Trip so far...

London was an adventure every day. We arrived tired from travel and went right to sightseeing at The London Eye. Fabulous overhead views of the city from the rounded glass cars. Hotel far out of the city in Newbury Park and a short walk for dinner of Indian food. (Chicken and veggies in a sweet sauce over rice and chocolate cake - pretty good!) Cars on the roads here are fun to see: Vauxhall, Renault and Peugeot are plentiful...and our familiar brands have different model names! (My home stay son had never heard of a Toyota Highlander.) The next day we were up early to go into London on the Underground: the tube! Morning commuters made it crowded, and 37 more with backpacks made it very crowded! We rode 14 stops in toward Parliament where we went in a lecture hall at the London School of Economics and learned about Parliament and the UK system of government from a former member. We went to the Tower of London for a short time, then had a short boat ride up the Thames, more tube rides from a huge station, then the West End for another Indian dinner and seeing The Pajama Games. Interesting show, not what I would have chosen, and hard to stay when we had a full day of touring! Back on the tube for 14 stops, to our hotel about 11:00 and down to eat and load by 7. MANY students were late and needed to be physically woken up!! Back into London for a couple hours with a great Blue Badge guide. Tower again outside, more history. Then All Hallows' Church by the Tower over original Roman bricks and artifacts!! Only a quick trip to the catacomb and back up, no time to explore. Off to The London School where Daniel Radcliffe attended, and where the "wibbly wobbly" bridge is from the last Harry Potter movie. Then to St. Catherine's church where Charles and Diana were married, but long queue and a cost to tour, so just glanced inside. Saw the end of the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace: very cool!! Then off to Stratford taking about 4 hours by bus in heavy traffic. A lovely dinner of quiche Lorraine with Louise, my host mum, then off to bed. What an adventure in England!! I was able to see so many parts of Shakespeare's history in Stratford-Upon-Avon, including his wife Anne Hathaway's cottage, the bench/chair where he is rumored to have proposed, his school, a small building which used to have the balcony which inspired Romeo and Juliet, and the church where he was baptized, married, and now lays in rest beside his wife and daughters. This village was awesome and made more so by the hospitality of my host family. A night for a pub dinner with music and fish and chips (haddock is delicious!), so many walks and tours, a great bed...awesome. The kids were great fun and I predict I will host them in Montana some day!

Sunday we headed to Warwick Castle after shopping street vendors in Stratford. Neat castle and grounds...climbed one tower of 250 amazingly steep, narrow, winding steps...then back down. Into the castle for a few minutes, saw Queen Elizabeth I's riding saddle, armor, a death mask, etc. Not enough time! Then the kids started knight training with weapon lesson using real swords and concluding with firing a lit trebuchet. 

Now back on the coach heading to Chester, a Roman walled city from 79 AD! After Chester and fish and chips lunch take away, we are off to Wales.