Lunch in Amsterdam

After a day spent visiting some of Katherine's family in Oxford, today - Auntie Anne's last full day in England with us - was spent at Windsor Castle.  We started with our favourite breakfast - proper porridge at Pret a Manger.  It is the best porridge ever.  We suspect it is made with larger amounts of cream and butter, but porridge is healthy, right?  Even if you top it with jam and honey?  It's porridge! The mark on Miss R's eye is from an unfortunate Bouncy Castle accident yesterday... Seriously, if you are ever in England, find a Pret a Manger in the morning and try the "Proper Porridge". Then we spent 2 hours in the rain standing in line to go and see the castle. Well, we took turns going and shopping a bit while someone held our place in "the queue".  Rhubarb and custard, apple and blackberry and pear drop sweeties were bought, clothes for baby Camreigh and Neal's Yard products are all in our bags now. Then we went...

We saw Bath and Stonehenge today.  In Bath, Auntie Anne, Beth and Rachel went on a walking tour (but bailed half way through and then got lost getting back to the Abbey).  Clare and Katherine decided to check out the Here Be Dragons exhibit at the Art Gallery.  It was a collection of art from Children's illustrators on the theme of - well - Dragons.  Clare got to make a dragon mask and then we hunted for the dragon's eggs throughout the gallery. After lunch, we drove to Stonehenge.    Katherine made new friends - a brother and sister from Poland who put a lot of thought into what to wear to take in such an iconic, historic site. It's all going by so fast...

We've been running full-tilt since we arrived, and have discovered some amazing parks and playgrounds.  Beale Park and Wildlife Centre near Reading - a zoo with children's playgrounds spread throughout. And the Diana Memorial Playground in Hyde Park in London - possibly the best playground we've ever experienced.  Waldorf would definitely approve of this one! Kensington palace... A Carousel in Kensington Garderns... And some love for creator of Paddington Bear, Michael Bond, who recently died.  The cardboard sign says "we will look after this bear".  And those are pots and packets of Marmalade.  This is the statue in Paddington Railway Station.

We've arrived, safe and sound, and hit the ground running.  With the patience and kindness of our host, David, we had a trip to Sainsbury's, rented (hired) a car (a Skoda) - which Beth is mastering driving on the other side of the road - and installed the new car seat for Rachel.  Our first destination was "Costco in England", aka "Beth's happy place". When we got back, we took advantage of the lovely British weather and went for a walk.  Highlights, a 500+ year old thatched roof cottage, beautiful holly hedges, horses, cows, chickens and lots of muddy puddles.

Well, we're not doing it with all carry-on this time, we have to check two bags, plus there will be a stroller and one car seat to add in, but still - not so bad!

It's 7 years since we began this blog - and life has definitely changed.  We now have 2 gorgeous little girls, Clare  Rachel And they both like travelling, too! So, we're off again.  This time it's five weeks in England, Wales and Scotland.  And for the first time, we're actually going to check some of the luggage.  It's part of Katherine's sabbatical time, so there will be lots of visits to children's ministry sites, particularly Messy Church.  Lots of kid-focussed adventures, and lots of exposure to a world wider than downtown Toronto.   And despite trying to figure it out, we still haven't managed to make it to Amsterdam!  We looked up the chunnel trains...but not this trip.