Europe trip '12 (Day 13: Bury St. Edmunds)

We could not believe that our last day in Europe had arrived. The trip was such a whirlwind of fun, amazing things. We got to sleep in and then eat some delicious breakfast bread and fruit. Sadie was feeling much better and ate well. After that the boys went onto base so Paul could show Jim around and the girls went shopping for last minute gifts and souvenirs. We stopped in a cute cafe for lunch and tea (one last England tea)! We headed back to the house to pack :( and rest a bit before dinner. We walked down to the local pub - Three Kings - for dinner. We had lamb and vegetable hot pot and cottage pie and sticky toffee pudding for dessert. The football (soccer) match was on at the pub so the boys watched some of that and then it was off to bed. Here are pictures of Day13.

We got up early the next morning and headed to the airport. Sadie was fine in the car but at Heathrow airport she once again threw up. We said our farewells to the Heitmeyers and boarded our plane. We were stuck right in the middle of a five seat row which was not good because both Sadie and Jim were not feeling well. We kept having to ask strangers to move whenever one of us needed the bathroom. Sadie managed to not throw up again until we pulled up to the gate in Austin (she still had her "just in case" cup). It was a rough trip home but we made it and would do it all again if given the chance.

Europe trip '12 (Day 12: Paris)

We only had 1/2 day left in Paris so we got up early. We packed up our things and checked out of the hotel. They let us leave our luggage there until later which was nice of them. We ate apricot croissants at a small cafe and made our way to Notre Dame Cathedral to take the tour of the towers and get a closer look at the gargoyles. We stood in line for a while and then ascended up the 400 steps to the top. We were enjoying the view when Sadie said she wasn't feeling well. I steered her to the garbage can and she proceeded to throw up. I doubt many people can say that they threw up at the top of Notre Dame! After that she felt a bit better but to be safe she and I walked slowly back down while Jim finished the tour. After sipping some Sprite she was back to normal. We did some more walking and stopped at an Italian restaurant for some pizza. I wish I could remember the name of the restaurant because the food was good at a good price. Plus they gave us free glasses of wine! We walked down to the Pantheon and took a tour of the upper levels (more stairs)! It was pretty cool. We went into the crypt and saw the tombs of Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Alexander Dumas, and Marie Curie. After that it was time to pick up our luggage and head to the train station. The trip back was smooth and fast. Once we got to Kings Cross Station, however, Sadie started not feeling well again. Jim ran into a restaurant and grabbed a cup which Sadie threw up into. The people in the restaurant were very nice and offered her water and another cup (just in case). She felt a bit better after that. We managed to ride the train from London to Cambridge and from there to Bury without further vomiting. We gave Sadie a bath and put her promptly to bed. I think we wore the poor girl out! Here are pictures from Day12.

Europe trip '12 (Day 11: Paris)

After a good nights sleep we were ready to get going. We ate a quick breakfast at Starbucks (we needed something familiar) and hopped on the bus. Our first stop was the Musee D'Orsee. This became one of my favorite museums! It was so beautiful and was filled with Monets, Van Goghs, Degas, Renoir, and so many others. After two hours we took a break and had some fruit and yogurt and then walked around for another hour. Then we walked across the river to the Louvre. Jim soon realized I wasn't kidding when I told him how big this museum is. You could spend an entire week exploring it. First thing we did was grab a bite to eat in the cafe - just some sandwiches and chips. Then we got a map and planned out our attack. In a few hours we managed to see the Venus De Milo, the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory (my favorite), and several other works of art. Sadie was starting to wind down so she and I grabbed an ice cream at the cafe while Jim checked out one more piece of art and then we hopped back on the bus. We got off the bus at Notre Dame and it started to rain hard so we ducked into a cafe and got tea/coffee/hot chocolate and watched the people rush by in the rain. We walked back to our hotel through the side streets and grabbed some gyros for dinner. We did a bit of shopping while there as well and then we turned in. Here are pictures of Day11.

Europe trip '12 (Day 10: Paris)

The day started with a breakfast of croissants, baguettes with jam, tea, and coffee at a little French cafe. We walked up by Notre Dame and caught the hop-on/hop-off bus tour that I had booked in advance. We decided to sit on the top even though it was a bit cool and drizzly. The bus provided ear buds to plug in for a guide through the city. We drove along the Seine river, past museums and churches, and around the opera house. We got off the bus at the Arc De Triomphe and walked to the top. After admiring the view we walked along the Champs Elysees and did some window shopping. Jim decided to walk further down to visit the Virgin Records store and Sadie and I went into McDonald's for a drink. This McDonald's was very posh! It was so crowded but Sadie was only one of three kids in there. A nice French woman who was sitting across from us had gotten a happy meal and she gave Sadie the toy. Sadie said Merci to the woman. After Jim came back we wondered through H&M and then hopped back on the bus. We took the bus to the Eiffel Tower! We were getting kind of hungry at this point so we got some hotdogs and drinks and sat on the ground and ate. Sadie fed some of her bun to some ducks. The line for the elevator was super long (they only had one lift operating) so we decided to walk up 668 steps to the second level and then ride the lift to the top. This worked out well. The views from the Tower are amazing! We had a good time looking over Paris! We took the lift back down to the second level and decided to walk down from there. We hopped back on the bus and rode it back to the Notre Dame. We walked around some back streets that were full of shops and restaurants and did some shopping. We stopped at one of the restaurants where Jim and Sadie shared some fondu and I had true French onion soup. We stopped at a small market for some toothpaste (we were running low) and some fruit and chocolate and then it was back to our room. Here are pictures from Day10.

Europe trip '12 (Day 9: Paris)

While the Heitmeyers got back to work and school the Youngs went to Paris! We hopped on a train from Bury to Cambridge and then from Cambridge to London. While in Kings Cross station we got a picture of platform 9 3/4! We grabbed a quick lunch and then got onto the Euro-star train to Paris. The ride was fast (only 2 1/2 hours) and pleasant. I honestly don't know why Americans don't travel by train! Before we knew it we were in Paris, France! We checked into our hotel (Hotel Dacia Luxemburg) and walked around the Luxemburg gardens which are beautiful! It was a very nice day out. We stopped into McDonald's to have French fries in France! We walked down to the Notre Dame Cathedral and stood in awe of its grandeur. It really is an impressive cathedral. We ate at a restaurant near the cathedral and then strolled back to our hotel. We couldn't have asked for a better location - right in the heart of the Latin Quarter. We got to bed at a decent time - we needed our rest for the next day! Here are pictures from Day9.

Europe trip '12 (Day 8: Bury St. Edmunds)

A lazy Sunday! We went to a local restaurant for some Sunday roast. It was a beautiful day so we got to eat outside. The roast was delicious! I found that I like Yorkshire pudding which is not what we would consider a pudding but more like a roll. We tried Eton Mess for dessert - it is berries and cream with bits of meringue. Very good! The rest of Sunday was very laid back. Sadie played with her cousins and some of their friends all afternoon. That night we were all still full from lunch so we ate cheese and crackers for dinner. The kids went to bed early (the Heitmeyer kids had school the next day) and the adults watched Snatch. Here are pictures from Day8.

Europe trip '12 (Day 7: Bury St. Edmunds)

Finally a day that we really didnt have much planned. We got some laundry started at the house and went into town. Paul (such a great guy) took the kids to the park to play and have a picnic while Jen showed Jim and I the churches. We saw where Mary Tudor was buried - she was Henry VIII's sister and was Queen of France and the Duchess of Suffolk. We walked around town and ate at a bakery and visited an outdoor market where I bought some loose leaf tea to take home. We met up with Paul and the kids and walked around the ruins of the Abby. The Abby was built around 1100 a.d. And was torn down by Henry VIII when he declared himself head of the church of England. The ruins are pretty cool to see. After that we went home to rest for a bit until the babysitter arrived for the kids. They got to watch a movie and eat pizza while the adults went to dinner at The One Bull and went on a pub crawl. The One Bull was delicious and then we went to the Nutshell, which is the smallest pub in Brittain! We hopped around a few more pubs and ended up at The Corn Exchange which has a new club just opened up. It was really fun to people watch in that club - as entertaining as sixth street here in Austin. We called it a night after that. He are pictures from Day7.

Europe trip '12 (Day 6: Bury St. Edmunds)

The day of the horse races and of course the weather was awful - cold, blustery, and wet. But that didn't stop us! I started out wearing my fascinator but had to take it off because it was too windy. I did keep a feathery clip in my hair though. ;) Before we got to the track we stopped at La Hogue for an English breakfast of eggs and streaky bacon. We got to the track early for a behind the scenes tour. We learned that in England the horse is more important than the race. The horse can't have any kind of drug in its system, not even pain killer (if it needs a pain killer then it's injured somewhere). A vet is at the starting gate and if anything looks out of place the vet has authority to pull the horse. We also learned that the horses are trained to pee when someones whistles a tune. We saw (and bet on) several races throughout the day. We hung out inside a cafe area until it was time for the race and then we went out and cheered for our pick. We had afternoon tea at the cafe (more clotted cream!) and had a good time. After the races we went home and had a pasta dinner. Here are pictures from Day6

Europe trip '12 (Day 5: Bury St. Edmunds)

After a good night's sleep we had some breakfast and since it was a nice morning we sat outside and watched the kids jump on the trampoline. We went into town and had lunch and high tea at Harriet's Teahouse. It was our first proper tea and our first time trying clotted cream which is delicious on scones! After filling up on pastries we split up - the boys (Jim and Paul) went to Greene King Brewery for a tour and tasting and the girls and kids went shopping. Jen and I found some great fascinators (hats) for the horse races and I of course had to do some shopping at H&M. The kids enjoyed getting things at Clair's and getting hot chocolate at Starbucks. Paul and Jen cooked steaks for dinner and we had a nice evening in. Once the kids were put to bed, the adults watched Midnight in Paris - it did a good job of getting us excited for our Paris trip. Then it was off to bed! Here are pictures from Day5

Europe trip '12 (Day 4: London)

Last day in London! We had breakfast in the flat one more time and headed to St.Paul's Cathedral. After exploring the cathedral we grabbed some coffee and went to Buckingham Palace. Unfortunately they were cleaning up from the Jubilee so we couldn't get close to the palace. We did get close enough to watch part of the changing of the guard though. We grabbed a bite to eat at Pret A Manger and left town. We picked up the car and drove up to Windsor Castle. Jen and Paul were nice enough to take the kids to do some kid activities (like writing letters to the Queen for her Jubilee) while Jim and I went through the beautiful castle. We also got to see St.George's Cathedral where many royals, such as Henry VIII, Jane Seymore, and the Queen mother, are buried. We met back up with the others and had dinner at Carpenter's Arms - we had a great view of the castle from our table! After eating we walked around a bit and got some ice cream and then it was on to Bury St. Edmunds! Actually the Heitmeyers live in a village just outside Bury called Fornham All Saints. We got to their house and turned in. Here are pictures from Day4

Europe trip '12 (Day 3: London)

After having breakfast in the room the Young family and the Heitmeyer family parted ways for the day. We were on our own in England! We walked along the river Thames and saw the London Eye but decided not to ride it. Instead we walked up to Big Ben and Parliment. We were going to go across the street and check out Wistminster Abby but the road was blocked off for the Queen's procession. We saw cars driving by but didn't actually get too see the Queen. We decided to turn around and walk further down the river and check out Shakespeare's Globe. We grabbed a bite to eat at Anchor - a place rumored to have been a hangout of Shakespeare's. I had fish and chips with peas because everything seems to come with peas or mashed peas in England. After that we caught the tube and then a train up to Watford to go to The Making of Harry Potter! We got to see the costumes, sets, and behind the scenes secrets to the Harry Potter movies. Jim hasn't seen all the movies but even he was impressed by all the details. We walked into the great hall and down Diagon Ally and tasted butterbeer! We bought some books and some fizzing whizbees at the gift shop and headed back to London. We grabbed a bite to eat at Pret A Manger (which became a favorite place to eat at) and went back to our flat. Here are pictures of Day3.

Europe trip '12 (Day 2: London)

We all got a great nights sleep and adjusted to the time change nicely. Paul had gone to the store and bought some breakfast items so we had breakfast in the flat. We jumped on a double decker bus and headed to The Tower of London where we got to hear the gruesome tales of the beheadings and tortures that went on there. We saw the patch of lawn that Anne Bolyn was executed on and the church where she and others were buried in unmarked graves. We also got to see the crown jewels! After a trip to the gift shop we walked down a few blocks to an Indian restaurant for lunch. We hopped back on a bus and got off at Trafalgar Square where Sadie, Jim, and I dashed into the National Gallery for a bit to see some Monet paintings and Van Gogh's famous Sunflowers painting. We walked back to Covent gardens where we had to do some clothes shopping for Sadie. While packing we had put all our London clothes in the carry-ons so we could leave the big suitcase in the car and not have to lug in onto the tube. Somehow there was a communication failure between Jim and I and Sadie's clothes ended up in the big suitcase so she only had one change of clothes in London. We bought her some underwear, a couple of shirts, and a dress for the theater. She wasn't upset, she got new clothes! After shopping we grabbed some coffee and went back to the flat to get ready for Wicked! Wicked was absolutely wonderful! We all enjoyed it. After that we were hungry so we stopped by an outdoor Italian restaurant for some pizza (at 10:30 p.m.). We sat next to some guys from Australia and had a good chat with them. They were in London for the summer working on sound stuff for the Olympics. It was off to bed after that. Here's the link for pictures from Day2.

Europe trip '12 (Day 1: London)

I really can't believe we got to go on this amazing trip - it truly was "brilliant" as they say in England! Our flight over from Texas to London was very smooth. The seats were comfortable, the entertainment was great (lots of choices), and the food was good. We all got a few hours of sleep so when we landed we were ready to get going! Customs was a breeze and before we knew it we were being greeted by Jim's sister Jen, her husband Paul, and their two kids Hailey and Drew (the Heitmeyer family). We all drove north for a bit and then stopped to see some friends of the Heitmeyers. The kids got to run around their backyard while the adults talked. After a great lunch of bacon sandwiches we headed out to Stonehenge. It was a cool, drizzly sort of day - perfect weather to check out this fascinating, mysterious site. We all picked up an audio tour gadget and learned about the history of the place while we walked around. I am so glad we decided to take time to visit Stonehenge - it really was cool! After that we headed to London. The trip took over an hour so we were able to get in a bit of a nap. We parked the car just outside of the city and took the tube in. We got off the tube at Covent Gardens where our flat (apartment) was. Our flat was very nice - three bedrooms and two bath (the kids all shared a room). After settling in we set off in search of dinner. We found a nice restaurant called the Angel and the Crown and had a meal of bangers and mash. We called it a night after that - we were a bit sleepy! :) Here's a link to the pictures: Day1