Our London Adventure

As most of you know, our life in London is coming to a close. We will all three be leaving here on Saturday. This has been an amazing experience and I know we will look back on it with fond memories that we will always treasure. Although it hasn't always been easy, it was an opportunity of a lifetime. I probably have the only two year old in America who can look at pictures, even on a Kleenex package, and identify the Eiffel Tower. We've all been able to experience so much together as a family and have each gained personal strength as well. I know I'll have to work to help Christopher keep these memories, but that what's pictures are for right? Here is a slide show containing most of the pictures we have taken during our time here. Some of them are duplicates from previous posts but some will be new to you. Enjoy it if you have time to watch the whole thing!

The Church is One Foundation

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am so inspired by worship in other parts of the world. I've now been able to worship the Lord in three different churches while I have been here and I think today's service was the most remarkable. We went to church at St. Paul's this morning. Just setting foot inside the beautiful cathedral is a very spiritual experience, but imagine being in there and hearing a choir sing hymns with a booming organ in the background. It was truly a moving experience. Most of the service consisted of hymns, but there was a short sermon, and then we got to partake in communion. I know that as Christians, our work is never done in spreading the word of Jesus Christ, but it sure is comforting to me to witness how deep the roots of God are, even in other countries.

Unfortunately, we are experiencing technical difficulties with our card reader again and are having trouble getting pictures downloaded. Therefore, I don't have any new pics to post. Actually, we really didn't take that many pictures today. I guess that means I've been here too long if the sights aren't seeming picture worthy anymore!! HA!

Lastly, I have a "what are the chances" story to share with you. Yesterday, we were eating lunch at the Texas Embassy in Trafalgar Square (a decent attempt at Tex-Mex but it really just made us want to come home and get the real thing). After we had been there for a little bit a cute family of four (mom, dad, and two boys that looked to be about 2 or 3 years apart) got seated at the table across from us. I am very intrigued by families with two little boys because I have this gut feeling that I am looking into my own personal crystal ball when I see them. So, I sort of seemed like a crazy person and kept staring a little bit every now and then. I even caught the mom noticing my stares, so I had to force myself to stop. Well, when we were leaving the restaurant, they actually stopped us, to ask us a question and we ended up talking for a bit. Not enough to exchange names and numbers or anything, but polite pleasantries about each other's kids and pregnancies (she was pregnant too). Well, would you believe me if I told you that in a city of seven and a half million people, we saw the same family again today in the service at St. Paul's...sitting about eight seats away from us?!? I mean really, what are the chances??

A British Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone back home! While the turkey and dressing were missed by everyone, we still managed to have a nice day and we were even able to watch the Cowboy game on TV!!

It has been a great week for us over here. I've had so much fun sightseeing with my parents and exploring London with them. Here is a re-cap of everything we've done the past three days.

We spent all day Wednesday at Harrod's. If you haven't ever been over here and gone to Harrod's it is difficult to describe, but basically it is a shopper's dream world...especially if you have enough money to ignore the price tags on everything. There are six floors filled with all types of merchandise. Everything from clothing and accessories to refrigerators and televisions can be purchased here. It actually started as a food market so most of the ground floor is still a place where you can purchase fine foods from all over the world. We were privileged enough to get to sample some "fine Angus beef straight from just outside Kansas in the states where they feed the cows special corn." I am using the sales lady's exact words here...we all got a kick out of that one!! After we shopped and made a few purchases we enjoyed a delicious gelato sundae. It is a little embarrassing to admit this but just to give you all an idea of the price of things here, our sundae cost $26!! But, boy it was tasty!!

Thursday was another fantastic day! For those of you who read my earlier post about our bus tour disaster, you will be happy to know that we were able to complete the tour and really enjoyed it. The sun was shining and we found seats on the top deck of the bus so we could see everything. We also had a live guide (our other bus had been an audio tour) and we all learned lots of interesting facts about central London. When our tour was over we finished our day at The National Gallery. We all enjoyed looking at paintings from centuries ago.

Edie, Doc, and Christopher on The Original Bus Tour through central London.

Christopher and Big Ben on the bus tour.

Christopher, Doc, and Edie outside The National Gallery.

Unfortunately today, I seem to be coming down with a sinus infection and I haven't felt all that great. Since it was my mom and Dr. Fan's last day though, I didn't want that to spoil it. So we had a leisurely morning and decided to head out for lunch. We took the tube back into London so we could get a real pub experience. We ate at The Sherlock Holmes Pub. The food was delicious, even for British food, and the atmosphere was just what we were looking for...a true pub, just how you would picture it. We did some shopping on our way back to the tube station and even a little more once we got back to Richmond. It was another great day.

We will be taking my parents to the airport bright and early in the morning. I know I will be very sad to see them leave as it has been so much fun to have them here and they both have been such a big help with Christopher...I'm sure you all noticed Dr. Fan has been doing all the baby wearing!! We were expecting more visitors to follow them because my Dad and Dana were going to be arriving here on Sunday. Unfortunately though, my 90 year old "Granny" has gotten pretty sick and my dad needs to be at home with her right now. I'd love to ask you all for your prayers for her as we all know how uncertain life can be especially at her age.

Here are a few more pictures of the fun time we have had this week. I'd also like to add here that on Wednesday, I woke up with some strange eye infection and so I haven't been able to wear my contacts. A little unfortunate that happened while my mom was here as now in most photos we look like the Bobbsey Twins!! Oh well!

When It Rains, It Pours

Well, it had to happen to me eventually while I was over here for these 6 weeks...non-stop rain and a day full of mishaps and roadblocks. I am happy to report, that I think all involved will eventually look back on this day and think it was a great memory...or at least something none of us will ever forget.

Before you read any further, I'm going to add a disclaimer that this is a particularly long post. Unless you are family, you might find it tedious and a bit boring so please don't feel obligated to read!

We had purchased tickets for the double-deck bus tour yesterday and were anxious to get started on the tour and see all the major sights of the city. We headed down to Piccadilly Circus so we could catch the bus at the beginning of the tour to make the most of our day. As I mentioned, it is raining very steadily so we were not able to take advantage of the top deck of the bus (the best place to really view all of the sights). We took the tour over to Westminster Abbey and decided that would be a good place to get off. We toured the Abbey and really enjoyed ourselves...well, Christopher grew somewhat tired of his stroller in there but overall it was fine.

We headed back to the bus stop so we could get back on the tour and ride over to St. Paul's Cathedral. We were also planning on grabbing a quick bite to eat someplace close by once we got over there. So we stood outside...in the rain...and waited for our bus. 50 minutes later we were still waiting and we were wet and hungry. I personally was extremely frustrated that we had paid for this tour that was not living up to its standards. We finally gave up, as we noticed it was now almost 3:00 and St. Paul's closes at 4:00, and decided we should just take the tube over to St. Paul's. So we map out our route and head over to the tube station. Our trip involved just one change on the tube line and that really didn't seem too complicated. Little did we know that we were changing lines at one of London's biggest tube stations. We ended up having to go up and down what seemed like eight rounds of huge tall escalators and winding through the underground hallways. We did all of this at a very quick pace so we could still see St. Paul's before the end of the day. I know this may not seem like much of a hassle, but when you add on the fact that Dr. Fan was also lugging a stroller (that refused to fold up on command) and preggo here, was carrying her 30 pound two year old up and down all these massive stairways, believe me, it was very tiring.

Well, we finally made it and I'm happy to say that we had an hour to spend in St. Paul's, as they don't kick you out until 4:30. Since I have seen the beautiful cathedral before, Christopher and I went to get off our feet and have a snack in the Starbucks just up the road.

So feeling refreshed and a little more upbeat now, we decided to begin our journey home. However, my mom and I were still upset at the fact that we wasted an hour of our day waiting on a bus that was nowhere to be seen. We decided to make a quick stop back at Piccadilly Circus (directly on our way home) to try and get an extra day added to our tour to make up for the afternoon that we felt we lost. Here again, if you know my mother you know how determined she can be in these situations. After somewhat of a goose-chase and talking to three different Original Tour employees at three different places (all of which we walked to in the rain), we were finally given our extra day and we felt very satisfied.

As we made our way back into Piccadilly Station to complete our journey home, I happened to glance at my watch and I noticed that it was now 6:00 p.m. If you are familiar with London at all, you know that Piccadilly is in the heart of Central London and you also know that the vast majority of the people working there rely on the tube to get them home. If you are familiar with big cities at all, you know that 6:00 p.m. is the heart of RUSH HOUR. So here were are: three Americans, one and a half babies, and one stroller being crammed like sardines onto the tube with the entire professional working population of London. If I hadn't already felt so out of place and if I could have actually moved any part of my body to get to my camera, I would have snapped a picture to help capture what this was like for us.

Needless to say, we finally made it home and then enjoyed a nice dinner while we laughed about the adventures of our day. I am so thankful that my parents were here to help me through this one. Had they not been, I feel certain that today might have been a breaking point for me and instead of sitting here posting on this blog, I would be changing my flight to get home as soon as possible.

In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday coming up in a couple of days, I'll close with this:

I am very thankful to be an American and live in America.

More importantly, I am thankful to live in the suburbs where I can drive my car when I want to go someplace and not have to deal with public transportation on a daily basis.

Off With Their Heads!

Isn't it insane to think about people losing their lives that way? I mean regardless of the offense, why would anyone think that was an appropriate way to punish? Today we saw where many of these beheadings took place hundreds of years ago, The Tower of London.

The Tower of London has stood on the Thames for over 900 years. Over these years it has served as a palace, a prison, and a royal mint, but today many people come to see it as a living museum of British history. The tower is a truly a remarkable fortress. While we were there today, we took the "Beefeaters" tour, a guided walk led by a Yeoman Warder. As I listened to our guide, I was able to just imagine the way London looked centuries ago. It is so surreal to think about the kings, knights, prisoners, and other ancient British figures who had walked on those very grounds hundreds of years before me. On the lawn outside the Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula (a small chapel there on the tower grounds), is the spot where Ann Boleyn was beheaded...some people say they can still see the blood stains.

Our "Beefeater"

Inside what is known as The Jewel House are the Crown Jewels. Behind vault doors, encased in glass cabinets are some of the most beautiful stones you have ever seen set into crowns, swords, and scepters. We saw a 530-carat Star of Africa, a diamond placed on the top of the Royal Sceptre; boy was that a sparkler!! The crowns we saw had so many jewels I couldn't help but wonder how heavy they must be to actually wear on top of you head.

Here we are outside Tower of London, with the famous Tower Bridge in the background.

While Tower of London was the main attraction of our day, we did manage to accomplish a few other things. We saw Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Overseas visitors are not allowed inside those buildings but we took a few good pictures from the outside.

I think my personal favorite for the day was helping my mom experience her first tube ride!! Those of you that know my mother can appreciate what this must have been like for me. While we were waiting for our first train to arrive, she must have asked me three times if we were going to be going underground on this trip. I also had to assure her that the tube doesn't really move any faster than a car at any given time on a route. Really, she did great and I know she enjoyed herself once three teenage British chippies sat down across from us and she was able to eavesdrop on their conversation for the remainder of our ride.

Bus fare to get to tube station = 2 pounds
Cost of Oyster card = 3 pounds
To travel by tube in London for a week = 20 pounds
Being with Mom on her first tube ride = Priceless

My Fellow Americans

Today was an especially exciting day as we were able to spend it with other Americans...my family!! Actually, for the next two weeks we will have visitors coming in and out of our London home. They are taking advantage of the opportunity too, and using this a good excuse to come to the UK. My Mom and Dr. Faehnle arrived today and will be here until Saturday. What fun to get to experience this with them...and how great to have the adult company during the day while Cory goes to work!

We spent today in the quaint town of Windsor, home to the famous Windsor Castle, where the Royal Family spends many of their weekends and getaways. The town itself is very charming with lots of shops and restaurants lining the streets. In the middle of the city lies an enormous castle that appears to be out of the storybooks. I was especially interested in seeing this town because Cory looked at several apartments here for us to possibly live in. Although the town is adorable and appeared quite easy to get around in, I am happy to say that I'm glad we ended up in Richmond, where I have complete access to the tubes and central London. The easiest way to and from Windsor is by car and I don't have that luxury over here. So if we lived there, Christopher and I would be trapped unless we wanted to face two train rides before we would even get to a tube station...not ideal for our sightseeing and exploring!

Our morning began with a nice breakfast in a small Italian cafe'. The place was in an old train station that has been converted into an open air shopping center. Then we headed over to Windsor Castle and attended church in St. George's Chapel. What a neat experience that was!! We listened to readings, participated in their rituals, and heard an all boys choir that was just beautiful. Not to mention, the amazing architecture of the chapel. Everything was just so pretty. After the service we took a full tour of the castle including the State Apartments where the The Queen herself occasionally holds special events. We were able to see paintings, wedding photos, and china patterns all belonging to the Royal Family.

Mom, Fan Man, Christopher, and Stephanie outside St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The Locke family poses with one of the castle guards.

Cory had already taken the tour of the castle on one of his previous trips over here this fall. Therefore, we really didn't take that many pictures today. Not to mention the weather has turned very cold and we weren't outside that much. As you might could guess there is no photography allowed in the State Apartments. So if you want to get to see the fine china patterns and royal wedding photos, book your airline tickets!!

Lions and Tigers and DINOSAURS! Oh, My!

Today, Christopher and I ventured back into the world of public transportation so we could visit the Natural History Museum. It was AWESOME!! My little boy could have spent hours and hours just looking at all the life-size animals they had in the Mammals exhibit. However, I think the big winner of the day would have to be the dinosaur exhibit where you feel like you have actually journeyed to Jurassic Park. We saw a Tyrannosaurus Rex that was as alive as any dino can be these days. The T-Rex was motion sensitive so it followed you around the room with its head. Of course, there were loud roars every few seconds to complete the experience. Again, I'd like to compliment my child of no fear. Even though there were several other small children crying, hiding in their mum's coats, and asking to leave; Christopher just had two enormous eyes filled with wonder and then excitement as we walked through the course of the room. We also saw several dinosaur bones and fossils. The whole exhibit was really great.

The T-Rex is behind us here. I don't understand when you ask someone to take your picture why it would not be implied that I would want the dinosaur in the background but I guess I should have specified.

Next, we made our way through the Mammal exhibit I mentioned above. We walked into a room filled with so many life-sized replicas of elephants, giraffes, rhinos, hippos, and an enormous whale hung from the ceiling that covered the entire span of the room. It was quite impressive. I managed to get a few photos of Christopher with the animals but most of the time he was too interested in them to look at me.

We also explored the Planet Earth exhibit, the Creepy Crawly room filled with bugs and spiders, the Bird hallway, and the Human Body exhibit (my personal favorite as there was lots to see about the development of a baby). It was a great day!

On a separate note, I must no longer have the word "tourist" written across my face when I get out among the people here. Twice today, I had someone ask me for directions at the tube stations!! The really exciting part is that I know with 100% confidence that I answered their questions correctly! Well, actually I am only about 75% sure on the second lady, but she had a foreign accent and I had a hard time understanding her. At any rate, it was an exciting moment for me.