Jolly Old England

This was such a whirlwind week. Frank has been gone for 2 weeks for work, so when he told me that he was going to be in London over the weekend and would I like to join him, I jumped on it! It was great! Here's a picture of Westminster Abbey. And here's a close-up of the queen on her way to Coronation, or is that Princess Di?Actually, we did have a celebrity sighting. While we were walking into Harrod's, guess who was walking out?

Prince Harry?

Pierce Brosnan?

Madonna?

Nope, it was none other than our very own Carol Makita. That was pretty exciting to have such a close brush with fame.

This is Frank the Lion-Hearted and a statue of King Richard. I have to say that ever since Dave let me read that book about him, I have really come to admire King Richard. He was hard-core. I think if he had read a book about Frank, he would feel the same way about him.A little side-note: This was not my first time to London, but for some reason, I was completely struck by the history of Great Britain. It is amazing that in front of their parliment building is a statue of Winston Churchill and also one of King Richard. I mean, seriously, There is history eeking out of the buildings there. Some of the places--like the tower of London are almost 1000 years old. And there are also Roman foundations for some of the bridges and walls that are nearly 2000 years old. Isn't that unbelievable? Speaking of the Tower of London, it was my favorite place that we went. I love to hear the mysteries and scandals and old legends told here. It is apparently the most haunted place in Brittan. That was a draw for me because as you know, I love that kind of thing.It was a little dissapointing that we didn't see any ghosts, but there is a really oppressive feeling in some of those cells and towers. There is a superstition that as long as ravens live at the Tower, it will never be destroyed by enemies. So a bunch of them are kept in cages and a 'Ravenmaster' is in charge of feeding and training them.I made Frank take me to Wicked in London's west-end. It was great. I think that even Frank liked it.
This is a picture of the grounds where the Royal Cavalry does their shows. I think they should have a rodeo here. I guarantee that Ginger Reed can out barrel-race the queen!Here I am standing by a member of the Royal calvary. Is this animal cruelty? This horse has to stand here for hours every day in freezing cold or blistering heat. Why? Tradition? Tourism? Does it actually train the horse to fight better if England is forced to engage in a mounted battle?
Here is me standing in front of what I thought was London Bridge. It isn't. It is the 'Tower Bridge'. Ok, so shoot me. If I was going to make up a kids' song, I would make it about the coolest looking bridge. I'm just saying...This is the "real" London Bridge--snore...
See, it's labeled for tourists like me. Excuse moi.
What is this? 'Big Ben' you say? Apparently not. From our tour-guide we learned that is not its actual name. It is the 'Clock Tower of Westminster. 'So, again, I am mistaken about the names of my London landmarks. Big Ben is the name of the guy who designed the tower. He was really short so they called him 'Big' Ben. Now we know that the cute name we give to this clock tower was originally used to mock a guy's height. Nice.

London is full of monuments honoring soldiers that died in battle. Even in Westminster Abbey, there is a chapel dedicated to the Royal Air Force and their Allies in the WW2. That chapel even has a big hole in the wall which was from a German Bomb. Instead of fixing it, they just covered it with glass and left it as a memorial. This giant eagle monument was also dedicated to the soldiers. It is made from enemy artillery. That was another thing that really struck me while I was there. We have Ground Zero and some places like that here in the US, but for the Europeans, the World Wars weren't something fought far away across the sea. It must have been so horrible for them to hear bombs dropping and have it all happening right there. I know that when we go to Washington DC, there are monuments and memorials for our soldiers, too, but it just seemed more real to be there where so much of it actually happened. They not only lost soldiers, but when it was all over, they had to re-build their cities, too.Ok, on a lighter note, as Frank and I sat in Lichester Square eating our Ben and Jerry's, there was a little performance done by a dance group called the "Children of Flowers". Their teacher was Lady Diana Helen and they did a maypole dance. Ok, so you're thinking how cute that is for these kids. Here's the thing. They weren't all kids. Lady Diana Helen looks like she is in her late 50-s. There were some other women, too who were a little old to be wearing wigs and bloomers and dancing around singing about a "Lovely English Garden." I guess besides the haunting images, the song was also imprinted in our minds and sometimes I catch myself humming it.
Here's a picture of me and my cute friend, Dee at the Slug and Lettuce. It is a restaurant in the town of Stains where Dee lives. It is a really charming town right on the Thames river. We sat outside on the banks and had a great little lunch. The Slug and Lettuce is about the best name for a restaurant that I have ever heard. So, here are a few things I noticed about the British people. And may I just start out with a disclaimer that I don't mean to offend anyone, especially Dee, Lillian or Colin Firth. They are just some things I noticed and thought they were worth mentioning.

First of all, I loved to see the kids when they got out of school. They looked so cute in their uniforms. I think that this is something that we should do here in the US. I know people think we'd hate it, but think of all the money we'd save. Also, it would cut down on kids feeling like they had to have immodest or expensive clothes just to be popular and it helps with behavior problems, too. Obviously not all. But I have to say that I'm speaking from experience as a private school alum, it was great for my self-esteem to not have to worry about my clothes as well as all the other things that were stressing me out as a teenager.

Second, why are the British so determined to continue to drive on the left side of the road? Everyone else does it on the right, why do they have to be so different? Instead of changing, they paint these little signs on all the crosswalks:

So tourists don't get smashed every time they are crossing. The roads are small and people drive like maniacs. How can we get them to change? Maybe if the US agrees to use the metric system. It is a sacrifice, I know, but if we work, we could do it.

Where is all the Harry Potter stuff? I was amazed at the lack of Harry Potter merchandise and paraphenalia. To the salespeople of London: Hello!! You should be riding this money train as long as you can. There was Princess Di stuff, Beatles stuff, even Mary Poppins, why not Harry Potter? That's a way to make some sweet moola. Just a little tip.

Maybe this is the American in me, but I know that there was a really dark, poor time in London's history. You know, the Charles Dickens time. People were so poor and everyone was dying. The river was full of bodies and so many people had to turn to crime to survive. I had just recently read a book from that time and so it was on my mind as we went to see the Crown Jewels.

I mean, seriously, why wasn't there any kind of a revolution? The Royal family has castles just dripping with this stuff. What's the difference? Why did it happen in France and Russia, but not England? Just wondering. I'm sure Dave has a great answer for that.

Finally, I love how the British people talk. It sounds so proper even when they are saying something vulgar or nasty. There were a few things that made me take a second look or smile, so I'm going to write the ones that I remember.

'Mind the Gap.' This is what is written as you step out of a subway onto the platform. What it means is "Watch where you are stepping because you could get your foot stuck in that space between the train and platform and get trampled."

'Altered Toilet.' I acually waited to go in this stall and see how the toilet was altered. It took me awhile, but I figured out that it means the 'Handicapped stall.'

"Young Offenders Institution" means 'Juvenille Detention.' Doesn't it sound nicer?

"Thank-you for your Custom." I had to re-read this a few times. It was on a sign outside of McDonalds. I guess a 'Customer' is the one with the "Custom". So, do you "Do a custom?" "Make a custom?" "Leave a custom? "

So, there is our trip in a nutshell. It was great. I am so glad I got a chance to get away for a week and spend some time with my sweetheart and see such an amazing city and also my cute friend, Dee. Thanks to Mimi and Ed and Mandy for tending the kids and Daisy and for bailing Daisy out of the pound when she dug a hole under their fence and ran away. I loved going and having an adventure, but I was ready to be home. I was homesick for my kids, house and the good old USA!

When I was in 7th Grade, we had to memorize a poem by Henry Van Dyke and I thought of it when we were flying into JFK.

"AMERICA FOR ME"

'TIS fine to see the Old World, and travel up and down

Among the famous palaces and cities of renown,

To admire the crumbly castles and the statues of the kings,—

But now I think I've had enough of antiquated things.

So it's home again, and home again, America for me!

My heart is turning home again, and there I long to be,

In the land of youth and freedom beyond the ocean bars,

Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars!

Oh, London is a man's town, there's power in the air;

And Paris is a woman's town, with flowers in her hair;

And it's sweet to dream in Venice, and it's great to study Rome;

But when it comes to living there is no place like home.

I like the German fir-woods, in green battalions drilled;

I like the gardens of Versailles with flashing fountains filled;

But, oh, to take your hand, my dear, and ramble for a day

In the friendly western woodland where Nature has her way!

I know that Europe's wonderful, yet something seems to lack:

The Past is too much with her, and the people looking back.

But the glory of the Present is to make the Future free,—

We love our land for what she is and what she is to be.

Oh, it's home again, and home again, America for me!

I want a ship that's westward bound to plough the rolling sea,

To the bléssed Land of Room Enough beyond the ocean bars,

Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars.