unfortunately, the lady across from me did nothing but complain about her food and how it smelled. Then down the table a couple from AZ (transplants I think from the Bronx) complained about how unsafe they felt in England and that they wanted to go back to Scotland. She had stuff stolen out of her purse (didn't close it) and her hubby was going to beat up the guy who did it. They were a "look at me, I have a business and a cell phone in Europe, but I am going to complain about what everyone over here does wrong and I am much more superior." To me very phony, so we left the table quickly.
Outside we took pictures of the English Channel and the cliffs. Hint: Don't go past the grass, as you will fall off. It was so windy up there that DD17 had to help me hold the camera while I took pictures!
Then we were off to Cantebury via Dover. Unfortunately, we were only driving through so we didn't get to go into Dover Castle, but I did hear about the history and would like someday to go back. It has been used as a defense point over its lifetime and DH would love it. We could see the shadow of France across the English Channel though. Only 17 miles away. See, I did see France today!
Finally, Cantebury. It was once a walled city and most of the wall still remains. Inside the wall is the older part of the city and the newer part has grown up around the outside. I think there is over 90,000 people in Cantebury. Inside the old city, we walked on coblestone streets. There were many shops and you began to feel transported back in time. We even passed a door that was shorter than I. It was probably about 5'5", so that ought to tell you how small people were at one time.
Cantebury Cathedral is HUGE and very beautiful. This is where Thomas Becket was murdered. He is now a saint. DD17 knows the story, but I can't remember it all. Needless to say, we were unable to see his tomb as it was destroyed during Henry VIII's reign when he changed the state church to Protestant, leaving the Catholic churches to be vandilized. The do have a candle marking the spot where Thomas Becket's tomb was though. It is a very lovely cathedral and the architecture is simply amazing. There are some points where you look through an arched hallway and it looks as if you are looking for miles. We found a little quite retreat just outside in a courtyard. It was amazing that there really wasn't any sound. Very peaceful. We saw many tombs (the kind with the sculpted likeness on top), including the tomb of the Black Prince, who was a very famous knight back in the 1300's (I think that time frame is right). Unfortunately, there really wasn't time to stop in the shops. At least not for us, as we tend to see the sights and learn more than we shop. The pros and cons of a tour. Bought a guidebook of the cathedral.
When we were ready to leave for London, we had to wait a few minutes since a few people were late. Some showed, but after 15 minutes, we left and the last couple had to make their own way back. Guess who it was, the bragging couple from AZ. Oh well.
Back in London, we stopped in Greenwich so that we could catch a cruise down the River Thames. We saw the Cutty Sark. That was a very large ship. Then we had about 1/2 hr to walk through Greenwich Park and see the Queen's House (Mary & William) and the Royal Observatory from a distance. We also walked into part of the Naval Hospital to see the beautiful murals on the walls and ceilings.
Then we caught the boat and cruised down to Westminster. It took about 1 hr, which is a pretty decent cruise. We were served a scone and champaign (or sparkling wine, as they call it). DD17 had water. About 8 people sat at our table and one of ladies was from Chicago (a small world). Then there was a couple about my age that told us how good the performance of Pericles at the Globe was. They also talked about how their whole body ached from all the walking. I felt much better knowing that it wasn't just me, as these two were in pretty good shape.
The cruise was a nice way to end the evening. The tour was over once the boat docked. This disappointed me a bit, as I was thinking that we would be taken back to the places we were picked up from. Tip: Next time ask when making reservations where the tour will end. Not too big of a problem since the underground was right there. We took the Jubillee Line from Westminster to Marble Arch and switched to the Central Line, which we took to Lancaster Gate. Cost $8 altogether.
We were back at the hotel about mid evening, but that was okay. We took the time to relax and begin packing. Since we were full from Lunch, we just snacked for supper. I had 4 wheat crackers, ham, and 1 banana.
All in all, it was a good day. I am glad that we decided to do two tours together as it gave us plenty of time to rest, recoup, and revitalize ourselves for the last full day. My feet and legs didn't hurt anymore, so that was good. The only thing that I would have done differently (aside from the non-stop talking tour guide) would have been to book a tour that allowed more time in Dover. We definitely, enjoyed the Bath, Stonehenge tour more, but I am glad that we saw Leeds Castle and Cantebury Cathedral.
I figured that we walked about 3.5 hours, maybe more.
Well, time to rest before posting the last days.
So I am now in shorts, I wore 2 yrs ago! 
Disney, with new clothes! 
My closet is getting pretty empty.
I can officially say that all of the Easter candy is gone. Soooooo........since I had my little splurges, I had a LC Swedish Meatballs for dinner. DH was late getting home, the kids cleaned out the freezer and I knew that the LC should keep me still within a decent calorie range. By the end of the day, I was towards the high end, but I didn't go over. That would have been so easy.
) Well, I needed something better than what I have especially for this trip and all the ones in the stores are a piece of junk. I do not like squinting when I am already wearing sunglasses, so I splurged a little. These however, should last quite awhile. I love them. Now to lose 4 more and 9 more lbs to actually have them earned! 
By the time I got home, I just wanted to go to bed and I did. I really hate the teenage attitudes. Ok, enough of that.
So all I have to do is have the kids clean it out and it will be ready.
that you can get everything done before it's time to shove off!
Don't worry about visiting us. Just get your stuff done and enjoy your trip. You deserve some rest after everything!! Have a great time!!!! 
