Tuesday's Events ~ Home Sweet Home!

Wow! What a trip!!!

After Josh picked me up at the Little Rock airport, we gathered up my luggage and headed for the car. We ran by Jason's Deli in West Little Rock for a bite to eat. While eating lunch we set my laptop on the table and looked through several days worth of pictures. It's hard to believe that we squeezed so many activities into each day we were there.

After getting back in the car, I felt myself slipping into extreme tiredness so soon was sound asleep on the travel pillow Josh picked up at the LR airport for me. It was so soft and cuddly so I just stretched back and went to sleep. I woke up a time or two on the one and a half hour trip home.

When we got home, Josh got the car unloaded. I grabbed the bag that had the souvenirs packed away and sorted through it.


London Souvenirs

Shortly after arriving home, I was tucked in MY bed and sound asleep in no time.

Now comes the fun part, unpacking and washing clothes. Can I just go back to London and forget about the dirty clothes? On another note, it's really great to be home in MY bed (out of a twin bunkbed), in MY car (out of the London tube system) and in MY home (out of unairconditioned, no fans, apartment shared with 4 others). It's nice not having to worry about voltage converters too!

It was a lot of fun but I'm so glad to be home....

My dog, Domino, loves her Princess t-shirt she got from Windsor Castle!!!!


Domino Models her Princess t-shirt

Monday's Events

What a day we have planned! Behind the wheel of a European car, Colt, one of our roommates drove us on a trail of sites to see. He was the only brave one to get behind the wheel of a European car on European streets! He was also brave enough to tote around 4 women with him! He had our agenda all arranged and got us to and fro to see everything he had planned.


Colt and our European rental car

We spent the night at The Village Hotel in Swansea. Very nice place to stay.... The five of us met in the lobby at 7:30 a.m. to start the day's tour. Our first stop was Bracelet Bay and Mumbles Lighthouse near Swansea.


Janelle, Lindsey, Colt, Candace and Shana
Mumbles Lighthouse in Background


Mumbles Lighthouse
Near Swansea, Wales


Wildflowers overlooking Bracelet Bay near Swansea

Next on the agenda was Rhossili Bay in Swansea.


Sheep on the hillside of Rhossili Bay


Rhossili Bay


Seagulls at Rhossili Bay

Worms Head and all of its surroundings were breathtakingly beautiful. I loved this place! It was so peaceful and relaxing and the weather was just awesome.


Worms Head
Rhossili, Swansea

Oxwich Castle in the Gower Peninsula of south Wales was rescued from demolition in 1949 by Lady Apsley and placed into State care. After a long program of conservation and reconstruction, it is now maintained by Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments.


Oxwich Castle


Colt, Candace, Shana, Lindsey & Janelle
Oxwich Castle


Interior View of Oxwich Castle

Our last stop of the day was Caerphilly Castle.


Caerphilly Castle


Mock War in Caerphilly Castle


Interior of Caerphilly Castle


Interior Doorway of Caerphilly Castle

After all the fun, we headed back to Heathrow to return the rental car. After a 1 hour and 15 minute tube ride, we got back to our apartment around 9:15 p.m. I am almost finished packing and have to get my shower before it's time to leave for home in the morning. We are to meet downstairs at 4:30 a.m. to hop on a bus which will take us to Heathrow to fly home. Yeah! It's been fun and for the most part enjoyable but I'm ready to get back home to see my family. Oh yeah, I have to go back to work too!

Sunday's Events

This morning we got up and went to The National Gallery. Another amazing museum with lots of beautiful paintings. I especially enjoyed viewing Manet, Monet, and Van Gogh paintings. Fabulous!


The National Gallery

Trafalgar Square was a happening place. It was so neat seeing the view of Big Ben in the far distance from the National Gallery's front porch. At times I had no idea where I was in relation to anything so it was nice seeing familiar sights from time to time.


Overlooking Trafalgar Square

When I left the gallery, I couldn't help but notice a "live" silver statue. When he saw that he had my attention he started moving and making funny noises with his mouth.


Live Silver Statue

I couldn't resist so went over and took a self-portrait with the fella. This is probably the funniest thing I did by myself on the trip and I loved every minute of it! I dropped a pound coin in his hat beneath him. I just wonder how much money these guys make in a days time? LOL


Me with Live Statue

With a little time to spare before our meeting time and place, I slipped into the National Portrait Gallery. There was a beautiful statue of Prince Albert and Queen Victoria - I only wish I could have taken a picture of it... Unfortunately neither of these two galleries allowed photos inside which is understandable. I saw original paintings of Pricess Diana, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Victoria and Sir Paul McCartney. Since no photos were allowed I purchased post cards of my favorites. One favorite is of Queen Elizabeth II by Andy Warhol.


National Portrait Gallery Entrance

Next, I ran across the street to St. Martin in the Fields church. Once inside, their sign reads that they are a place of worship, welcome, learning and care. This has been a sacred site since the 5th century. Another interesting fact is that Handel played the organ here.


St. Martin in the Fields

After using "the toilet" :-) I caught a glimpse of an art gallery.

I enjoyed talking with the artist, John Burrows and even purchased a small, signed print from him. He recognized my accent as being American and asked me if I was from Texas. When I told him I was from Arkansas, he told me that he had once lived in Memphis. The print I purchased was Big Ben and a double decker red bus which is "SO" London.... Mr. Burrows' website is www.jcburrows.co.uk if you're interested in taking a peek at his work.


John Burrows, Artist
St. Martin in the Fields Art Gallery

With still a little time to spare, I walked around the interior of Trafalgar Square and snapped lots of photos.


Trafalgar Square Monument


Fountains in Trafalgar Square

After a day full of fun, we returned to our apartment on Macclesfield Road.


Ability Towers

When we walked in, our other roommates, Colt and Candace, had just arrived from an overnight stay in Paris, France where they became engaged! The ring was beautiful and we all watched the proposal via a video that Colt took in their hotel room which had a view of the Eiffel Tower. It was awesome!



Now that we're all back to the apartment, we'll get our bags ready for an overnight stay in Wales. We'll take the Angel tube to Heathrow and rent a car. It's going to be so pretty, I know.

Saturday's Events

We left the apartment around 10:30 a.m. headed to the Victoria & Albert Museum. It was amazing!!! I have never seen so much beautiful history in one place! From the home furnishings, tapestries, sculptures, and jewelry I loved it all!


Entrance to Victoria & Albert Museum


Building Behind Victoria & Albert Museum


Dale Chihuly Glass Chandelier at the Victoria & Albert Museum

There was a special hat exhibit going on which I paid to visit. It was called Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones. Man, there were some strange hats in there! From feathers to wood, there were all kinds of hats on display with the oldest being from the 1600's. Although photos were not allowed in the exhibit, there was a special spot that visitors could have photos made wearing a hat and I of course had to do it! It was fun...


V&A Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones

From the massive stone structures to the ornate harpsichord, this place was amazing. I especially enjoyed the display of jewelry at the Victoria and Albert Museum.


Portal, in stone, known as the Portico de la Gloria


Ceiling in V & A Museum


Cabinet of Mirrors c.1780


Pedal-Harp & Harpsichord

Next we visited the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum which were conveniently located next door to each other and behind the V&A Museum. There was a huge display of hummingbirds that I really enjoyed and a dinosaur too! I also really enjoyed the minerals and the statues in the entrance. We had lunch here which was very good. I had tomato basil soup, bread and some chips (crisps). Because of time limitations we had to hurry through the science museum but we did manage to ride a motionride simulator. We all enjoyed the display on "Glimpses of Medical History."


Survey Instruments in Natural History Museum ~
I took this photo for my husband, Josh, who is an
Arkansas Professional Land Surveyor.


Me Holding Up the World


Atlas and the Globe


Visions of Earth's order ~ From mystical links... to system Earth


An Antique Collection of Hummingbirds in Science Museum


Entrance to Science Museum

Our next stop was Harrod's Department Store. That store was AMAZING!!!! There were so many people in there and so many security guards too. I got in trouble for stopping at the escalator to take a photo of a Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed Memorial. We were told to keep moving... We visited a Leonidas Chocolatier in Harrod's which was a real treat since these chocolates are made in Belgium.


Me at a London Leonidas Chochlatier


Dodi AlFayed & Princess Di Memorial in Harrod's of London


Dodi AlFayed & Princess Di Statue in Harrod's of London


Harrod's Department store ~
Harrod's is owned by Dodi Al Fayed's father.

We headed over to Temple Tube Station in late afternoon and made our way to Somerset House. Shana and Lindsey, my roomies, had visited it one evening without me so when I heard about it, I had to go too!


Somerset House

Shana and I paid to go in The Courtauld Gallery. I especially enjoyed the Monet and Van Gogh paintings. The paintings hung on the gallery walls were beautiful and so were the painted ceilings throughout.


Painted ceiling in one of the rooms of Courtauld Gallery


Vincent van Gogh's Self-Portrat with a Bandaged Ear ~ 1889


Claude Monet's Antibes ~ 1888

Shana and I ate at Pizza Express (which was no where near Pizza Hut!) and Lindsey ate Thai food again. There were fresh gerbera daisies on each table. The pizza was good but it's definitely different from ours back home. I had the Margherita pizza which was tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.


Gerbera Daisy at Pizza Express

Lastly, we saw The Lion King at Lyceum Theatre. If you've never been and have the opporunity to see a theatre production, you must do so! Believe me! This was more awesome than anything I've ever seen. I can only imagine the time that went into this production and the performers were outstanding. Just sitting in the theatre was an experience of its own but seeing the performance was just awesome, what else can I say....


Lyceum Theatre


View of stage from our seats