Bob's Your Uncle!

LONDON!!
Okay, I'm finally getting to this blog. Hmm..where to begin!? Our flight was delayed a bit to London so I was worried that it wouldn't even happen. I was going to be really sad to miss out on seeing London and Jenna. However, an hour later we were on our way!
We flew over the English Channel. It was such a clear day we could see boats doting the shore. When we landed in Gatwick we took a train to Victory Station, which according to my mom, has a lot of history.
Mom took charge on this trip with the transportation and housing arrangements. We weren't sure exactly how to get to our hotel, but it was no problem… we simply asked! (I was loving ENGLISH!) An older lady on the bus said to my mom, "Oh don't worry dear, it's just one stop after mine." Most the people we came across in London we're very helpful.
Our hotel was my favorite I've stayed in so far in Europe. It was old and Victorian looking. Our room was very flowery. It definitely reminded me of an old tea room. (I wouldn't want to live there. However, it was a fun atmosphere for our stay. We had two french doors from floor to ceiling that opened up to our balcony. From our balcony we could look out and see Hyde Park, which is bigger than Central Park in NYC. It was a beautiful view and we had three sunny days in London to enjoy it.
After we got our internet working, we got a hold of Jenna and she came over right away. (Earlier that day, she went to see if we had checked in yet, but I told her the wrong hotel. I felt awful, but she found us in the end!) Jenna and I explored the streets of London, including the famous Oxford street with all the shops. Then we took the tube (Yes, I did get to hear "mind the gap" with the great British accent!) to get some food and see her flat. We decided to stop in a pub near her flat. We ordered, but the lady at the counter could barely understand us. We weren't sure if she was speaking English herself, but we got it figured out. There were a few men on the other side of the pub speaking in a thick Scottish accent. It was fun to listen to them. When we finished, we went to Jenna's flat and I met her flat mates. They seemed pretty nice, but I guess I walked in on WWIII, so as soon as Jenna packed her bags we left for my side of town.
When we got back mom was a little worried about us being alone in London, so we didn't even have to ask before she said, "Jenna's staying!" Jenna was out stowaway so the next day we smuggled her some breakfast and were out the door. We got on a double decker tour bus to view the city. We saw Big Ben, the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, the Thames River, the Crown Jewels, the London Bridge (which isn't falling down), and much more. Jenna and I sat on the top even though it was a chilly day. After all, it's not every day you get to ride a double decker bus!
That night, we ate at our hotel. Our Waitress, Jessica, was so nice and very talkative. She asked where we were from and told us to pack her in our suitcases. She said she'd love to go to America some day. We asked her where and she named as many states as she could think of, except IN. Then she asked where we were from and when we told her she said, "Yeah, there too!" hah She was fun.
After dinner, we played rummy (Which was only Jenna's second hand and she won!) and said bye to Jenna. The next morning mom and I took a walk in Hyde Park where the squirrels and pigeons will attack if you're not careful. It was a beautiful sunny day! People we're using the park for all sorts of things: Painting, walking dogs, running, biking, soccer practice, tours, or just a morning walk. I couldn't believe how big the park was. It even has monuments from the kings and queens of Great Britain. If I were to live in a big city I would have to have a place like Hyde Park to get away. (It kinda reminded me of 101 Dalmatians when the owners of the dogs met in the park. I always thought that was so unrealistic, but after seeing Hyde Park with all the people walking dogs, I believe it! haha)
I would love to go back to London some day and stay longer. It was a great trip and well worth the hassle. I know this trip meant a lot to my mom especially with grandpa's history working as a chef in WWII in London. (I understand he made a mean fish and chips! ) And it was always grandma's dream to come. I know mom had them in mind the whole time! We ended the trip with a cup of tea and many great memories:) -I also picked up a few slang words from my London stay…
Brilliant = cool
Cheers= Hello, Good-bye, (anything else you can think of..)
Bob's your uncle=So there ya have it, there ya go!
Chips= French Fries
Loo = bathroom